Harrogate Railway boss Mick O'Connell hails players' 'tireless' work out of possession

Luke Stewart, right, is congratulated by team-mate Albert Ibrahimi during Harrogate Railway's 6-1 rout of Glasshoughton Welfare. Stewart finished the game with a hat-trick to his name. Picture: Craig Dinsdale

Mick O’Connell says that Harrogate Railway’s improvement out of possession is the most satisfying aspect of their 12-match unbeaten run in NCEL Division One.

The Starbeck club followed up a comprehensive 4-0 win over Parkgate with a 6-1 mauling of Glasshoughton Welfare on Saturday, recording a fifth consecutive victory in the process.

And, while he is thrilled to see his team starting to show more of a ruthless edge in the final third and putting opponents to the sword, O’Connell insists that he is even happier about the work they are getting through when they don’t have the ball.

"Results like the last couple have been coming for a while because we have been creating a lot of chances without converting very many of them,” the Irishman said.

Harrogate Railway manager Mick O'Connell. Picture: Gerard Binks

"So obviously I’m really pleased about that, particularly for Luke [Stewart] who got a hat-trick against Glasshoughton. But, to be honest, I’m liking our work without the ball as much as anything else we are doing.

"The lads are working tirelessly out of possession, they are getting through so much graft and that gives me so much pleasure.

"When you see players celebrating an important tackle or a clearance off the goal-line, it shows you that they have a great attitude.

"These are the demands that we put on lads when we bring them to this football club. We can’t compete financially with a lot of the teams in this division, so we have to make sure that we work as hard as we possibly can to be able to compete and we’re definitely getting our rewards.”

Third-placed Railway host 15th-placed Shirebrook Town this Saturday (3pm).