MICHAEL WOODS emerged from the bench to hit a dramatic winner on his debut for Harrogate Town.

Harrogate fought back to maintain their National League title push with a 3-2 home victory over Braintree, and former Hartlepool man Woods delivered at the death.

The Iron opened the scoring when Justin Amaluzor dribbled into the box before picking out the top corner.

But Harrogate were level just before the break when Jack Muldoon collected Josh Falkingham's through ball and slotted past George Legg.

Town turned the game on its head when George Thomson fired a low shot into the back of the net.

And the three points were secured when Woods, who only left Pools last week, scored at after a one-two with Mark Beck to put Harrogate fourth.

Harrogate: Belshaw; Fallowfield, Burrell, Emmett, Kitching, Howe, Falkingham, Thomson, Leesley (Kerry 79), Muldoon (Woods 76), Beck. Subs (not used): Cracknell, Langmead, Williams.

LUKE Armstrong hit the winner as Gateshead got their National League campaign back on track with a 2-1 victory at Barnet.

Gateshead, looking for their first win in five matches, took the lead when Scott Boden netted from close range.

The visitors came within inches of doubling their advantage when Luke Molyneux fired against the crossbar and, to add salt to the wounds, Barnet levelled within minutes of the let-off.

Jack Taylor left Heed goalkeeper Aynsley Pears with no chance as he thumped home the equaliser.

But top scorer Armstrong drilled home his seventh goal of the campaign to give the visitors the points with time running out.

Barnet, who dumped League One Bristol Rovers out of the FA Cup in midweek, came close to a second equaliser, but Manny Duku's header hit the bar.

Gateshead: Pears; Tinkler, Kerr, Williamson, Mellish, Barrow, White, Olley, Molyneux, Armstrong, Boden (Rigg 81). Subs (not used): Foden, Hunter, Thomson, O’Donnell.

YORK City boss Sam Collins welcomed “positive signs” following his team’s 3-1 FA Trophy triumph at Kidderminster.

But the ex-Hartlepool and Huddersfield defender saw his team end a winless, six-game run that had included five defeats.

Jordan Burrow’s brace, either side of Pools’ Lewis Hawkins’ first goal for the club, put City in the ascendancy before Lee Vaughan replied for the hosts and Adam Bartlett saved an Ed Williams penalty as the visitors defeated a fifth-placed Kiddy team, who lie 12 positions above them in the National League North table.

But, with back-to-back home games against FC United of Manchester and Leamington up next, Collins has reiterated that his players must fulfil their true potential in every fixture as they look to climb the league standings.

Collins told the York Press: “Sometimes, I get frustrated because I see that (the team’s performance against Kidderminster) Monday to Friday and I don’t see it enough when it actually matters.

“We’re not the finished article by any means, but there were a lot of positive signs and I was really pleased with our reaction from the Altrincham game. Some of our football, in the first half especially, was excellent in terms of our inter-play and quick counter-attacking with quality and I was also delighted with the character and work-rate of the players in a difficult game against a good team.

“In the second half, we didn’t press well enough or get up the pitch at times, but we had people putting their bodies on the line and throwing themselves in front of things and that’s what football is all about. Lewis Hawkins made a brilliant block after Adam Bartlett saved their penalty.”

York City: Bartlett; Dyer, Tait (Law 83), Davis, Newton; Moke, Grifffiths; Hawkins, Harris (Ferguson 79), Bray; Burrow. Subs (not used): Wright, Langstaff, York.