Harrogate Town and FC Halifax Town battle back to earn Trophy progress

Deservedly trailing at the break, substitute Jack Muldoon and Alex Pattison struck in the second period to set up a home clash with Carlisle United in the next round.

Rather worryingly, the visitors were thoroughly second best during the opening 45 minutes to a Rovers side featuring nine changes from their previous league outing.

Mark Oxley had to make a good early stop to keep out Nicky Maynard’s deflected effort, but just seconds later he was beaten by the veteran striker, who turned home Kyle Hayde’s right-wing cross.

Tranmere’s second-string continued to look the more likely, with Oxley forced to tip Maguire’s goal-bound header over his cross-bar before Callum McManaman bent a 20-yard strike just wide.

The second period was an entirely different affair, Simon Weaver switching from an ineffective 4-3-3 system to his tried-and-tested 4-4-2 at the break and introducing Muldoon from the bench.

And within seven minutes of his arrival, the Harrogate substitute levelled matters as he confidently beat Joe Murphy at his near post after being played in behind by Josh Falkingham.

With the visitors very much in the ascendancy, they moved ahead on 71 minutes when Luke Armstrong dispossessed Tom Davies and ran though on goal.

Town’s leading marksman attempted to dance around Murphy, and although the Tranmere custodian stopped him in his tracks, Pattison followed up to stab into an empty net and decide the contest.

Tranmere Rovers: Murphy; Hayde, Davies, Maguire (Clarke 90), MacDonald; Merrie (O’Connor 72); McManaman, Watson, Duffy (Foley 62), Feeney (Jolley 71); Maynard (Nevitt 72). Unused substitutes: Doohan, Walker.

Harrogate Town: Oxley; Fallowfield, Sheron, Burrell, Page; Pattison, Falkingham, Kerry (Muldoon 46); Thomson, Armstrong, Diamond. Unused substitutes: Cracknell, Orsi.

Referee: S Barrott (West Yorks).

FC Halifax Town will face former manager Billy Heath’s Alfreton in the fourth round of the FA Trophy after beating Bradford Park Avenue on penalties.

A topsy-turvy game finished 3-3 after normal time, before Town went through 5-3 on spot-kicks.

Park Avenue took a surprise early lead when a long ball over the top wasn’t dealt with by Town’s two defenders, giving Brad Dockerty a chance to latch onto it, and the midfielder kept his cool to finish low under Sam Johnson.

Halifax had been caught cold, but didn’t panic, and were level 10 minutes later when Jack Senior’s cross from the left was headed on target by Elliot Newby, and Jack Vale was left with an easy finish after George Sykes-Kenworthy’s save.

The worst it looked like being at half-time was 1-1 though, until a lovely move culminated in Isaac Marriott firing low past Johnson.

After Town’s best spell of pressure of the half, the ball broke to Luke Summerfield 20 yards out, and his shot found the net, getting him a deserved goal.

The hosts had grown in confidence throughout the second-half, and having looked the likelier to score next, did so when Marriott’s fine strike found the top corner from the edge of the box.

But, in echoes of Town’s 3-3 draw at Gateshead when they went on to win the competition in 2016, Tom Bradbury met a last-gasp free-kick into the box and headed Town level.

And Town made it five out of five in the penalty shoot-out, with Waters scoring the knock-out kick to send them through.

Josh Stones netted the only goal of the match as Guiseley beat AFC Telford United 1-0 in National League North.