Stockport reach the summit after beating Harrogate

Stockport climbed to the top of League Two after seeing off Harrogate 3-1 to record an eighth consecutive win in all competitions.

Antoni Sarcevic, a Warren Burrell own goal and Will Collar secured victory for the visitors with George Thomson’s reply from the penalty spot only proving a consolation for Gate.

During the early stages, Josh March latched on to Kayne Ramsay’s long ball out of defence through the right channel but his blistering shot rattled the crossbar.

Instead, the visitors forged ahead just before the quarter-hour mark when Harrogate were caught napping from Macauley Southam-Hales’ right-wing throw-in with Sarcevic firing across the goal and in off the far post.

Louie Barry should have doubled that advantage moments later but lifted his shot over with only home keeper Mark Oxley to beat.

The on-loan Aston Villa attacker made up for that profligacy in the 50th minute when he ghosted past James Daly and Liam Gibson down the right before reaching the byline and sending in a cross that Burrell diverted past Oxley.

Collar made it 3-0 19 minutes later, climbing above Burrell at the far post to head in Sarcevic’s cross from the left.

After March had his heels clipped cutting inside Ethan Pye, Thomson then found Ben Hinchcliffe’s bottom-left corner from 12 yards in the 73rd minute as the Hatters’ keeper dived in the opposite direction.

Odin Bailey went on to strike an upright in the closing stages as a well-beaten Harrogate suffered a third straight home defeat.