Harrogate Railway's five-star display against Louth Town is 'just one step in the right direction'

The Starbeck outfit got back on track at the weekend courtesy of a comprehensive 5-1 victory over Louth Town at Station View.

Having lost just one of their opening 24 NCEL Division One fixtures, they got off to a dreadful start to 2026, with that trio of results seriously damaging their title hopes.

And, although they managed to stop the rot on Saturday afternoon, boss Youhill certainly is not getting carried away with one win.

"It’s just one step in the right direction,” he said. “It’s definitely not a huge leap, it’s a little step in what is going to be a difficult month.

“We were so much better on Saturday, but there are definitely things that we still need to improve. I am really frustrated about not getting a clean-sheet and even more disappointed by the reaction to conceding.

"It’s funny because you compliment the players on the things they have done well, then they stop doing those things and start doing something else.

"So, I was conscious of giving them too many plaudits [at half-time] and I really concentrated on that goal we conceded. I just asked for five minutes of running through everything and kicking anything that moved, and we scored after two-and-a-half minutes of that second half.

"Clearly that was better, and collectively as a management team we have thought that we need to be much more difficult to beat, which we were, and that’s what the performance was based on. Being difficult to beat while knowing that we will create chances.”

Railway ended 2025 with the very best defensive record in the division, but have been conceding goals with alarming regularity since the turn of the year.

And, although their back line was only breached the once on Saturday, Youhill still did not like what he saw, and has questioned his players’ mindset when it comes to protecting their own goal.

"Up until the end of the calendar year, we had only conceded 21 goals. Since then, we have conceded 13 [in four games] and that is just not good enough,” he added.

"It seems that we know we will create chances and score, but have come resigned to the fact that we will concede one at the other end.

"That’s how it felt when their goal went in. It was like we were willing to give them one. But if you are willing accept one, you are willing to accept two. You may then be willing to accept three, which is obviously what has happened recently.”

Brad Walker fired Railway into an early lead before Harry Atkinson nodded home Harris Eggleston’s corner to double their advantage on 36 minutes.

Louth pulled a goal back through Harvey Lidgard late in the first half, though the hosts restored that two-goal cushion shortly after the interval when Eggleston curled a first-time effort into the far corner of the net.

Eggleston and substitute Oli Holt then combined to tee Alex Ingham up to slot in number four on 81 minutes, before Holt rounded things off moments later.

Next up for the Rail is a trip to mid-table South Leeds this Saturday afternoon (3pm).