Wealdstone 1 – 3 Harrogate Town

Harrogate Town Website Match Report

Town made it two wins from two on their return to The National League as second half goals from Lewis Payne and Shawn McCoulsky helped seal a 3-1 victory at Wealdstone.

Brad Dolaghan had given Town the lead , but Micah Obiero’s powerful finish had pegged Simon Weaver’s side back going into the break.

Payne finished off a clinical counter attack in the 53rd minute to restore the lead, before McCoulsky put the icing on the cake in stoppage time.

Weaver had named the same starting XI and substitutes that recorded an opening day win over Solihull, with Bryn Morris again captaining the side.

The first chance of the game went the way of the hosts as, just after Archie Baptiste had blocked Jack Wells-Morrison’s effort, Obiero fired over after good feet inside the box.

Town’s first chance came soon after on the counter attack as Bailey Hobson’s cross was mat at the back post by Payne, but hooked off the line by a recovering Stones defender.

Dolaghan would claim the first goal of the game just before the hour mark, reacting quickest after Hobson’s low effort was parried by Dante Baptiste to open his Town account.

Harrogate had the chance to make it two ten minutes from the break after another swift counter attack led to a chance, but Payne’s effort was dragged across goal.

The miss would prove costly as three minutes later the hosts found an equaliser as the lively Obiero beat Mark Oxley with a powerful finish.

Wealdstone would have found themselves ahead at the half way point if not for Lewis Cass’ sliding block keeping out Joe Newton’s goalbound effort just before the break.

Cass was Harrogate’s hero again six minutes after the restart after he threw himself in the way of Dion Conroy’s effort, seconds after Oxley had saved Luke Norris’ close range effort.

Town had looked threatening on the counter all afternoon and would find the right finish to a sweeping move in the 53rd minute as Payne expertly rounded the Wealdstone keeper to put his side back in the lead.

Weaver then took the opportunity to freshen things up, introducing George Thomson, Shawn McCoulsky and Rohan Vaughan into the action after 64 minutes.

The hosts were throwing everything they could at Town to get an equaliser, with Wilson Waweru heading wide of the near post before fellow substitute Olufela Omoloma was denied by a top draw Oxley stop.

Four minutes into stoppage time McCoulsky would ensure the points came home to Harrogate after racing through on goal and beating the onrushing keeper.

Harrogate Town: Oxley, Payne, Bristow (Vaughan 64), Baptise, Morris, McGowan (Thomson 64), Williams (McGuckin 76 (Barnes 91)), Hobson, Dolaghan (McCoulsky 64), Cass, Heffernan

Subs not used: Watson, Bradbury

Goals: Dolaghan 27, Payne 53, McCoulsky 90+4

Wealdstone: Baptiste, Newton (Smith 45), Wells-Morrison, Conroy, Barrett (Mundle-Smith 46), Norris (Waweru 66), Kadji (Harris 66), Chesters (Olomola 71), Obiero, Henry, McAvoy

Subs not used: Holden, Francis-Clarke

Goals: Obiero 38

Referee: I Searle

Attendance: 1,517 (123 away)