Harrogate Railway's young players still learning on the job, says Fraser Lancaster after Horbury Town draw
Harrogate Railway required a last-minute equaliser to salvage a point at home to struggling Horbury Town on Saturday afternoon.
Centre-half James Lockwood popped up with a finish that any centre-forward would have been proud of, bending a first-time strike into the top corner from the edge of the penalty area to earn his side a 2-2 draw at Station View.
Earlier, flying winger Luca Bolino had netted his seventh goal of the season to hand the Rail a 15th-minute lead, but Thomas Brook and Daniel Ward notched either side of the interval to put the visitors in front.
Saturday’s result leaves Railway eighth in the NCEL Division One standings and three points outside the play-off places, but they have now won just one of their previous five league matches.
"As we keep saying, we have a very young side with very little experience, so it’s going to take time for everything to come together,” Railway manager Fraser Lancaster said of his side’s recent form.
"In the games that we haven’t won, it’s been a lot of small things that have cost us. Overall, the performances have been good, and I don’t think we’ve been far off in any game this season apart from our loss at home to Wakefield.
"There are certain details that we need to look at and address on the training ground and things to keep working on. But really, this season, which is our first as a group at this level, is going to be about working out what works for us and what doesn’t, while aiming to keep progressing at the same time.”
Railway return to action on Tuesday evening when they visit Nostell Miners Welfare in the NCEL League Cup (7.45pm).
On Saturday, they entertain Albion Sports in the second qualifying round of the FA Vase (3pm).