Harrogate Railway 2-3 Stocksbridge Park Steals: Sheffield side knock Rail’ out of Doodson Cup

Harrogate Railway captain Dan Thirkell leaps into a block (Photo: Caught Light Photograpghy)

After getting to grips with blustery conditions, Railway broke the deadlock early on when Jack Stockdill powered a free kick into the bottom left corner after Steve Bromley had drawn a foul.

Will Peers saw a volley blocked on his first start in a Rail’ shirt, before captain Dan Thirkell hit the inside of the post when latching onto Bromley’s through ball.

But the hosts eventually doubled their advantage after 34 minutes when Stockdill’s incisive through ball was collected by Bromley who finished at the second attempt.

Stocksbridge began the second 45 in the ascendancy and could have scored had Thirkell not been on hand to block Harrison Biggins’ before Railway keeper Tom Stewart produced a magical stop to deny Rory Coleman’s set piece.

Stocksbridge got a goal back in the 68th minute when Matt Reay poked home from close range, despite a series of goal line blocks from substitute Simon Wood.

The Steels sensed an equaliser but were frustrated by Stewart’s low save from Corey Gregory and Simon Parkes’ goal saving clearance.

But the Sheffield side made their set pieces pay after a corner was diverted to Joe Lumsden at the back post who had the easy job of tapping home.

Will Peers on his first start for Railway (Photo: Caught Light Photograpghy)

And the NPL South side got the decisive goal just three minutes from time when Reay met a free kick and cushioned the ball into the corner.

notching his second of the game and completing the turnaround.

In stoppage time, Bromley was denied the chance to level the scores when he was adjudged to have handled before a shooting opportunity and Railway were resigned to Doodson Cup elimination.

Harrogate Railway: Stewart, Parkes, Pells (Clamp 45), Low, Horne, Thirkell, Sharrocks, Peers, Bromley, Stockdill, Mason (Wood 61)

Subs not used: Ibrahimi, Dhesi, Goodwin

Goals: Stockdill 16, Bromley 34

Stocksbridge Park Steels: D Reay (McFadden 45), Rhodes, Coleman, Patterson (Shaw 64), Thompson, M Reay, Fox, Biggins, Ruthven, Lumsden, Gregory

Subs not used: Mead, Hilton, Laight

Goals: M Reay 68, 87, Lumsden 77

Referee: D. Street