Rochdale AFC 1 Harrogate Town 4: Superb Sulphurites cruise to away-day success

Missing 10 first-team players through injury and another one due to suspension, the Sulphurites served up a superb away-day performance, recovering from falling behind early on to run out comfortable 4-1 winners at Spotland.

Town began well enough and Danny Grant was presented with a clear sight of goal inside 60 seconds, but he took too long pulling the trigger and his strike was blocked by the sliding Ethan Ebanks-Landell.

Jaheim Headley then got forward from left-back and dragged a shot wide before the Sulphurites found themselves behind on seven minutes.

Without the services of vastly-experienced central defenders Rory McArdle and Joe Mattock, Harrogate didn’t look at all comfortable attempting to defend Cameron John’s in-swinging right-wing corner, and it was too easy for Jake Ball to guide the ball home at the front post.

Town didn’t go under though, and were back on terms before a quarter-of-an-hour had passed.

Josh Falkingham shifted a loose ball into the path of George Thomson and the long-serving midfielder marked his return to the starting line-up by driving a low, 25-yard strike across Richard O’Donnell and into the bottom corner.

Town went on to completely boss possession during the 25 minutes which followed, Luke Armstrong seeing a first-time effort from Kayne Ramsay’s cross cleared by a covering defender with O’Donell beaten.

It was however Dale who ended the first period the stronger, Abraham Odoh drawing an excellent one-on-one save from Pete Jameson before Iain Henderson glanced a header from another John corner against the frame of the goal.

The second period would however see Harrogate go on to be richly rewarded for a controlled performance of real quality.

They got their noses in front on 53 minutes after goalkeeper Jameson launched what proved to be a devastating counter-attack by bowling the ball out to Josh Coley.

The on-loan Exeter winger raced down the left, skinned Ethan Brierley and pulled the ball back for Armstrong, who took a touch back inside before firing beyond O’Donnell with his left foot.

Having managed just one goal in open play in 26 appearances prior to his brace against Mansfield in Town’s previous league outing, Armstrong took his tally to four in three matches five minutes later.

Thomson and Headley worked a right-wing free-kick short, the latter then driving to the byline before sending the ball across the face of goal for Armstrong to finish from close range.

The points were then made safe in the 70th minute when Grant’s intelligent ball over the top released Armstrong down the right flank.

His pull-back was directed towards Coley, but hit the scrambling Toumani Diagouraga, struck the inside of the far post and rolled across the line for the waiting Folarin to apply a finishing touch barely a yard out.

The Sulphurites remain 20th in the table despite Saturday’s triumph, but have now opened up a healthy gap between themselves and 23rd-placed Gillingham.