Harrogate struck in added time to deny Salford in a dramatic 2-2 draw at the Peninsula Stadium.

The hosts were on course to move into second in Sky Bet League Two when they retook the lead with 20 minutes left through substitute Brandon Thomas-Asante.

But Ed Francis pounced in the third minute of stoppage time to secure his side a point.

Leeds loanee Robbie Gotts gave the Ammies the lead on his home debut when he collected an Oscar Threlkeld pass to turn and fire home from 20 yards after 21 minutes.

Harrogate responded superbly and equalised eight minutes before the interval when top scorer Jack Muldoon pounced on a weak back pass from Di’Shon Bernard to slot beyond Vaclav Hladky.

The visitors almost took the lead when Hladky parried Connor Hall’s effort but Aaron Martin’s reaction header floated wide.

Town rattled the Salford crossbar through Brendan Kiernan after the break but were almost immediately caught on the counter as Ash Hunter was denied when clean through.

Ammies boss Richie Wellens made a quadruple substitution on the hour and it paid off when two of them combined to regain the lead.

Richie Towell’s first-time effort was parried by James Belshaw straight into the path of Thomas-Asante to scramble home.

But Harrogate grabbed a point late on when Francis scrambled home his first goal for the club.