Harrogate Railway's survival hopes boosted by first win under new boss

Victory moves the Starbeck strugglers to within seven points of NCEL Division One safety, and manager Mick O’Connell believes that the result could prove to be a significant one come the end of the season.

“This should help change the mindset of the players,” he said.

“Beating Ollerton proves to the group that they can win games of football and hopefully we can go on and build on this result.

“Based on what I saw last night and during the past three matches, I am confident that we are good enough to win games in this division between now and the end of the season.

“Obviously there is a lot of hard work to be done, however we have four games in hand on Brigg Town [currently 17th] and if we can win those matches then I believe we’ll overtake them and can stay up.”

Tuesday’s success against Ollerton was O’Connell’s first since taking over the managerial hot-seat in January following predecessor Des Macorison’s departure.

Prior to that, Railway had lost their previous three outings under their new boss, though O’Connell is adamant that they’ve deserved much more.

“That win has been coming, it really has,” he added.

“We should have had at least a point in my first match in charge against Parkgate, and we fully deserved to beat Retford on Saturday.

“They’re up near the play-off places and, although I might be looking at things with rose-tinted spectacles, they’re definitely not a better team than us.

“Their goal came direct from a corner, which caught the wind and was blown straight into our net.

“It was a sucker punch. Nostell is the only game where we didn’t do enough to warrant a result, but we had a man sent off quite early on and that killed it for us.

“I’m seeing positive signs and we are certainly improving. We’re doing the basics properly now, we’ve become harder to beat and just need to start being more ruthless in front of goal.”

Steve Bromley fired Railway ahead against Ollerton when he converted from the penalty spot on 26 minutes, marking his first start since returning to the club from Knaresborough Town in the perfect fashion.

Paddy Sykes doubled the home advantage with a close-range finish in the 74th minute before substitute Steve Walker added a second spot-kick of the evening for 3-0.

Aaron Sennett-Neilson netted a late consolation for Town at the death, but the game was already over as a contest by that point.

“Their goal was the only negative, really,” O’Connell added.

“We should have had a clean-sheet but we switched off. I thought we dominated from start to finish and could easily have scored five or six.

“It was great to have Brommers [Bromley] out there. He’ll only get better as he gets his match fitness back, but he knows this league and knows where the back of the net is.

"He’s an important signing for us.”

Next up for the Rail is a trip to title-chasing Skegness Town on Saturday, 3pm kick-off.