Fraser Lancaster impressed by Harrogate Railway's physicality during victory over Armthorpe Welfare
Fraser Lancaster was impressed with how Harrogate Railway competed physically during their emphatic 4-1 victory at Armthorpe Welfare.
The Starbeck outfit kept their NCEL Division One title bid on track courtesy of goals from Harris Eggleston, Alex Burton, Alex Ingham and Elliot Holmes.
Welfare headed into Saturday's fixture unbeaten in six league matches and having won four on the spin, but they were no match for their visitors in the end.
And joint-boss Lancaster felt that matching the home side's physicality paved the way for his own team's success.
"That is a big result,” he said. "If you look at Armthorpe’s form coming into this, they had won four on the bounce, so their tails were up.
"We knew it was going to be a battle first, and to be honest, I think we more than matched them.
"What was really positive was that, through the centre of the pitch, we were really physical. If we weren’t winning the first ball, then we made sure that we were winning the second.
“On the whole, I am really, really pleased. We scored at key times, and I guess the only slight frustration is that we didn’t get a clean-sheet.”
Eggleston broke the deadlock in the 20th minute when he smashed a finish into the roof of the net after Ben Parkes effort had been saved by the Armthorpe goalkeeper.
Burton added a second just before half-time, with Ingham making the game safe early in the half by finishing off a Harris Eggleston cross.
Cole Patrick pulled one back for the Welfare on 84 minutes, however Railway’s three-goal cushion was restored within two minutes thanks to Holmes’ header from a Sam Clothier corner.
Saturday’s success leaves the Rail second in the table, just four points behind leaders Dearne & District, but with two games in hand.