Harrogate Town 2-3 Bristol Rovers
Sky Bet League Two, The Exercise Stadium, Monday 6 April 2026
Bristol Rovers twice came from behind to beat Harrogate Town 3-2 in a five-goal thriller and earn their fifth straight victory in Sky Bet League Two.
The Sulphurites started the game on top, creating multiple chances before Ellis Taylor opened the scoring, whipping an effort into the top corner with no chance for Brad Young.
The Gas fought back in the second half, with Shaq Forde at the heart of Rovers' attack, scoring early with a driven effort from just outside the box before setting up Ellis Harrison to finish from within the six-yard box, with the striker cancelling out Taylor's second goal to level the score.
The Gas gained all of the momentum and went ahead for the first time from the penalty spot. Fabrizio Cavegn was brought down in the box by goalkeeper Henry Gray, and Ellis Harrison stepped up to grab himself a brace and all three points for the Pirates.
Harrogate were coming off the back of an impressive 3-1 victory away at Grimsby Town and had the best chances to score at the start of the contest. A corner dropped to the feet of Cathal Heffernan, who lifted over the top of Young's goal before Tobias Brenan blasted off target soon after.
Jack Evans then went close, driving a shot wide of the left post before the Gas had their first opportunity. Riley Harbottle drove through the Harrogate midfield from the back before laying the ball into Joe Quigley, whose turn and shot just missed Henry Gray’s net.
However, Rovers could not build on their chance, with Harrogate breaking the deadlock. Taylor rushed inside from the left before curling a fantastic effort across the goal and into the top left corner, just past the outstretched gloves of Young.
A huge chance for Harrogate to double their lead went begging as Reece Smith drilled a cross into the area, but no one in a yellow shirt could scramble the ball home, and the Gas escaped.
The Gas struggled to get into the contest before the break, but levelled soon after the restart. It was similar to Harrogate's opener, with Forde racing inside from the right before getting a shot away, this time going low and into the bottom right corner.
Nevertheless, the level score was short-lived, with Harrogate going ahead again soon after. Taylor had a header blocked by Clinton Mola, but the rebound fell kindly for him to finish high into the roof of the net.
The second half had plenty of twists and turns, with Evans' men battling back again. Forde worked a yard of space near the byline and dug out a cross for Harrison, who got ahead of his marker to stab home from close range.
From that point onwards, the game was only ever going to go one way. Some fantastic battling from Tom Lockyer saw him release Harrison down the line, who played a sublime pass with the outside of his foot to find Yusuf Akhamrich alone in the box, but Gray denied his close-range attempt.
The Pirates then found what turned out to be the winner. A long throw-in from Kofi Balmer caused havoc, with Harrogate unable to clear the danger before Gray brought down Fabrizio Cavegn in the box. Harrison took responsibility, blasting a low shot into the back of the net to give Rovers the lead for the first time.
Harrogate pushed men up the pitch looking for what could have been a vital point in their battle against relegation, but Rovers' defence held firm for a crucial victory that secured their own survival in Sky Bet League Two.
Harrogate Town: Gray, Slater (Faulkner 76), Evans, Morris, Acquah (McCoulsky 58), Headman (Duke-McKenna 81), Taylor, Smith, Gibson, Heffernan, Brenan
Goals: Taylor X2
Bookings: Headman
Subs not used: Waller, Burrell, Thomson, Sutton
Bristol Rovers: Young, Senior, Mola, Forde, Akhamrich, Thompson-Sommers, De Havilland, Balmer, McEachran, Harbottle, Quigley
Goals: Forde, Harrison X2
Subs not used: Southwood, Rijks
