HARROGATE TOWN V SALFORD CITY

FA Trophy 3rd Qualifying Round

The Trophy is the most constrained of the FA knock out tournaments, open to only levels one to four of the non-league pyramid, consisting twelve leagues and about 250 teams. So although we are still in the qualifying rounds, the winners today will progress into the last 64, just five steps from Wembley.

Harrogate Town v Salford City looks a tasty clash with both teams in the top half of the National League North; and the good weather for the time of year, sunny while the light lasts, has tempted me via a couple of trains and a twenty minute walk across The Stray to the Wetherby Road ground. It is not my first visit; that was a four years ago for an all ticket FA Cup second round tie with Hastings United.

No tickets needed today, despite Salford’s quasi-celebrity status, and a concessionary £8 gets me groundside, and £2.50 buys a pricey, if glossy, program. Inside the ground looks spruced up since last time, with concrete terracing and a variety of low level stands, enclosures, sponsors lounge, clubhouse, bars and a shop. The most significant change is the pitch; that FA Cup tie took place on a sticky, sandy mud pile but now there is a spanking 3G surface.

From the kick off Harrogate press and the energy of full back Lewis Turner wins the ball back high up the pitch. He finds Lloyd Kerry inside, and the man in the white mask (protecting a fractured cheekbone) skips through a couple of challenges and fires the ball past keeper Jay Linch into the net to give the home team a two minute lead.

Salford wake up and contribute to what is becoming a lively game. Long throws from Joshua Hine provide a threat, but the Harrogate centre halves Simon Ainge and Luke Shiels cope well. Their command of the air is also put to good use at Harrogate corners, Ainge powering a header over the bar on the quarter hour mark.

In doing so he clashes heads and needs some attention at the next break in play. As he endures the obligatory wait on the touchline, Salford restart and move the ball quickly to James Poole. In acres of space as Ainge’s absence has not been adequately covered, he is able to stride forward and unleash a 25 yard shot that beats Chris Elliot all ends up and levels the score.

The sides trade blows in fine attacking spells. Kerry again creates trouble in the box, his shot blocked by a last ditch challenge that may have included an arm; and his teammate Nicky Clee fires a shot wide. For Salford, centre half Steve Howson stoops to bullet a header form a corner just over the bar. Then Harrogate have a corner kick and Shiels wins a clean header from what looks like unstoppably close range, until Linch sticks out a paw to save; Ainge pounces on the rebound but his attempt is also foiled by the Salford stopper.

The breathless action continues with a Salford through ball; centre forward Hine has the beating of the defenders present but not the keeper who has seen the danger early and rushed ten yards outside his area. In my view he gets there first, clears the ball and then collides with Hines, leaving the striker in a heap, so for me if anything it is a Harrogate free kick; the referee begs to differ and gives it the other way, adding a yellow card for Elliot by way of insult. For the next through ball Elliot is again alert and this time collects without incident.

The end to end ebb and flow sees both number sevens prominent. A Warren Burrell volley is on target for Harrogate but is straight at the keeper; for Salford Craig King dispossesses a defender near the corner flag and moves infield but his rolled pass square to the unmarked Hines is under hit and never gets there, pounced on by Elliot. The last action of the half is a late corner for Harrogate and Shiels, up again, powers another header; and this time there is no heroics from Linch and the ball hits the back of the net to put the home team back ahead.

It has been a good half, possibly the best seen so far this season, with both teams committed to attack and playing good football, due in part I have to admit to the excellent surface which has the truest bounce and cleanest roll of any artificial surface I’ve seen.

Salford start the second half with intent. A long throw causes a scramble in the Harrogate box before the ball is hoofed clear. A long kick from the keeper gives Hines another run in on Elliot and though this time the striker gets to the ball first, he pokes it wide. Harrogate step up their game to match and Clee fires a shot that is deflected over the bar. From the corner Salford break in a sweeping move that deserves better than the resulting corner.

Nothing comes of that, but from another corner the tall Salford right back, Michael Nottingham, caps a fine game by stealing unnoticed in at the near post to nod in a defensively soft equaliser; two all with twenty-five minutes left.

The next ten minutes the game tenses and tightens up, and it is symptomatic when Salford captain Bradley Barnes clatters through the back of Clee. It is a yellow card, and it is his second of the game so he is off and Salford are down to ten men. Harrogate sense their chance and press forward, but the space they leave behind is exploited by another Salford through ball and race between Hines and Elliot. The keeper wins this one by a whisker and takes the ball cleanly off the striker’s toes.

Harrogate’s man advantage is not showing, and Salford are not just hanging on for a replay. Shooting chances are coming their way: Patrick Brough, up from left back, blasts one yards over and out of the ground; Matthew Warburton puts his on target but too much so - into Elliot’s waiting arms. The final attempt of the afternoon is a similar effort Harrogate’s Andi Thanoj, and the game ends with the ball in Linch’s hands.

A really good even game ends two apiece. Harrogate, unable to make the man advantage pay, may have missed their best chance of progressing; Salford will now fancy their chances in the replay to move a step nearer to Wembley.