Wetherby Road, home of Harrogate Town based in North Yorkshire and play their trade in League 2. Nicknamed the “Sulphurites” after the town’s Spa association with Sulphur elements.
It’s a club that has spent most of it’s history in the top ends of Non-League in particular the Conference North or as we now know it as the National League North. For 14 years, Harrogate played at this level but after going full-time, they went up into the National League in 2018! 2 years later and they made it into the promised land and have stayed there ever since!
It’s time once again to watch my beloved Mansfield who are away to Harrogate Town. Mansfield sitting in seventh place whereas Harrogate are near the bottom, but Mansfield have not beaten Harrogate since their promotion to the Football League… Surely today is the end of that hoodoo! It’s also the first time I’ll be watching Mansfield without the Super Stag who is living it up in Budapest this weekend but a big thank you to him for sorting me a ticket for this one!
It’s straight up the A1 and onto the A661 and here I am parked up in plenty of time… What to do…? Let’s have a little stroll over to Harrogate Railway Athletic’s ground. Very impressive at first glance, I look forward to seeing a game here hopefully sometime this season! But for now it’s time for Town!
£20 for this League 2 tie! Pricey! Stood right next to the tunnel that comes out at the away end. Time goes on and the players run in. A high five from each of the Stags today!! Out come the teams! COME ON YOU YELLOWS… Even though they’re playing in blue today. But first we show a mark of respect for a long term Harrogate fan who passed away recently with a minutes applause.
Kick Off! “Allez Allez Allez!” The Mansfield fans in good voice so far!! The Harrogate fans behind the goal giving it a good go as well. 5 minutes in and Harrogate win the ball back in midfield, it’s played out to the left and played through to Alex Pattison who drives into the box, he bares down on goal… And he scores… Right in front of us in the away end… Not a good start! All from one break away… 1-0!
How will Mansfield respond? They’re having a lot of the ball but not really doing anything with it so far… 19 minutes now and Harrogate break forward again, it’s played through to Luke Armstrong who’s in on goal… And he finishes… My word… What on earth is going on here!? Harrogate double their lead… Why always us…? 2-0!
3 minutes later and Mansfield have a corner, it’s played short, it’s played to Anthony Hartigan on the edge of the box who gets his shot away… Brilliant save by Pete Jameson! Corner again, in it comes… Referee blows for a foul for Harrogate…
34 minutes on the clock and Mansfield have a free kick on the right, it’s crossed in and here’s Ollie HAWKINS… It’s over! He heads it down into the ground but it’s bounced over the bar, big chance!
Into stoppage time in the first half and Harrogate come forward again, it’s played in to Jaheim Headley in the box on the left, he slips but gets it across to Luke Armstrong… Who pokes it home at the near post… Wow… This is getting worse than Wembley back in May… It’s Harrogate 3 Mansfield 0 now… It’s getting toxic in the away end… 3-0!
Play goes on… “Just blow it Ref!” The Referee does blow for half time and here come the players and management… A chorus of boos and rightly so after that display…
Second half, 3 changes made by Mansfield… Thankfully! 53rd minute and Mansfield have a throw in on the right, it’s a long one into the box, it’s headed down and it falls perfectly for Stephen Quinn… He’s missed it… What a chance that was to get Mansfield back in this game but he’s blazed it over from about 15 yards out…
62 minutes now and Harrogate play forward down the left, it’s played across to Luke Armstrong who shoots… Blocked but it comes for Jack Muldoon… Pym gets there but Harrogate retrieve it, it’s played to Josh Falkingham who plays it in for Alex Pattison… He’s somehow headed it wide… Thankfully! Big chance to put this game to bed!
71 minutes now and Mansfield have a corner, it’s played short and crossed in… It falls for Boateng who tries a backheel… Jameson gets to it and Harrogate clear.
84th minute and it’s Mansfield down the right, it’s crossed in, Will Swan with the header… Off the bar! Harrogate clear, isn’t that the story of Mansfield’s day…? Mansfield continue to press for a goal… But they won’t get it… Oh Mansfield!
FT: Harrogate Town 3-0 Mansfield Town
Ratings
- Atmosphere: 4/10 – The Harrogate fans behind the far end gave it a good go, it started well in the away end but after the first goal it seemed to die off and in the end it was probably the flattest away atmosphere I’ve had with Mansfield…
- The Ground: 7/10 – I quite like this ground! It does have non league vibes and I think it probably does look a bit out of place in the Football League but I love to stand at football matches and it does have a bit of character! I do wish they’d have a bigger capacity though…
- Expense: 4/10 – £40 in fuel and £20 for the ticket, was it worth it? No! What we do for the club we love eh?
- Overall Experience: 4/10 – Yeah thanks Mansfield…
19/40