HARWOOD moved into the top six of the First North Western Trains League First Division thanks to a late strike from Graham Lightbown.

The Reds were rewarded for a brilliant team display when the ball fell to Lightbown with eight minutes left and he emphatically smacked it past the keeper to give his side the points.

New signing Michael Ashton from Accrington Stanley made his debut in goal and Russ Whalley deputised for 'flu victim Nick Grogan.

But the changes didn't unsettle the home side and they dominated the first half against a Freeport side who had to start with 10 men following the late arrival of Ritchie Hoyle.

Lightbown's pace caused the visitors all kinds of problems and both he and Steve Pickup went close before the break.

The Reds kept the momentum going in the second period and deservedly took the lead on 72 minutes.

Martin Aspinwall was felled in the box and up stepped Whalley to score from the spot-kick. But Freeport got back on level terms just two minutes later when Paul Brown was penalised for a foul in the area and Stuart Diggle, currently on loan from Accrington Stanley, dispatched the penalty.

Harwood weren't to be denied, though, and, after a spell of late pressure, Lightbown secured a superb victory.

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