National League: Langmead nets 94th-minute leveller to save Harrogate's blushes

Kelvin Langmead's 94th-minute equaliser saved Harrogate Town from a home defeat to struggling Dover Athletic at the CNG Stadium.
Kelvin Langmead equalises for Harrogate against Dover. PIC: Matt KirkhamKelvin Langmead equalises for Harrogate against Dover. PIC: Matt Kirkham
Kelvin Langmead equalises for Harrogate against Dover. PIC: Matt Kirkham

Aaron Williams handed Simon Weaver’s high-flyers a half-time advantage with his third goal in as many games, but an Inih Effiong brace put the visitors in charge before Langmead’s late, late intervention. From a Town perspective, the opening 45 minutes were fairly flat both on the pitch and in the stands.

It was their visitors who played with the greater urgency, yet the first half went with the form-book as Williams smashed home Callum Howe’s header across goal from a 26th-minute Joe Leesley free-kick.

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Barely a minute of the second period had passed when Anthony Jeffrey did Warren Burrell for pace down the Dover left and crossed for Effiong, who poked the ball past James Belshaw. The same player came within a whisker of grabbing a second moments later, while Jamie Allen hit the Harrogate bar before the game was turned on its head.

Kelvin Langmead equalises for Harrogate against Dover. PIC: Matt KirkhamKelvin Langmead equalises for Harrogate against Dover. PIC: Matt Kirkham
Kelvin Langmead equalises for Harrogate against Dover. PIC: Matt Kirkham

Weaving his way into the box from the left, Effiong held off a number of would-be tacklers and managed to force in a strike at Belshaw’s near post.

At the other end, Langmead twice went close with headers for Town, while George Thomson and Liam Kitching were to spurn chances to bring the hosts level.

And with four minutes of the additional six played, it seemed as though Dover’s time-wasting tactics had paid off until Langmead guided a header past Mitch Walker to level things up in dramatic fashion. The result sees Town miss out on the chance to move top of the pile and drop one place to fourth in the National League standings.

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Tom Denton came back to haunt his former club with the equaliser as FC Halifax Town drew 1-1 with Chesterfield at The Shay.

Matty Kosylo netted for Town,

Evo-Stik/FA Trophy/FA Vase

FARSLEY CELTIC had to settle for a 1-1 draw at home to Buxton in a match that could have gone either way in the Evo-Stik Premier Division on Saturday.

Celtic opened the scoring on 27 minutes when Jack Higgins’ header was too powerful for Theo Roberts at the near post following a Will Hayhurst corner. The lead lasted 10 minutes, as out of the blue, full-back Bradley Roscoe shot from distance with his effort flying past Kyle Trenerry.

Ossett United emphatically booked their place in the first qualifying round of the FA Trophy with a 6-0 drubbing of Colwyn Bay.

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Adam Priestley netted a hat-trick and the other goals came from Aidan Chippendale, Marcus Day and Karl Jones.

Goals from Jed Wilkinson, Philip Watt and Jameel Ible helped Frickley Athletic win 3-1 at Skelmersdale United, while a second-half brace from Aaron Martin proved crucial in Brighouse Town’s 4-3 victory at Morpeth Town. Tadcaster Albion drew 1-1 at Droylsden while Pontefract Collieries went down 3-2 at Clitheroe.

In action yesterday, Pickering Town overcame visitors Stocksbridge Park Steels 3-0 in the FA Trophy preliminary round.

Hemsworth MW progressed to the second round of the FA Vase with a 3-2 victory at Bishop Auckland. Nash Connolly and Seon Ripley (2) netted the goals.

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Garforth Town were knocked out 6-2 at Prestwich Heys, while Glasshoughton Welfare went down 1-0 at Shildon.

Yorkshire Amateur and Knaresborough Town leapfrogged Hemsworth into first and second positions respectively in the Northern Counties East League Premier Division.

Second-half goals from Ashley Flynn and T’nique Fishley helped Amateur defeat Liversedge 2-0 while efforts from Paul Beesley, Brad Walker Benjamin Cohen and Ben Parkes saw Town cruise to a 4-2 victory over Hall Road Rangers.

Basement-side Harrogate Railway slipped to their ninth league defeat of the season in a 4-1 home reverse to Albion Sports. Nostell MW dropped to third in Division One following their 2-1 home defeat to Rossington Main, AFC Emley crushed bottom-side FC Bolsover 6-0 and Selby Town lost 4-0 at Grimsby Borough.