Town fight for a point at Vauxhall

I was unable to attend today at Rivacre Park, as unfortunately i am only able to make it to the near by games. The game ended in a 1-1 draw. Before the game i was hoping for a good solid win and hoped the new keeper Gonzalez would be upto the job of relplacing Dootson. I listened to it on the radio throughout and it sounded like we had the chances to put the game to bed but it seemed like it was just one of those days where the ball just wouldnt hit the back of the net.

Weaver made a number of changes beforehand bringing back into the defence the expeienced pair of Pell and Bloomer after a number of poor performances recently. Also Paul Talbot was in at left back, after a solid pre-season he picked up an injury and this was his first game in the league. Nowakowski was also drafted into centre midfield to add some height to the side.

From what i heard on the radio, the changes seemed to have changed our style of play, it was getting played on the deck alot more which had been a point from Town fans recently who were frustrated by the long ball tactics. Wayne Phillips just fired wide after 10 minutes, and a few minutes later Toner forced a decent save from Scott Tynan in the Vauxhall goal. Vauxhall also had a couple of chances theirselves Mahon fired just over and a 30-yard effort from Paul Brown was saved well from new signing Gonzalez.

On 30minutes, Town had the ball in the back of the net, hardy poked in from close range after a foster cross, only for the referee to spot his assistants flag for offside and the goal was ruled out. A cracking throw-out from Gonzalez then set Phillips away , he fired just wide.

The second half then got under way, Vauxhall seemed to have been given a good talking to at half time and came out strong, Anorou firing just over when in on goal. Then Neil Prince had an attempt but again it was a poor effort straight at Gonzalez. However, on 59 minutes Vauxhall went ahead, their leading goalscorer Anorou got played through he outpaced the Town backline and smashed into the back of the net with a good low drive.

Vauxhall were really on top at this point, But on 80 minutes they were down to 10 men, as Vauxhall defender Andy Taylor was given his 2nd yellow card and sent off. From this Town seemed to find some encouragement and came back into the game and were really pressurising the Vauxhall back four. Then right at the end Town managed to grab an equaliser Phillips managed to beat Tynon with a cracking finish which the keeper got no where near, it was definately coming for Town who had 2 earlier efforts cleared off the line.

Vauxhall Motors : Tynan, Taylor, Dames, Hannigan, Marsh-Evans, Brown, Prince (Smith 74), Mahon, Anoruo, Wilson, Noone.
Harrogate Town: Gonzalez, Roma, Talbot, Nowakowski, Pell, Bloomer, Foster, Toner, Armstrong (Savory 46), Hardy (Ellington 77), Phillips

Attendance:176