Offrande Zanzala at the double as Newport thrash Harrogate

Posted Wednesday, February 28, 2024 by PA

Newport maintained their play-off push following a seventh win in 11 League Two matches as they hammered hosts Harrogate 4-1.

Offrande Zanzala bagged his first goals since January 2023 with a brace while strike partner Will Evans took his season’s tally to 24 in all competitions and Seb Palmer-Houlden was also on target before George Thomson pulled one back for the Sulphurites.

Evans opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 31st minute after home defender Liam Gibson handled a long ball into the box by Kyle Jameson.

The 26-year-old forward found James Belshaw’s bottom-right corner as the Sulphurites’ keeper dived in the opposite direction.

Two minutes later the lead was doubled when Aaron Wildig saw an initial shot well saved by Belshaw before firing wayward with a follow-up effort that fell to Zanzala to net from a couple of yards at the far post.

Zanzala went on to put the outcome beyond doubt seven minutes into the second period when he stabbed in after the visitors had got the better of the hosts aerially following Adam Lewis’ pumped free-kick into the box from close to the halfway line.

Sub Palmer-Houlden made it 4-0 with 20 minutes left when he latched on to Evans’ ball through the left channel and fired inside the far post from 12 yards.

Thomson grabbed a consolation with his 12th goal of the season when he found Nick Townsend’s bottom-right corner from the edge of the box eight minutes later.