FA Trophy draw lines up Darlington 1883 clash for Harrogate Railway

Ex-Harrogate Railway winger Rob Youhill against new club Darlington 1883 last season (Caught Light Photography)

Harrogate Railway will set up a mouth-watering FA Trophy tie against former heroes Rob Youhill and Nathan Cartman if they progress through a tricky clash in the preliminary round.

Railway has been handed an away trip to Evo-Stik First Division North rivals Mossley in the first step towards a date at Wembley stadium in May.

The two sides will meet at Seel Park in Lancashire on Saturday, October 3, with the victors heading north to face Darlington 1883.

Darlington earned promotion from the First Division North play-offs last season, with former Railway hitman Cartman netting in the final.

Both Youhill and Cartman had a big part in Railway’s surge to eighth place in the table last season.

However, Darlington bought Cartman in January while Youhill teamed up with the goalscoring ace at the end of the season.

Meanwhile, new Railway boss Lee Ashforth’s first FA Cup clash in charge will come at home against Spennymoor Town

The pair will meet in the preliminary round on August 15.

Spennymoor took a 3-2 victory at Station View in Evo-Stik First Division North last season, but Railway got their revenge with a 5-1 thrashing in the League Cup on the same ground.

Under departed boss Billy Miller, Railway reached the third qualifying round of the FA Cup last season before bowing out against National North side Colwyn Bay in a 3-2 defeat.