Simon Weaver thrilled by Harrogate Town's 'wonderful team goal' during draw with Port Vale

Midfielder Alex Pattison netted with a clinical finish to register his 10th of the season, handing the Sulphurites a 23rd-minute lead against their promotion-chasing visitors.

But it was the slick build-up play between Jack Diamond and Jack Muldoon which created the opportunity to break the deadlock that really had Town's manager purring.

Muldoon pounced on a loose ball in the centre circle, driving past Vale skipper Tom Pett before slipping a pass right to Diamond.

The on-loan Sunderland attacker then returned the favour with a perfectly-weighted first-time ball, which sent Muldoon into the away box.

He took the pass in his stride, checking back inside the despairing challenge of Nathan Smith and finding Pattison, who controlled near the penalty-spot before dispatching a low strike through the legs of Tomas Holy.

"We scored a wonderful team goal," Weaver reflected.

"I said to the lads in the changing room, if anyone scored that in the Premier League it would be played over and over again. It's one of the best goals I have seen in terms of team-play in quite some time.

"That's us when we show our true potential with the pace through midfield and the intricate passing. We passed it right through the middle of the park, it was wonderful to see.

"It was a great goal and I was pleased for Alex to get it because he deserved it, he was a driving force from midfield.

"When we do get the ball down and play at pace, we are hard to handle. There cannot be a quicker team on the counter-attack in this division than us, our top 10 Harrogate Town goals at the end of this season is going to be pretty special."

Town were eventually pegged back in the 68th minute when Ryan Edmondson nodded home James Gibbons' inviting left-wing cross to earn the Valiants a deserved share of the spoils.

But Weaver insisted that a point against opponents who are now unbeaten in nine matches and whom he thinks are good enough to get promoted is nothing to be sniffed at.

"I'm definitely happy with a point," the Harrogate chief added.

"Port Vale are a good, strong outfit. I think they are one of the best in the league, so to come away with a point, I think it is one that we can feel pleased with. It was always going to be a tough game. Physically they are very, very strong but there's no shortage of skill either.

"They're a well-established team at this level and have built block by block over a number of years and the club is right up there in my head in terms of manager and chairwoman, they're all set up for promotion in my opinion, so it's great to get a point, and a gritty one at that.

"I thought that for the first 20 minutes, it seemed as if we were on the back foot and they clearly had a game-plan to stick it in behind us and play for set-pieces, hoping that their physical might would kill us off, but we dug in.

"Then we scored a wonderful goal, and I thought we earned the chance to go and do that by digging in - and we keep learning. It's good to learn, not just in defeat, but when you dig in for a really good point."

Tuesday night's draw means that Town are now unbeaten in three matches and remain 14th in the League Two standings.