Sam Bunce and Charlie Wood
Notts County salvaged a point against a depleted Harrogate Town side following Matthew Dennis’ stoppage-time penalty.
After the visitors had taken the advantage in the 39th minute through Tom Cursons, County applied incessant pressure to test the resolve of the Harrogate defence, but were unable to fashion many clear-cut opportunities.
Will Jarvis did manage to earn the hosts a late penalty, and fellow substitute Dennis converted from the spot for the equaliser, and so the spoils were shared.
This would have been considered two points dropped since County could have climbed to the summit of the League Two table, as Swindon and Walsall both dropped points.
Great credit should be given to Simon Weaver’s Harrogate side. They were without 12 first-team players including suspended midfielder Jack Evans and top goalscorer Stephan Duke-McKenna, who jetted off for international duty with Guyana.
While Harrogate Town loitered just above the relegation zone at kick-off, Martin Paterson had led the hosts to the automatic promotion spots following Monday night’s win against Cheltenham.
County registered the first shot through Conor Grant before Alassana Jatta almost bundled the ball home at the far post from a dangerous Nick Tsaroulla delivery minutes later.
The Sulphurites were still keen to exert energy in the early stages, despite their weakened squad. Ellis Taylor’s effort caused Kelle Roos to acrobatically swipe the ball clear for Harrogate’s most convincing shot in the opening 15 minutes.
Their momentum soon faded as County sensed they could trouble the Harrogate defence. Nick Tsaroulla delayed his pass for Lewis Macari, who forayed forwards and set up Tyrese Hall.
With five league goals already to his name, the Tottenham loanee only had goalkeeper James Belshaw to beat. Yet, he saw his shot saved, and the 20-year-old would come to rue missing the chance to put County ahead.
Seven minutes later, a ricochet put Harrogate forward Cursons through on goal. He made no mistake by slotting past a helpless Roos.
Taylor almost added to County’s woes when he flashed a teasing ball across the box with Jack Muldoon tantalizingly close to applying the decisive touch.
Wave after wave of County pressure in the second half tested Harrogate’s defensive resilience. Jatta’s ferocious effort from outside of the box forced Belshaw into a difficult save low to his right.
Paterson exercised a luxury not afforded to his counterpart. His substitutes, captain Matt Palmer and Will Jarvis, both played with intent to go forward, and that continued to test the increasingly tired Sulphurites’ backline.
All the second half action was concentrated in front of the Kop End. Yet, the third-best attack in the league failed to break down a side that had failed to keep a clean sheet in seven league matches.
For all their possession and territorial advantage, Jatta’s header in the 81st minute was the closest County came to an equaliser, before Jarvis was brought down in the area by Shawn McCoulsky’s clumsy challenge in the 93rd minute.
Dennis’ stoppage time penalty sent Belshaw the wrong way to the relief of the Magpies supporters.
For Harrogate, it extends the number of points dropped from leading positions to 16, and they return to North Yorkshire to host Walsall next Saturday.
Meanwhile, Notts County host Colchester United next Saturday, with the latter managing to overcome high-flying Walsall.
Sam Bunce and Charlie Wood
Featured image courtesy of Jocey Nel. No changes were made to this image.
In article image 1 courtesy of @nottscountyfc via Instagram. No changes were made to this image.
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