A memorable goal from a four-man passing move was the highlight of this stunning win.
The result looks a walkover. It wasn’t – nobody could have argued if Harborough Town had grabbed two or three goals.
But on a day when rivals in the title race dropped points or were not in action, the Tigers did everything asked of them.
That third goal – on the stroke of half-time and virtually finishing Harborough’s hopes – had the fans in raptures.
Central midfielder Andrew Tidswell played the ball inside to Gary King, whose first-time touch teed up Lee Beeson to bring Tidswell back into the move as he entered the penalty area.
With the Tigers’ bench pleading for it to end in a goal, Tidswell obliged by squaring for Jordan Thomas to knock home from a yard out.
Boss Darren Jarvis was still purring about it long after the final whistle.
“It was a fantastic passing move and deserved a goal. Thankfully, the players got their just rewards. It was a great passing move at any level of football – if Barcelona do that, people are raving about it.”
The goal capped a fine first-half display in which striker Jake Clitheroe had muscled his way into the box to make it 1-0 and Lee Beeson doubled the advantage from the penalty spot after being tripped by Harborough central midfielder Jack Burrows.
Almost inevitably, the momentum could not be maintained after the break. However, a brilliant block tackle by Nick Jackson and a handful of fine parries by keeper Rick Drury ensured another welcome clean sheet for a Tigers’ miserly defence in which Stacy Cartwright looked unflappable at centre-half.
Beeson made it 4-0 on 73 minutes. After combining with sub Josh Ford to make tracks towards goal, his vicious rising drive was pushed out by keeper Glen Giles. Beeson should not have been given another sniff but hesitant defending allowed that and he made no mistake at the second time of asking.
Giles will perhaps feel as though he should have done better with the Tigers’ fifth goal. Gary King’s 20-yard drive looked to have lacked the necessary power.
Jarvis surmised: “Our season is fully on track. After the negative feeling of going out of the Vase, it was an important game.”
Tigers: Drury, Worthington, Jackson (Ward), Gale, Cartwright, Stevens, Beeson, Tidswell, Clitheroe (Ford), King, Thomas (Dougill). Sub not used: Roberts.
Attendance: 104
