HARROGATE V CHESTERFIELD 16-11-24
Not really much to write home about in the first 45 at Harrogate. Two free kicks in promising positions saw Banks waste one by putting the shot over the roof of the home end and into the car park. Second one was wasted as it sailed over everyone and out for a throw in. Boot did make a terrific save to tip a thunderous shot destined for the top corner onto the cross bar.
Second half was a bit more open with half chances created for both teams. However it was Harrogate who opened the scoring after Dobra was (harshly) adjudged to give a free kick away 20 yards from goal. The original kick hit the crossbar/post corner of the goal and it rebounded to Sims who powered home from the rebound 20 yards from goal as no one challenged to get the ball clear.
Colclough, Madden, Berry replaced Tanton, Gordon and Oldaker. Berry’s first touch saw him cut inside and curl an absolute worldie into the top corner (again) on 77 minutes. Araujo replaced the out of sorts Markanday. Felt then that the Spireites might just find a winner.
However what was to follow will be debated and a hot topic of discussion for weeks, maybe months. The ball hit the referee from a Harrogate pass and fell to the same player. Referee Mr Bullingham waved play on and after several passes town scored. Boot made a terrific save from the initial shot but again the rebound fell to Cornelius to finish sublimely. No one chased the rebound to avert the shot. Contentious? Debatable? All sorts of opinions on the events leading up to the goal.
But the score sheet reads Harrogate 2 Spireites 1.
Boss Paul Cook said that the standard of officiating had never fallen so low? Again the statistics suggest other than the scoreline.
Possession 33% Harrogate 67% Spireites.
Shots 12/7 in favour of the Spireites.
Passes 501/235 in favour of the Spireites.
Corners 7/6 in favour of Harrogate.
Yellows – Harrogate 3 – Moon, Asare and Falkingham. Spireites 5 – Tanton, Naylor, Banks,Dobra (who’d been kicked all over) and Grigg for arguing the winner.
Possession – passing again doesn’t win games and it’s back to back defeats in the league. The injury crisis isn’t really getting any better and we need to steady things up until they get back or maybe January when things can be shaken up.
Attendance: 3686 including 1058 travelling Spireites
Onto Barrow at home on Saturday 23 November
Alan Wilkinson for Elastic FM Sports
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