Oswell extends
COUNTY kept their unbeaten home record intact with a spirited comeback against unbeaten Harrogate at Edgeley Park on Saturday, pegging the visitors back to earn a hard-fought 2-2 draw.
Two first half strikes by Town captain Simon Ainge - including a superb volley past the helpless Ben Hinchliffe - saw Simon Weaver’s away side race into a two goal lead by the interval, but County’s own sharp-shooting striker Jason Oswell hauled The Hatters back into the tie with a secondhalf brace.
Midfielder Sam Walker replaced the injured Darren Stephenson in the hosts’ only change from the 3-0 midweek win over neighbours Curzon Ashton - although it would prove to be a short-lived afternoon for the former Salford midfielder Walker.
Full-time Harrogate made their way to Edgeley Park on the back of two wins out of two at the start of their National League North campaign, and the Yorkshire men started sharply against a County side who were slow out of the blocks.
Tricky midfielder George Thomson was proving tough for Connor Hampson to handle on the Harrogate right, and the former FC United man curled over early on as the away side signalled their intent.
Ironically, after Harrogate’s quick start, it was County who looked like breaking the deadlock when Warburton bundled just wide from close range, before Walker’s curling effort was hacked away from the goal-line in an almighty goalmouth scramble.
But the away side countered swiftly, and lively winger Joe Leesley crossed from the left to the lurking Ainge to power a crashing volley past Hinchliffe for a superb opener.
And it would take just six minutes for Ainge the converted defender who fired 24 goals last season - to head past Hinchliffe for Harrogate’s second; although Gannon was left fuming by the much softer nature of this one, with Ainge left free to head past the County ‘keeper.
Walker was replaced in the second half after coming on at half time during last weekend’s 1-0 defeat at Spennymoor on the opening day, and the new County midfielder’s mood won’t have improved by his substitution just twenty minutes into his first Hatters start, with the former Curzon Ashton man being replaced by winger Ben McKenna to single a change of tact for the hosts.
County did make much greater inroads after the interval, with Oswell bundling home Sam Minihan’s low cross just minutes into the second half to set up a thrilling comeback.
Oswell, the man in form after joining from Welsh Premier League side Newtown in the summer, curled comfortably over James Belshaw’s crossbar minutes later - before County did grab a deserved leveller.
The Hatters had stepped up their game after the break and forced their previously assured visitors into a number of mistakes by the time Minihan was afforded the space to burgeon into the penalty area from an Oswell pass.
The County wing-back fired low across goal, knowing only the faintest of touches would be needed by a teammate and, once Belshaw had palmed the strike back into the area, Oswell was on hand to poach his second of the game to drag County back on terms.
Ainge saw a late chance for his hattrick come and go as he headed Leesley’s cross into the side netting, but County held on to earn a point from the first of two tricky ties against