Today I'm going back 12 years to 2010 and Gloucester City's National League North fixture at home to Harrogate Town. At the time Gloucester were enduring a nomadic existence due to the loss of their stadium to the flood waters of the River Severn and, for this fixture, they were ground sharing at the Whaddon Road home of their much hated rivals Cheltenham Town. Perhaps the Gloucester supporters didn't want to set foot in enemy territory because the attendance was just 325.
Today's featured game was one of those where pretty much everything happened in the first half. Harrogate got things started with a goal after just four minutes scored by Kyle Hadley, on loan to Harrogate from Kidderminster Harriers. However, within a little over 20 minutes The Sulphurites found themselves 3-1 down as Gloucester City hit back through a Lee Smith penalty (20 minutes), Ollie Barnes (24 minutes) and Lee Davis (26 minutes). Harrogate's Hadley then scored his second of the afternoon to make it 3-2 after 32 minutes and, surprisingly after what had gone before, there was to be no further scoring in the remaining hour of the match.
However, the memory of those five goals before half-time is overshadowed by a horrific injury suffered by a Harrogate Town substitute Liam Hardy which led to play being stopped for 35 minutes whilst he received attention before he was taken to hospital. Poor Hardy had his leg broken right in front of the main stand and everyone who saw it knew instantly that it was a bad break with Hardy's leg left at a sickeningly unnatural angle. What we didn't know at the time was that Hardy had also suffered a dislocation and need both oxygen and morphine before the medics were able to move him. Gloucester's Matt Coupe was rightly red carded over the incident. We did wonder if the match might be abandoned altogether but play eventually resumed albeit that you have to wonder how many of the players had the heart to continue the battle after what they had just witnessed and perhaps that explains the lack of further scoring in the match? Happily Hardy went on to recover and play for Buxton Town, Darlington, Grantham Town, Hyde and Worksop Town where he remains to this day.
Both sides finished the season mid-table with Simon Weaver's Harrogate side finishing 12th and Gloucester City ending up three points and two places further back in 14th spot. I don't think I would have believed you that day if you had told me that Harrogate Town would become an established Football League side less than a dozen years later. Champions of National League North that season were Alfreton Town with AFC Telford United also promoted via the Play-Offs. Relegated were Stafford Rangers and Redditch United with Ilkeston Town being expelled and having their record expunged (now that's a word you don't hear outside of a football context!) after being wound-up in the courts in September.
CRB Match No. 1770
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