Harrogate Town’s draw at Aldershot ‘not good enough’ says James Belshaw

The Wetherby Road outfit’s failure to come away with maximum points has severely damaged their National League title hopes, leaving them six adrift of leaders Barrow, who also boast a game in hand.

And although Lloyd Kerry’s 70th-minute strike from outside the box earned Town a share of the spoils, goalkeeper Belshaw views the result as two points dropped, rather than one gained.

“No, it’s not a good point away from home. It is an opportunity missed,” he said.

“You might look at it and think ‘yeah, we’ve come back from 1-0 down and got something away from home,’ but it’s not good enough.

“At this stage of the season and the position we’re in in the table, we have to be winning games. We can’t afford to play two games and only come away with one point.

“First half, we were miles off it. Conditions were awful, we were dealing with the wind and the sun, but too many players had off days.

“Second half, we’ve come out and played the game in their half. I didn’t touch the ball, I don’t think, until the last two or three minutes of the game, but we’ve had chances and not taken them. So it’s disappointing.”

Town fell behind a minute before half-time when Warren Burrell was dispossessed and the Shots shifted the ball left for Mo Bettamer to cut inside and fire past Belshaw.

Jack Muldoon had a great opportunity to level matters less than two minutes into the second period, but failed to beat Mitch Walker after being sent clean through on goal.

Will Smith then saw a header from a corner cleared off the goal-line and the recalled Brendan Kiernan had a strike deflected wide before Muldoon teed up Muldoon to rifle in an equaliser.

Both sides pressed hard for a decisive goal in the closing stages, Kiernan going the closes for the visitors when he fired wide following a driving run, though in the end, the match was to finish all-square.

Elsewhere, FC Halifax Town moved up to third in the National League as they beat 10-man Bromley 2-1 at The Shay.

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PONTEFRACT COLLIERIES kept the gap between themselves and leaders Ramsbottom United to seven points following a 2-1 victory at Clitheroe in the BetVictor League North West Division.

James Murray and Jameel Ible netted the all important goals to keep Pontefract well in the promotion hunt still with five games in hand on the leaders.

Tadcaster Albion’s goalless draw with City of Liverpool, coupled with Marske United’s 1-0 defeat at Mossley meant Albion moved back into the play-off places.

Twelfth-placed Brighouse Town suffered a disappointing 2-0 home defeat to Widnes, while Ossett United went down 1-0 at home to Marine and basement-side Pickering Town suffered their 19th defeat of the season – 2-0 at Colne.

In the South East Division, Frickley Athletic put in a strong performance but lost 1-0 at home to league leaders Leek Town.

In the Northern Counties East League Premier Division, a last-minute goal from Roy Fogarty earned fifth-placed Yorkshire Amateur a 1-1 draw against third-placed Liversedge. Joseph Kenny had earlier given Liversedge the lead in the 32nd minute.

Hemsworth MW slipped to a 1-0 defeat at home to Athersley Recreation thanks to a late goal from Robbie Miller while Garforth Town earned an excellent 5-0 win at Goole AFC with Jack Lazenby netting a brace and the other goals coming from Daniel Coupland, Alex Burton and Sean Hunter.

Elsewhere, Knaresborough Town lost 1-0 at Bridlington Town.

In Division One, third-placed Selby Town suffered a setback in their promotion bid as they slipped to a 4-2 defeat at Hall Road Rangers. Samuel Cable netted twice for Town in the second half.

Elsewhere, 11th-placed Nostell MW drew 0-0 with Rossington Main.