Lowestoft Town's fight against relegation from National League North suffered a blow as four second half goals consigned them to defeat in North Yorkshire.

The Blues shaded an even first half against play-off hopefuls Harrogate Town and would have taken the lead had Ryan Jarvis converted either of two very presentable chances.

But a thunderous strike from leading scorer Brendan Daniels on 47 minutes and another goal from Joe Colbeck less than five minutes later left the Trawlerboys with a mountain they found impossible to climb.

Daniels and substitute Jack Emmett added late goals to confirm the defeat which leaves Town rooted in the relegation zone.

Lowestoft made two changes from the side which won at Stockport on Saturday. Joe Marsden came in at left-back in place of the injured Adam Smith, while Connor Deeks was in for Michael Spillane, who picked up a knock in the warm-up.

The visitors started well and when a corner was cleared as far as Harry Kyprianou on the left wing on eight minutes, his cross found the unmarked Ryan Jarvis.

However, the striker could only head a gilt-edged chance wide from ten yards.

Jarvis had another chance after a slip by home defender Paul Thirlwell in the 26th minute.

A long ball slipped under Thirlwell's studs to set the Jarvis in on goal, but he lashed his shot wildly over the bar with just 'keeper Peter Crook to beat.

The home side came close to snatching the lead in the final minute of the half as Daniels went for goal with a free-kick 35 yards out but his shot landed on top of the net with half the ground thinking it was in.

Two minutes into the second half and the dangerous Daniels did find the back of the net with an absolute thunderbolt from 35 yards out.

There seemed no danger when he picked up the ball in the centre of the pitch but he unleashed a left-foot drive which flew in via the underside of the bar, giving Ben Killip no chance in the Blues' goal.

Four minutes later and the home side doubled their lead. After a swift break, the ball fell to Colbeck on the right hand side of the Lowestoft box and after beating Deeks, he fired in a low shot which flew past Killip at his near post.

The goals knocked the stuffing out of the visitors and it took until the 70th minute for them to fashion a response, however Rossi Jarvis could only steer a low corner from Danny Crow wide of the far post.

The Blues suffered another blow in the 78th minute as Harry Barker was stretchered off following a sliding challenge by Daniels.

To make matters worse, Daniels then tapped home the third for Harrogate a minute later following good work down the right by substitute Emmett.

Emmett then notched a fourth goal in the final minute after a goalmouth scramble to complete Lowestoft's misery.

The heavy defeat means the Blues remain in the bottom three behind Brackley on goal difference, with the deficit on their rivals now up to nine goals. On the plus side they do still have one game in hand on the Northamptonshire side.

Lowestoft's next game is at home to Curzon Ashton on Saturday.

Lowestoft: Killip; Barker (Eagle, 77), Kyprianou, Ro Jarvis (c), Marsden; Mason, Fisk (Garrod, 84), Deeks, Henderson; Crow (Nyadzayo, 87), Ry Jarvis. Subs not used: Spillane, Swatman.

Harrogate: Crook; Turner, Swain, Thirlwell, Ellis (c), Colbeck, Kerry, Burrell, Daniels; Thewlis (Emmett, 68), Gascoigne (Clayton, 78). Subs not used: Foster, Warren, Platt.

Goals: Daniels 47, 78, Colbeck 51, Emmett 90.

Referee: Marc Edwards.

Attendance: 546