Match Report

Jason Gilchrist’s stoppage time effort was ruled out for a close offside call as FC United were denied all three points after an exciting 2-2 draw with Harrogate Town at Broadhurst Park on Saturday afternoon.

Despite falling behind twice to an early goal in each half, the Reds put in a great performance and can feel disappointed to only come away from the game with a point. Gilchrist and George Thomson got the goals for FC United before Gilchrist thought he had bagged the winner.

The game couldn’t have got off to a worse possible start, as Harrogate defender Tom Platt bundled in a corner and put the visitors a goal up with just over two minutes on the clock.

It was another shaky start from the FC defence and with the young Sam Baird partnering Dale Tonge; who himself was playing out of position. It took a good few minutes for the defence to find their feet after the early setback.

As the half went on, the Reds grew into the game and slowly began to take it to the visitors. After 25 minutes, the scores were level as Gilchrist capped off a wonderfully crafted FC move.

This gave the Reds the confidence to push on for another. They came close to taking the lead as Matthew Wolfenden’s effort hit the bar and bounced down but didn’t cross the line.

With the wind in their sails FC United came forward looking to take a lead into the break, Jerome Wright broke down the left laying the ball into the path of Thomson who saw his effort fire just over the crossbar.

The half time whistle took a little bit of the momentum away from the home team and the second half started just the same as the first. A mix up in the defence saw Harrogate’s Kuda Muskwe round goalkeeper Adriano Basso and slot home on his debut for the club.

The Reds didn’t throw the towel in though and despite gifting a goal to the visitors, they once more began to assert themselves as the home team. Despite a string of half chances it was with 15 minutes left when Thomson fired hard and low from outside of the box for the equaliser.

Before the kick-off from the goal, Margy signalled his intent to go for the win by bringing Tom Greaves on to replace Wolfenden. Greaves had perhaps the best opportunity of the game as Chris Chantler’s low ball across the box was just agonisingly inches away from Greaves’ outstretched foot.

The visitors posed their own threat and Muskwe almost got his second late on but was denied by the impressive Basso in the FC United goal.

Deep into stoppage time it looked as though Gilchrist had got the goal that would have taken all three points as a ball from the right went right across the six-yard box before being tapped in by Gilchrist who saw his effort flagged for offside despite it appearing like he had come from an onside position to make the contact.

The late decision was a bitter pill to swallow but it must be said the performance was once again something to take from the game. The draw sees FC United move up to 11th in the league and we now look forward to next weekend’s big fixture as we welcome neighbours Salford City to Broadhurst Park for the first time.

Website Man of the Match: George Thomson – Put in another good performance and hi equaliser was making something happen on the pitch.

Report by Craig Phillips