Workington 0-1 Harrogate Town: Daniels sends Town through in FA Cup

Jack Emmett and Cecil Nyoni join goalscorer Brendan Daniels, centre, following Town's late goal (Photo: Craig Hurle)

Simon Weaver fielded a much changed starting 11 with Ryan Fallowfield making his seasonal debut after returning from a broken foot sustained in pre-season.

Danny Ellis also returned from injury to replace suspended captain Dave McGurk, while Andy Gascoigne was amongst the Town substitutes for the first time since suffering a double leg break against Chorley in February.

Workington had the better of the early exchanges as Town took time to gel together and Andy McWilliams and Luke Shiels were soon called upon to make vital defensive headers.

Dom Knowles is stopped in his tracks by the Workington goalkeeper (Photo: Craig Hurle)

Matty Tymon wasted an Anthony Wright cross by firing straight at Peter Crook, before he headed a Phil McLukie corner wide, after Fallowfield had made a last ditch tackle.

Town began to hit back, with Shiels pushing forward to head a Brendan Daniels free kick against the post, although in the excitement nobody noticed the linesman’s raised flag for offside.

The half ended with Workington’s Joe McGee shooting over from a free kick and Tymon heading at Crook.

The second half was only three minutes old when Daniels appeared to be upended in the box, but referee Paul Newhouse ignored Town’s penalty claims and booked the Town striker for diving.

Harrogate began to take control, with Daniels firing just over the top and a Joe Colbeck free-kick after a foul on Jack Emmett came back off the crossbar with home keeper Jonny Jamieson stranded.

Gari Rowntree conceded a corner from a dangerous, Dom Knowles header as Town pressed, and soon afterwards, Knowles broke clear but unselfishly squared to Emmett,whose delayed shot was well smothered by Jamieson.

Matt Bloomer replaced Lloyd Kerry to play alongside the inspiring skipper,Danny Ellis,as the game seemed destined for a draw.

However, with only five minutes left on the clock, Scott Allison brought down Daniels 25 yards from goal and the lethal left foot of Daniels curled a shot past the defensive wall to beat Jamieson’s despairing drive and give Town the lead.

It only remained for Town to negotiate six minutes added time and they were into the next round.