Harrogate Railway and Knaresborough Town switch attentions to FA Vase ties

Harrogate Railway and Knaresborough Town will take a break from league football and shift their attentions to the FA Vase this weekend.
Joe Crosby's headed goal against Worsbrough Bridge wasn't enough to earn Harrogate Railway victory on the road. Picture: Craig DinsdaleJoe Crosby's headed goal against Worsbrough Bridge wasn't enough to earn Harrogate Railway victory on the road. Picture: Craig Dinsdale
Joe Crosby's headed goal against Worsbrough Bridge wasn't enough to earn Harrogate Railway victory on the road. Picture: Craig Dinsdale

Mick O’Connell’s Railway will be aiming to bounce back from their disappointing NCEL Division One draw at Worsbrough Bridge last time out when they entertain top-flight Silsden at Station View (3pm).

Speaking ahead of Saturday’s second qualifying round tie, the Irishman said: “This is a competition that we want to have a little run in. We know that, realistically, we are not good enough to win it, but we would love to go through a couple of rounds.

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"It would represent a big step forwards for the club if we could progress and it’s also a potential money-spinner with the prize money that will be on offer.

Knaresborough Town entertain Thackley at Manse Lane this Saturday in the second qualifying round of the FA Vase.Knaresborough Town entertain Thackley at Manse Lane this Saturday in the second qualifying round of the FA Vase.
Knaresborough Town entertain Thackley at Manse Lane this Saturday in the second qualifying round of the FA Vase.

"So, we are taking Saturday’s game seriously and will be preparing for it and going for it 100 percent.

"We were disappointed with the result, if not the performance at Worsbrough Bridge, so we’d have liked a league game in midweek because league points are our bread and butter, but we’ve trained well this week and can’t wait for Saturday.”

Joe Crosby headed home Dan McDaid’s 37th-minute cross to put Railway in front at Worsbrough, however the visitors squandered several opportunities to put the game out of sight and were eventually made to pay as Joe Brown netted a late equaliser.

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“It’s disappointing because we dominated the ball and the game for probably 80 minutes, but a lack of concentration has cost us two points,” O’Connell added.

"We conceded a sloppy goal after giving the ball away trying to play out from the back. Then we failed to stop the cross and their lad was able to get a toe-end on it.

"It was a cheap goal to give away, but the game should have been dead and buried by that point anyway. We created plenty of chances, but once again we weren’t clinical enough.”

Meanwhile, Knaresborough will be looking to build on their 3-1 home success over Yorkshire Amateur when they host fellow Premier Division outfit Thackley at Manse Lane (3pm).

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Danny Edwards fired Boro ahead against the Ammers, running on to Alex Marsh’s seventh-minute pass and breaking the deadlock.

Cole Wildin then fed Brad Walker, who made it 2-0 on 15 minutes.

And a third Boro goal arrived in the 27th minute, Phil Milsom left with an easy tap in after Edwards played the ball across the goal following a corner.

That win was Knaresborough’s third in their last six matches and leaves them 15th in the top-flight standings after nine rounds of fixtures.

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