Match Report

A hat-trick from former FC United player George Thomson condemned the Reds to their heaviest ever defeat with a 6-0 loss at Harrogate Town.

It took just six minutes for the home side to take the lead when the ball broke on the right hand side to Jack Emmett who showed speed to run into the FC box and finish well into the far corner. The home side were on top throughout the first half with the odd foray from FC into the Town half but with no danger to their goal. There was a couple of bright moves involving new boys Jeff King and Gerard Garner but they came to nothing.

The lead should have doubled on 10 minutes when Dominic Knowles glanced a free header wide. It only looked a matter of time before Harrogate scored again, the only surprise was that it took till the 30th minute to do so. A free-kick from the left was headed in by Liam Kitching off the far post. Seven minutes later and the day got worse for FC United as a slip in defence allowed Thomson in to fire into the net.

In all truth, the first 20 minutes or so of the second half were a non-event as the home side had done everything they needed to in the first period. It took until the 70th minute for the first sniff of a chance, a great block from Joel Senior preventing Mark Beck from making it 4-0.

A minute later, FC finally saw the whites of the goal when sub Ton Greaves was played in but James Belshaw made a good save as he was called into the action for the first time in the afternoon.

The lead was extended on 76 minutes and was proof that when you have no luck, you have no luck. A cross from the left was bravely cut out by Sam Baird who saw his clearance hit Thomson and dribble into the net.

Two minutes later, substitute Jake Wright headed in under Lloyd Allinson with his first touch of the game to make the score 5-0 which equalled FCs record defeat, also on this ground.

In injury time the defeat was compounded with a sixth goal when Thomson was given far too much time and room and finished into the far corner in a manner that we have seen many a time for FC, to bring up the record score against FC.

All in all, another bad day for FC, another game with no goal and a severe lack of goal threat. The result pulled FC further into the relegation mire. There are a decent number of games left to go but results need to change very soon, starting with a tricky trip to Boston next Saturday.

Report by Steven Wood