'Everything clicked' for Harrogate Railway in demolition of Glasshoughton Welfare AFC

The Starbeck outfit have struggled for consistency in terms of their results in recent weeks and months, but have been threatening to take an opposition team to the cleaners for some time.

On Saturday, they were able to convert the vast majority of goal-scoring opportunities that they created, while marrying that more ruthless attacking display up with a rock solid defensive effort - meaning that they actually came away with the kind of emphatic result they have appeared capable of in plenty of other matches this term.

And joint-manager Lancaster was understandably “delighted” with his players’ efforts.

“We’ve been saying for a while that there is going to be a game where it all clicks - and that was Saturday,” he said.

“I thought that we were in total control of the game. We had a few scares because they were chucking bodies forward and they had the big lad up front, but we defended really well as a team, and to get a clean-sheet is important.

“There were so many positives, every time we had a chance, it was either on target or went in.

“We’ve had a lot of frustrations in recent weeks, but on Saturday everything clicked, and I am absolutely delighted for the lads because it has been a long time coming.

“That’s two wins out of two, and hopefully we have more days like this.”

Railway took the lead against Glasshoughton at Station View courtesy of Harris Eggleston’s 35th-minute free-kick, which was curled around the wall and just out of reach of the visiting goalkeeper.

The home lead was doubled just three minutes into the second half, Eggleston racing into the box and squaring the ball to Desmond Okoro, who beat Welfare stopper Adam Hewitson at the second time of asking.

Railway went 3-0 up four minutes later, Okoro nodding over Hewitson from close range after Mike Morris’ initial header from a corner had been saved.

Harry Atkinson added the Rail’s fourth on 58 minutes, stroking a finish beyond a sea of bodies having been teed up by Okoro.

Okor then completed his hat-trick when he rounded off the scoring in the 63rd minute, nipping in at the front post to guide home Eggleston’s cross.

Saturday’s success over mid-table Glasshoughton follows on from a 2-0 win on the road at relegation-threatened Dronfield Town in midweek.

Railway broke the deadlock in the 41st minute of that match, Eggleston rifling home a clinical strike after the ball broke to him in plenty of space.

Having made it through until the end of the regulation 90 with that slender advantage still intact, the visitors then made the three points safe in stoppage time.

Following a counter-attack, Dylan Drove ran through on goal and rounded the Dronfield keeper before finishing into an empty net.

Back-to-back victories leave the Rail 11th in the NCEL Division One standings heading into this Saturday’s home showdown with basement boys Yorkshire Amateur.