Great Harwood 2 Whitley Bay 1

GREAT Harwood moved off the bottom of the UniBond First Division for the first time since September thanks to a last gasp strike from veteran forward Martin Horsfield.

But it was the least the Reds deserved after dominating this contest from start to finish and with a bit of luck they could have had four or five.

Warren Dobson clawed away a real screamer from Mark Walsh in the opening three minutes before they surged ahead five minutes later.

A magnificent through ball from Horsfield sent Neil Baron away and he fought off a defender before drilling a shot past Dobson.

Substitute Martin Henderson should have dragged Bay back into it midway through the half but fired wide and a great tackle from Neil Kennedy denied Greg Munro. Harwood finished the first half strongly and Lightbown should have hit the target but screwed his shot across the face of goal.

Lightbown struck the bar then Jonathan Smith rattled a post as the Reds turned up the heat after the break.

But the visitors refused to lie down and Andy Johnston had to palm a Glen Liddle shot onto the upright.

In an end-to-end last half hour, Baron and Walsh both came close for the Reds.

But Bay grabbed a lifeline on 72 minutes when Smith was penalised for a foul and Nicky Barkas scooped in the resulting free kick.

Harwood came roaring back and in a grandstand finish Smith headed wide from a corner.

Then with just three minutes left, Walsh sent over yet another flag kick, Smith and Baron both got headers in, before Horsfield nodded home from close range.

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