Harrogate Town 0-2 Walsall - match report: Saddlers stretch lead at the top to seven points

Nathan Lowe opened the scoring with a superb low strike from distance in the 34th minute before Harrogate attacker Josh March was sent off for a second bookable offence before the break. 

Albert Adomah doubled Walsall's advantage on 69 minutes with a neat finish into the bottom corner as he helped extend their unbeaten run to 11 matches.

Experienced frontman Jamille Matt was suspended for the trip to North Yorkshire after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season in the 1-0 win over Barrow last weekend. 

Albert Adomah was given the nod over Danny Johnson in attack for his first league start of the season while Jamie Jellis returned to the starting line-up at the expense of Jack Earing.

Walsall knew that they would be sitting top of the league on Christmas Day regardless of the result but found the windy conditions tough to navigate in the first half. 

A series of Tommy Simkin's goal kicks spun into touch as Walsall had the unenviable task of kicking towards the relentless wind which continued to whistle across Wetherby Road throughout the first period. 

Allen threatened to score directly from a corner when his menacing delivery spun dangerously towards the underside of the crossbar and forced an innovative stop from James Belshaw.

In a first half where the weather conditions deprived the contest of many quality moments, Lowe provided conjured up a piece of magic to open the scoring with a low drive from distance just past the half-hour mark. 

Lowe won the ball 30 yards from goal and galloped into space before unleashing a sensational low shot into the far bottom corner to reach double figures in League Two. 

Things went from bad to worse for Harrogate when they were reduced to 10-men within four minutes of falling behind after Josh March was shown a second yellow card for an elbow on Allen.

Walsall started brightly after the break with Barrett and Jellis combining effectively on a couple of occasions down the right. Charlie Lakin came close to getting on the score sheet when Adomah spotted his late run into the box but Belshaw produced an impressive save to keep his close-range finish out.

Shooting against the window in the second period, Walsall continued to go in search of a vital second with Lowe coming close to doubling his tally when he planted an acrobatic volley wide of the target.

Adomah eventually doubled Walsall's advantage to score his first league goal since the 4-0 rout over Colchester United in September and his third of the season in League Two with 21 minutes remaining. 

Lowe chopped inside to find Lakin and his low cross was controlled nicely by Adomah who carefully placed his finish into the bottom corner. 

The rain continued to pour but the chances kept coming for Walsall with Belshaw producing a fine finger tip save to deny a delightful free-kick from Allen. 

Liam Gordon almost added a third late on after he embarked on a mesmerising run but his low effort was repelled by Belshaw's outstretched leg.

Next, Walsall welcome Doncaster Rovers to Bescot on Boxing Day before playing host to Newport County three days later. 

Teams 

Walsall (3-1-4-2): Simkin; Okagbue, Williams, Allen (Weir 89); Stirk (McEntee 80); Barrett, Jellis (Earing 73), Lakin, Gordon; Adomah, Lowe (Johnson 80).

Unused: Hornby, McEntee, Cleary, Weir.

Harrogate (4-2-3-1): Belshaw; Sims, O'Connor, Moon, Asare (Duke-McKenna 67); Cornelius (Folarin 60), Sutton; Dooley (Muldoon 57), Daly, Foulds; March.

Unused: Oxley, Burrell, Bray, Etherington.

Referee: Sam Mulhall