Rochdale 1 Harrogate Town 4: Luke Armstrong matches graft with goals as Sulphurites claim a massive three points

You could see the importance of the 4-1 win by the reaction of manager Simon Weaver to his side's goals, punching the air like Tyson Fury shadow-boxing in his dressing room.

Seven days earlier the Sulphurites had blown their chance to take advantage of a side struggling beneath them in League Two. In hindsight, they did well to save what Weaver called an "inept" display for the FA Cup. Romance is all well and good, but picking up points in the league is what it is all about.

"You're not fit to wear the shirt" chanted the home fans after Sam Folarin made it 4-1. Not that the delirious cluster of Harrogate fans were listening, they were too busy having fun.

Armstrong's goals were a big factor in Harrogate flying out of the blocks last season, their drying up in the slide down the league which has carried over into this campaign. But in the space of the last five matches he has gone from one goal this term to five.

Not that Armstrong's performance was all about goals, or even assists. The lop-sided formation Weaver picked put a lot of emphasis on him to graft too.

It was basically a 4-4-1-2 minus the right-sided midfielder. On loan Middlesbrough centre-forward Folarin occasionally went out to fill the void but usually it was left to his uncomplaining striker partner to close down left-back Cameron John, win headers from goal-kicks and generally make a nuisance of himself. It was his full-time job in the second half.

It was from out there he made the youngster's goal having helped himself to two in five minutes.

Armstrong's second-half goals shaped a game his side had played well without ever being sure they would come out winners.

Armstrong and Folarin made up an attacking quartet with Huddersfield Town loanee Danny Grant on the left of midfield and Josh Coley in the hole.

Grant could have scored inside a minute when Town created an overload which allowed him to take the ball in plenty of space. As he spent a fraction too long thinking about how he would score, Ethan Ebanks-Landell slid in with an excellent tackle.

Grant's Terriers club-mate Jaheim Headley drifted inside from left-back in the sixth minute only to drag his shot wide.

He too would have a reminder of the smaller margins for error at senior level. His touch might have been punished at a higher level or even by a younger forward by the wily but 37-year-old Ian Henderson. Headley's pace got him out of trouble, allowing him to get back and nick the ball away in the penalty area.

It was a kick in the proverbials when Dale won successive corners and Ethan Brierley ran across the near post to put his side in front in the eighth minute.

If that goal was a bit of a surprise, so was the equaliser, George Thomson shooting right into the bottom corner from distance. Weaver's celebration, spinning to face the stands and punching the air, was a clue to just how out of the blue such an excellent strike was.

Back on level terms, Harrogate continued to play the better football. Grant flashed a ball across without a touch on the half hour and a similar delivery late in half was touched away from the lurking Thomson by a defender.

Kayne Ramsay, Harrogate's one-man right-hand side, did well to get to the byline but Armstrong's shot was cleared.

The half ended with reminders of what can happen to teams that do not take their chances, Pete Jameson saving well from Abraham Odoh and Henderson flicking a header from in front of the near post onto the back from another John corner on Dale's left.

But when the teams came out for the second period, Armstrong ruthlessly buried all doubts.

Thrown the ball by Jameson, Coley made a great run down the left and at first it seemed when Folarin dummied the ball as if Armstrong might fall into Grant's earlier trap but the time was well spent, allowing him to pick his spot.

On the hour, Thomson fainted to cross a free-kick but deliberately scuffed it so Headley could carry the ball to the byline and pull it back for Armstrong to finish.

Dale were broken, Tyreese Sinclair's attempt to respond almost going into orbit,.

It was fitting that Armstrong sealed it, powering down the right and pulling the ball back. A defender played the ball onto the post but as it rolled just in front of square, Folarin showed instincts Armstrong would have been pleased with.

Rochdale: O'Donnell; Keohane (Seriki 65), Graham, Ebanks-Landell, John; Brierley (Rodney 65), Diagouraga; Henderson (Sinclair 65), Ball (Malley 65), Odoh (Tulloch 83); Quigley.

Unused substitutes: Nelson, Kelly.

Harrogate Town: Jameson; Ramsay, Burrell, Ferguson, Headley; Thomson (Frost 81), Falkingham, Grant (Austerfield 83); Coley (Ilesanmi 89); Armstrong, Folarin (Williams 89).

Unused substitutes: Welch-Hayes, Horbury, Giles.

Referee: D Bourne (Nottinghamshire).