Harrogate Town 1, Workington 1

THERE was an air of resignation around Wetherby Road before a ball was kicked as Harrogate supporters contemplated another near-miss.

Finishing just outside the promotion play-offs has become the norm now and even the most fervent Town fan had accepted the inevitable.

If Harrogate had beaten Reds and Barrow had just drawn with Worcester, the Yorkshire side would have taken their place in the play-offs.

But there was a lack of devil about Harrogate from the start and they looked far from a side still in with a shout of making the play-offs.

Reds matched them in a scrappy, uneventful first-half and then when the game burst to glorious life in an entertaining second-half we could have had a goal feast.

If the first 45 minutes was predictable, insipid and typical end-of-season, the second half certainly wasn’t – an exciting, end-to-end contest which left supporters lamenting the four month break before action resumes.

Workington had been asked beforehand to ignore the fact that it was the final game, and prove themselves against a top six side. They did that in what was largely a pleasing and promising end to the season.

If manager Darren Edmondson can retain the key players in his squad and add the four or five new faces he is looking for, the west Cumbrians can build on their 2007/08 finish of 14th next time round.

Neither side posed a serious threat in the first-half and the only real opportunity fell to Harrogate midway through.

Chris Bettney fed Mark Hume in the box, who in turn helped the ball across goal for Danny Holland but his strike partner could not quite get there top make the touch which would surely have presented the home side with the lead.

Reds never really looked like scoring in that first period but they took the lead five minutes after the restart and that sparked a memorable second half.

Craig Johnston saw his opportunity to take a quick corner on the left and skipper Tony Hopper timed his run perfectly to score with a glancing header beyond keeper Jonathan McLaughlin into the far corner.

Minutes later Hopper came steaming through again, this time to get in a shot which wasn’t too far off target.
The dye was cast – and Harrogate played their part in making it an open contest, where the surprise was there was only one more goal.

That came on 68 minutes when Holland chested a ball down just inside the Workington area and fired low past Adam Collin. Holland has made a habit of scoring goals regularly against the Reds in his career with both Matlock and Harrogate.

In fact he could have had a hat-trick in the last 20 minutes. Collin made a brilliant diving block to claw away a curling shot from 15 yards and the Reds keeper had to get down as well to block the follow-up shot from Gareth Grant.

Then deep into stoppage time Holland thought he’d won the game for Harrogate with a dipping shot from the edge of the area which Collin turned over acrobatically.

You can throw in there another two saves from Collin earlier in the half which denied Bettney and Grant in quick succession.

Workington were equally dangerous and could have been looking at three or four goals at the end of the game.

Matthew Berkeley was closest with a shot on the run which cannoned over after striking the angle of post and bar.

Jonny Wright, with a measured chip over McLaughlin was disappointed to see the ball drop onto the roof of the net.

Then Wright fired just over after good play down the right-hand side by young Phil McLuckie and Lee Andrews.

In the end a draw was a fair result to the game and meant the travelling band of Workington fans dressed in fancy costumes could enjoy a leisurely return home and reflect on their team’s decent performance.

STAR MAN: TONY HOPPER – Immense in midfield, leading by example as skipper, driving force, prompting attacks and also winning the ball. The bonus was his excellent headed goal.

KEY MOMENT: Difficult in a see-saw, exiting game – take your pick – either Adam Collin’s double save to deny Danny Holland and Gareth Grant or Matthew Berkeley’s screamer which struck the angle of post and bar.

Reds: Collin, Andrews (Nicholson 75), Rowntree, May, Kirkup (Gray 37), McLuckie, Johnston, Hopper, Berkeley (Gullen 80), J. Wright, Hardman. Subs (not used – Edmondson, Taylor).

Referee: Mr J. G. Adcock (Nottingham)

Crowd: 487

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