Ellis Harrison’s double makes the difference as Rovers beat struggling Harrogate

Bristol Rovers rattled off a fifth straight win as sub Ellis Harrison’s second-half brace secured a 3-2 win at relegation-threatened Harrogate in Sky Bet League Two.

Victory meant the Pirates equalled their best run of consecutive triumphs for more than a decade, but Steve Evans’ side had to come back from behind twice.

Ellis Taylor was also on the scoresheet twice for the spirited Sulphurites, who had threatened to move out of the bottom two for the first time since December.

Ultimately, though, Harrison’s heroics, following an earlier reply from Shaq Forde, condemned Simon Weaver’s men to a 15th home defeat of the campaign – and they remain bottom of the table.

Earlier, after Joe Quigley dragged a shot on the turn narrowly wide for Rovers, Taylor had opened the scoring with an impressive 27th-minute strike.

Receiving the ball on the right flank after a positive forward burst by centre-back Liam Gibson, the winger cut inside before thumping a fantastic 20-yard effort inside the far post.

The Pirates equalised in the 50th minute when Forde ran across the edge of the home penalty box before firing a low central shot through a crowded penalty box and past an unsighted Henry Gray.

Harrogate’s response was immediate with Taylor grabbing his second of the afternoon five minutes later. Reece Smith was the architect, raiding down the left flank and delivering a perfect cross to the far post, where Taylor’s initial header was blocked before he rifled a second attempt into the roof of the net from four yards.

However, the visitors refused to surrender and were level again in the 61st minute when Harrison ghosted between Gray and home defender Cathal Heffernan to prod in from close range from Forde’s right-wing cross.

After Gray had made an excellent save to deny Yusuf Akhamrich, the on-loan Ipswich keeper was then adjudged to have felled Alfie Kilgour with a lunging challenge after the hosts had struggled to clear their lines.

Harrison fired the resulting 79th-minute penalty to Gray’s right to secure the points.