Halifax continue great start and Harrogate rescue point

Southwell’s finish from close range and Brown’s late header were just reward for a performance full of endeavour and discipline and not short on quality either.

The best Barrow could create were shots off target from outside the area by Jack Hindle, Josh Kay and John Rooney.

Halifax broke through shortly before the interval when Jonathan Edwards held the ball up near the angle of the six-yard box before Southwell side-footed the loose ball into the bottom corner.

Southwell darted towards goal midway through the second period only to fire his low shot across goal when a cross to Ben Tomlinson may have been preferable. Out of nothing Sam Johnson was forced into an outstanding save to tip Hindle’s long-range shot onto the bar and the win was sealed when Ben Tomlinson’s corner, earned by substitute Matty Kosylo’s lung-busting run, was headed back across goal and in by Brown.

Callum Howe’s late header earned Harrogate Town a 2-2 draw at Hartlepool United.

The club’s first away trip since promotion looked as if it would yield nothing as the game entered the final minute of normal time with manager Simon Weaver’s men a goal down.

But in a reversal of fortunes from Saturday’s season-opener against Sutton United, where they conceded a 2-1 advantage at the close, the men from Wetherby Road snatched a share of the spoils when Howe headed home a Joe Leesley free-kick.

The hosts, aided by the referee unwittingly getting in the way of an attempted clearance, broke the deadlock on 53 minutes.

Liam Noble sent the ball across goal from close to the by-line on the right side of the Harrogate area and it bounced up perfectly for Niko Muir to nod past James Belshaw.

Harrogate were back on terms within seven minutes. Josh Falkingham found space inside the box to drill in a low cross and Dominic Knowles tapped in.

Hartlepool regainedthe lead in the 70th minute as Jake Cassidy was afforded a clear run in on goal and although Howe got back to challenge the striker his shot still had enough on it to beat Belshaw at his near post.

But Harrogate dug deep and nicked a point when substitute Joe Leesley’s teasing ball was head in by Howe.