AN 89th-minute gaffe by Stockport County keeper Ben Hinchcliffe gifted Harrogate Town a late point in their New Year National League North clash.
Town were heading for a repeat of Boxing Day’s loss to the same opposition - and a third 1-0 defeat on the trot - after Michael Clarke’s 63rd-minute goal.
But then Hinchcliffe completely missed Chris Smalley’s seemingly innocuous back pass and the ball trickled into the net.
The result left Town tenth in the table.
Harrogate boss Simon Weaver had made one change from the Boxing Day line-up, handing a fifth start of term to youngster Marcus Day in place of James Cadman.
Lively County winger Danny Lloyd and Town frontman JP Pittman made opposing keepers work, while Town sub Simon Ainge, who replaced Luke Shiels before the interval, made two telling interventions to help keep his goal intact.
Town put on pressure after the break but needed keeper Peter Crook to make an incredible save to stop Lloyd’s strike nestling in the corner.
Crook was helpless, though, when Clarke bundled in a corner at the back post.
Weaver immediately threw on Andi Thanoj and Chib Chilaka, with Pittman going close when firing into the side-netting, before they got their huge slice of late luck to salvage a point.
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