West Riding County Cup: Brighouse Town 0 Harrogate Town 2

BRIGHOUSE Town exited at the second-round stage last night after suffering a home defeat to Vanarama National League North visitors Harrogate Town.

Harrogate’s Andy Gascoigne and Marcus Day had both gone close before the visitors opened the scoring with a tenth-minute penalty.

Paul Clayton was fouled in the area, and Gascoigne stepped forward to net from the spot.

Home keeper Paul Hargreen was beaten again just eight minutes later when Harrogate’s Jack Emmett did well to feed Day, who scored with a superb strike from outside the area.

Brighouse had a header cleared off the line midway through the first half but the visitors forced a late chance, only to see Hargreen make an excellent save as he palmed the shot for a corner.

In the second half, the home side’s Kurt Harris was thwarted by Harrogate shot-stopper Tom Stewart before another chance to halve the deficit fell to Tom Haigh, who fired wide after taking a knock down from a free-kick.

There was another opportunity for Harris but the visitors ended strongly, with the lively Emmett causing concern and Durrell Goodison heading against a post in the penultimate minute.

Harrogate will have a home quarter-final against Barnoldswick Town next month.