Harrogate Railway return to winning ways, while Knaresborough Town's lean spell continues

Sixteen matches into their 2026/27 NCEL Division One campaign, Harrogate Railway are still to record consecutive victories.

The inconsistent Starbeck outfit continued their recent trend of following up a loss with a win on Saturday afternoon as they saw off Hemsworth Miners Welfare at Station View.

Sam Barker was the star of the show with a brace of goals in a 3-1 success, but that margin of victory could easily have been much greater given how many chances the Rail created.

They took the lead on 19 minutes when a long throw-in wasn’t dealt with properly by the visiting defence and Barker was left unmarked to nod home.

Plenty more chances to add to that opening goal came and went in quick succession before the home side did eventually make it 2-0 in the 38th minute through Jack Mason.

And, just a couple of minutes into the second period, Barker struck again to effectively end the game as a contest.

Adam Walsh did manage to pull one back for Hemsworth on 68 minutes, however the damage had already been done.

That result elevates Railway to 14th position in the table ahead of this Saturday’s trip to rock-bottom Immingham Town (3pm).

In the NCEL Premier Division, Knaresborough Town are now four matches without a win following Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Campion.

Having gone seven league games unbeaten during August and September, Simon Parkes’ men have now taken just two points from the last 12 on offer and find themselves eighth in the table.

And, just as was the case a week earlier at Barton Town where they conceded late on to lose 1-0, Boro were once again stung in the dying minutes of the contest.

Debutant goalkeeper, Alfie Burnett, had to save early on from Ewan Gregson, before Boro striker Nathan Cartman shot narrowly wide at the other end after a Jack Lazenby pass set him clear.

Jack Dyche was then narrowly off target, but found his range in the 21st minute when he turned and fired past Luke Wilson in the away goal.

Sonny Whittingham brought another save from Burnett after Will Lenehan had blocked a cross from Gregson, but Knaresborough were good value for their endeavours in the half.

Campion’s frustrations showed as they shot from distance on a number of occasions. A header from Patrick Sykes eventually brought a save from Burnett before substitute Luke Jeffreys also managed an effort on target.

Boro’s Ross McCormack was too high with a rare foray downfield, but the Knaresborough rearguard looked comfortable until the 90th minute when Campion were awarded a soft free-kick wide on the right wing.

Gregson delivered, and the ball was headed back across goal by Harry Coates for Sykes to head once again into the danger area where Max Dickinson nodded in from close range.

Despite their obvious disappointment, Boro rallied and almost snatched a winner in stoppage time, though Wilson produced a good diving stop to thwart Slater Barnes.

This Saturday, Parkes and his men play host to top-of-the-table Dearne & District (3pm).