Harrogate Railway execute game-plan 'to a tee' during comprehensive victory over high-flying Wombwell Town

The Starbeck club bounced back from consecutive NCEL Division One defeats with a comprehensive home success against opponents who began the weekend top of the table.

Expecting a serious physical examination from a visiting side known for their direct playing style, Fraser Lancaster and Rob Youhill switched from their usual 4-3-3 formation to a 3-5-2 system, asking their charges to adopt a somewhat different approach.

And that tactical reshuffle paid dividend as goals from leading marksman Luca Bolino, Sam Clothier and Joel Barker earned the Rail a three-point haul which lifted them to 10th place.

"Saturday was really pleasing,” Lancaster reflected. “Wombwell are probably most direct team I’ve ever come across, they literally throw everything at you and try to overwhelm you with a relentless stream of long balls into your box.

“They came into the game top of the league, so are obviously very effective at what they do. They wear teams down, but we’d done our homework and knew what to expect, so we came up with a game-plan which we felt would give us a chance.

"Credit to the lads, they carried it out to a tee, which is really satisfying from a coach’s point of view because it makes you feel like your players are really buying into what you’re saying to them.

“It was about being relentless with our defending, staying switched on and meeting that physical challenge to keep ourselves in the game because we know we have devastating pace when we go forwards.

"We normally set up in a 4-3-3 but we changed to a 3-5-2. It’s only the second time we’ve used that system, and we haven’t had much chance to work on it in training, however it suited us well and we’ve ended up coming away with the kind of result against the league leaders that can only fill the lads with confidence.”

Strike partners Bolino and Clothier struck in quick succession late in the first half to put Railway in control of proceedings, before Barker strode forward from centre-half to wrap things up with a superb solo effort.

"The goals were all quite different, but all very good finishes,” Lancaster added.

"Lewis Pye played a really clever pass through for Luca for the first and he did what he’s been doing all season.

"Sam Clothier then finished his chance really well to score his first-ever goal for the first team, so I was really happy for him.

"And Joel’s was probably the pick of the bunch. He strode forward from defence and just kept going, and going, and going before sticking it in the top corner from the edge of the box.”

Railway return to league action on Saturday when they host 11th-placed Louth Town, 3pm kick-off.