ChromaSport United Counties League
Division One
Thrapston Town 4
Harrowby United 2
Harrowby United were beaten for the second time this season at Chancery Lane on Tuesday night, having suffered a cup defeat there back in November.
The game’s first chance came two minutes in from a quickly taken throw by Scott Webb which released Craig Wilson whose shot was blocked. After 12 minutes, Thrapston’s new midweek signing David Sheridan was unfortunate to see his shot hit a post. Two minutes later, Wilson curled a shot just past the right hand upright in an opening period of end-to-end play.
On 20 minutes, Webb produced a sweet through ball for Simon Bolland to run on to, but his shot went narrowly wide.
Thrapston took the lead after 29 minutes when a cross from the left by Luke Cummings was swept home by Sheridan. Just after the 40-minute mark, Harrowby Jack Drury keeper produced three saves within a minute as Thrapston finished the half strongly.
Straight from the restart, Harrowby pushed forward and were denied a penalty when referee Mr Marks gave a free kick on the edge of the area when Luke Peberdy was clearly brought down inside the box. Tom Vorley smashed the free kick into the wall.
Man-of-the-match Drury saved again on 51 minutes but Thrapston doubled their lead from the resulting corner, with Callum Noble heading home unchallenged.
The Arrows got back into the game after 69 minutes when Sam Kirton played a ball out to the left to Vorley whose teasing cross was turned into his own net by Thrapston’s Michael Keall.
The home side’s two-goal buffer was restored after 76 minutes when an attempted clearance in the Harrowby box rebounded kindly to Thrapston forward Iain Blaikie who had time to pick his spot and slot past Drury.
Two minutes later, Peberdy got Harrowby to within a goal again with the effort of the game when he fired home a super strike from 25 yards out.
With nine minutes left, Harrowby were reduced to 10 men when Bolland received his second yellow and was sent off, the card coming for a late challenge on the edge of the box. From the free kick, Drury produced the save of the match, tipping over Luke Cummings’ well struck shot.
Harrowby pushed for an equaliser and thought they had found one when a ball into the area found Webb. He was denied by Thrapston keeper Sam Cobley’s outstretched leg when the ball looked destined for the bottom corner.
The Arrows were punished two minutes into stoppage time when on the break, Jedd Whiteman’s cross was converted by Cummings.
There was just time for Harrowby’s Sam Hill to hit the post with a header from a free kick in the last seconds.
Thrapston’s victory in a fiery encounter sets up an exciting game on Saturday in the return league fixture at Dickens Road. Kick-off is 3pm.
Harrowby: Drury, Hill, Vorley, Hodgkin (c), Whyley, Webb, Peberdy, Bolland, Kirton, Wilson (Weatherstone, 45), Lee. Subs not used: Mayes, Harrison, Reidy.