As they frequently do, Graham Coughlan’s team defeated the Sulphurites 4-1 at Wetherby Road in response to a setback at the hands of the Dons.
With the win, County moved up to tenth place in the standings, one point behind the manager’s initial goal of fifty, and only two points behind Gillingham in seventh place in the improbable play-off challenge.
The Exiles dominated the first half and led 2-0 at the half against a Harrogate team that, like County, surprised everyone by making the playoffs despite being picked to fight for a spot in the bottom seven.
After 30 minutes, Will Evans rewarded their dominance with a penalty kick, making history as the league’s first 20-goal striker. Offrande Zanzala’s close-range finish came right after.
After a difficult recovery from torn knee ligaments, the striker was finally on the scoresheet for the first time in fourteen months. It was a magical moment for him.
After six minutes of play, Zanzala doubled the score, and with twenty minutes remaining, Seb Palmer-Houlden, who had replaced him, scored an incredible goal.
George Thomson’s calmly accepted consolation to deny a clean sheet in the 78th minute ended Coughlan’s night.
However, this was the perfect remedy after MK gave them the runaround, and County can now look forward to playing pace-setting Mansfield at Rodney Parade on Saturday.
After defeating Stockport and Wrexham in Newport, this is an opportunity to make another declaration of intent.
Three changes were made by Coughlan to his starting lineup from the 3-0 loss at Milton Keynes, one of which was necessary because Shane McLoughlin had to leave the game after limping off in Buckinghamshire, missing his first league match of the season.
His position at right back was taken by Lewis Payne, while centre back Scot Bennett was able to move to midfield when Kyle Jameson replaced James Waite, and Zanzala started up front rather than Seb Palmer-Houlden.
His position at right back was taken by Lewis Payne, while centre back Scot Bennett was able to move to midfield when Kyle Jameson replaced James Waite, and Zanzala started up front rather than Seb Palmer-Houlden.
Jameson made his first start since August following a hip injury, and Zanzala made his first appearance in the starting lineup since February 25 of the previous year following a ruptured knee ligament.
Declan Drysdale, a central defender who is back in shape, joined Palmer-Houlden and Waite on the bench.
County started far better in Harrogate than they did in MK, even though neither team had any opportunities in the first few minutes.
The first chance came in the tenth minute when Zanzala was lurking and Evans drilled a cross in from the left that was scrambled clear.
In the eighteenth minute, Evans came dangerously close to taking the lead when he failed to connect with Scot Bennett’s flick-on from a corner. The striker was complaining about what might have been a penalty.
The Exiles were superior to a home team that, despite finishing in the league, was having trouble getting anything going and lacked confidence.
They had another opportunity in the 25th minute when Bryn Morris stole the ball from the hesitant Abraham Odoh, but Anthony O’Connor blocked his shot, so Morris was unable to take advantage of the situation.
Evans then had a chance from the subsequent corner, getting to Adam Lewis’ delivery from the left, but missed the mark.
As the pressure mounted, captain Scot Bennett leaped high from another Lewis corner in the 28th minute, only to have the offside Zanzala block his header in front of custodian James Belshaw.
On the other hand, County took the lead on the half-hour mark when Evans scored from the spot after Liam Gibson mishandled a long ball from Jameson.
With a brilliant save by Belshaw from a Wildig volley and a second goal from the midfielder, Zanzala put the team ahead by two goals shortly after.
After 41 minutes, Harrogate made a halfhearted attempt, but Josh March’s shoddy work never threatened to force Nick Townsend into action.
County dominated play and had a chance to equalise their victory over Walsall by making it 3-0 before halftime, but Evans missed the mark with an unmarked header after Payne whipped in a cross from the right.
Although Harrogate appeared to be more focused on the restart, the Exiles gained some breathing room in the fifty-second minute.
Bennett leaped high to block a free kick that was headed towards the box, and the ball found its way through to Zanzala, who was unmarked and scored from six yards.
Josh Falkingham, the captain of Harrogate, dispossessed Morris and was about to be given a red card when he was hauled down by the defender in cover. Harrogate were in serious trouble.
On a night that had not gone as planned for the Yorkshire team, home manager Simon Weaver made his final four substitutions in the 57th minute after making one change early in the second half.
Palmer-Houlden received a severe beating for the final thirty minutes, and Coughlan quickly followed by guarding Zanzala as he strives for complete sharpness.
In the 70th minute, the Bristol City prospect scored his fourth goal of the game with a brilliant play. Lewis drilled a ball into the striker, who then laid it off to Evans and received his pass in behind. Palmer-Houlden put in a lot of garden work and scored his eighth goal of the campaign.
Thomson’s cool finish into the bottom left corner gave Harrogate a response, but it was little more than solace in a one-sided match.
