Garforth Town 3 - Harrogate Railway 2

21.3.2008

Harrogate Railway were the latest beast to be slain in the indomitable late season promotion push of Garforth Town, as the visitors were defeated by a late Greg Kelly goal having clawed their way back into contention. In a game played in ever changing weather, the Miner’s snatched all three points as their local rivals paid the price for the lack of finishing ability in evidence during their rare moments of attacking prominence.

The visitors of Harrogate made their intentions clear in the first fifteen seconds of play, as firstly Greg Kelly then Chris Brown were immediately clattered to the floor in the first exchange in midfield. The subsequent free kick awarded gifted Garforth the first goal scoring opportunity of the game, though Kelly curled his ambitious effort over the woodwork.

The first periods of play saw both teams engaging in aerial play, and in only the sixth minutes one such long ball was steered into the path of Garforth’s top scorer Greg Kelly twenty yards from goal. With the goalkeeper unwisely committing himself, Greg claimed his sixteenth of the season with the most perfunctory of flicked lob finishes to give Town an early advantage, and dishearten the easily breached visiting defence. With no striker by trade to call upon, Kelly is proving himself a useful asset in the conversion department to Town, and has displayed an endearing attitude since his exclusion from the squad.

Harrogate tried in vain to respond, but besides encountering the usual unwavering defensive solidity of Renshaw and company, but were forced to battle high wind that affected every ball played above the ground. The wind was truly in Town’s favour, and that advantage almost paid off when a Richard Carrick clearance evaded the Railwaymen and put Kelly through on goal once more. Greg beat the goalkeeper to the header, but the shot-stopper’s challenge meant the ball fell unkindly for the Town man, and with the goal at his mercy was unable to shoot before the ball was cleared.

After quarter of an hour of an entertaining opening, Chris Brown was played in on the left, and from thirty yards, ambitiously attempted a curled in-swinger to the far top corner over the stranded goalkeeper. With the Harrogate man in the proverbial no man’s-land, the ball drifted inches over.

Five minutes later, the visitors forced an ungainly goalmouth scramble from a dubious corner. With Spratt exposed, a Carrick clearance struck Harrogate attacker Arron Haywood and flew goalwards. Only the spectacular overhead bicycle kick of captain Brett Renshaw, and the linesman’s flag prevented a return to numeric parity, as a naïve Railway player had strayed into too advanced a position.

Ben Small received a goal kick, and drifted a cross field through ball to Luis de Melo, but a certain goal did not occur due to the wind redirecting the ball over the former Tenerife man. The ball was reclaimed by the left corner flag, and a mazy run from Duncan Williams saw the youngster cynically fouled at the edge of the box. The free kick was wasted, yet a Milton Turner high ball tempted the keeper from his goal once more, and de Melo was unfortunate not to score as his tentative flick at the bouncing ball struck the Harrogate number 1 in the abdomen. This concluded the most eventful minute of play.

Garforth were indeed using the wind as an ally, a their quasi twelfth man directed another high ball to Kelly. Greg exquisitely controlled the ball with the turn popularised by Dutch maestro Johan Cruyff in the 1970’s, and slid the ball into the path of Brown. Unfortunately, de Melo took the incentive and claimed the chance for himself, and his offside position scuppered the opportunity.

An unflinching Richard Carrick tackle drew applause from the Garforth support, and resulted in Harrogate manager Vince Brockie leaving the stand incandescent with rage to hurtle pitchwards. His feelings were later audibly revealed at half time.

Halfway through the first period, Harrogate finally launched a concise attack, as slotted pass found Arron Haywood, who turned Renshaw before his curled shot from twenty yards was easily saved by Spratt.

In the 35th minute, Town were awarded another free kick on the left, and this time made it count. Kelly’s curler found a cluster of Garforth players, and Ben Small’s header was redirected into the Harrogate goal by Luis de Melo, who himself is in fine goal scoring form. This is the seventh goal for the Portuguese playmaker in ten games.

Railway responded far more intelligently than after the first, and restricted themselves to ground based attacks. An advancement in the 42nd minute was crossed, and Arron Haywood stole in to power the ball past the helpless Spratt to give Harrogate hope leading into the second half. Renshaw vented his frustration soon after when he viciously assaulted the linesman with his fiercely struck clearance. Ten points on the head.

A last ditch Railway attack saw their striker tumble in the area after squaring a pass whilst under pressure from Spratt. A search of the surrounding area was inconclusive as to the presence of a sniper, nevertheless Town were awarded a free kick despite perplexing Harrogate claims for a penalty.

The second half heralded a drastic lessening of chances created, as the worsening weather belied the season of spring. Harrogate were now playing with the wind to their advantage, and like Garforth took full advantage as they levelled the scoring in the 52nd. An up field ball fell remarkably kindly for Ben Jones, whose left footed daisy cutter slipped through the diving Spratt’s hands and nestled in the right corner of the goal.

Chris Brown was denied a goal scoring opportunity by an excellent tackle in the penalty area, and an instant counter attack saw a Haywood shot drift perilously close to the top left corner. In the following twenty minutes, Garforth would fruitlessly probe, as Greg Kelly recorded the new world record for number of offside decisions in a single half of football, with a remarkable 392 amassed.

Mark Harding replaced cousin Craig, as fresh legs joined the Garforth push. Minutes later it finally occurred – a headed flick on into Greg Kelly’s path was delicately pushed past the last defender as Kelly ran for goal. Steadying himself, the versatile veteran allowed the goalkeeper to move before placing the ball past him into the net, to record his seventeenth goal of the current campaign.
Revitalised, Garforth pressed for a sending off present for the diminished Railway, as a Harding through ball almost found Chris Brown in the vital spot. Harrogate offered no resistance, and appeared susceptible to a savage score line were it not for the late stage in play. They didn’t have to wait long for an end to their torment, as the referee ended the game and signalled another step in the right direction, upwards, for Garforth Town AFC on what a Mr Simon Clifford calls ‘the Magic Bus’.