Though still unbeaten after 11 home matches this season, Town have drawn their last three league matches at Highbury 2-2 and remain seventh, though they still have games in hand on all the top five.
Twice Town went in front through Jamie Milligan but on both occasions they allowed substitute Rory Coleman to equalise within two minutes, leaving the home supporters without a home league win to celebrate for two months.

Micky Mellon made just one change to the side narrowly knocked out of the FA Cup at League Two Northampton on Saturday, replacing ever-present keeper Danny Hurst with new signing Craig Dootson, secured from league rivals Alfreton Town yesterday just in time to play ... though it wasn't to be the best of debuts for the 30-year-old keeper.

Just like the 2-2s against Gainsborough and Dootson's former club, the first half ended goalless. Fleetwood had most of the early play but struggled to create chances and one Jamie Mullan cross, after good link-up play with Shaun Beeley, found nobody in the middle and summed up how the game was developing Harrogate's Simon Harrison presented Dootson with his first test but directed his header straight at the new keeper.

Fleetwood continued to enjoy the lion's share of possession and their first real chance arrived from another accurate Mullan cross. Milligan's shot rebounded off a defender and Nathan Pond could only fire over the bar.

After Dootson had punched a corner clear in commanding style on 25 minutes, Town won a free-kick 25 yards out from which Milligan forced Aaron Ratchford into a good stooping save by his right-hand post.

A scramble on the edge of Ratchford's box then saw Beeley and Pond try shots before Clancy's effort was cleared on 40 minutes.

A double half-time substitution by Town saw Gareth Seddon replaced by Tom Cahill and Steven Torpey introduced in place of Clancy.

Cahill settled immediately, sending one shot just past the post, seeing another blocked and then curling a third just wide of the left upright.

And it was Cahill whose shot on the hour brought about the opener.

Harrogate skipper Matt Bloomer was deemed to have blocked it with his hand and Milligan converted the penalty.

But the celebration was short-lived as Coleman, on loan from Championship Scunthorpe United, sent a superb free-kick from 35 yards past Dootson, the keeper able to do very little. The scorer had only joined the action just before Milligan's goal because of an injury to left-back Ben Chapman.

Adam Warlow, passed fit to return after a quad muscle strain in Saturday's warm-up, replaced Mike Wilde up front but was unable to make much impact or to raise the game's low tempo. But Fleetwood looked to have won it with three minutes left, when Milligan fired home a 25-yard free-kick for his second of the night to double his tally for the season.

But this was soon cancelled out by the only goal of the evening from open play, when Coleman forced his way into the box to earn his side a point which left them just one behind fellow strugglers Vauxhall Motors and Farsley Celtic.

Micky Mellon's men have another opportunity to return to winning ways on Saturday at home to Redditch United, who lost to leaders Southport last night. That means Fleetwood now trail the pacesetters by 11 points, albeit from two fewer games.

Town team: Dootson, Beeley, Wright, Taylor, McNulty, Pond, Clancy (Torpey), Milligan, Wilde (Warlow), Seddon (Cahill), Mullen; subs not used: McGuire, Hills.

DERICK THOMAS

*TOWN manager Micky Mellon welcomed the arrival of keeper Craig Dootson from Alfreton.

Mellon said: " Craig is a top-class goalkeeper and a big character in the dressing room.

"He's a winner and his ambition matches that of Fleetwood Town. We only go after people who match our aspirations. Craig wants to work with (Town goalkeeping coach) Eric Nixon and push forward as a player with the club."

Dootson, 30, said. "I know the two keepers already at Highbury and I'm very good friends with Danny (Hurst). Aaron (Grundy) was a youngster at Bury when I was in the first team.

"I've has some banter with Danny and he said we'll see who earns the no.1 shirt. We left it at that without any bad feelings.

"This is a great opportunity for all of us. Danny will have to be on top of his game because I want to get into the team. "

Dootson was on the bench when Alfreton drew at Fleetwood 11 days ago, when Paddy Gamble kept goal, but he has played agaisnt Town in Blue Square North for Alfreton and Hyde. He made five Football League appearances for Bury in 2005/6.