Rail suffer agonising home defeat

Harrogate Railway suffered an agonising defeat as Michael Roddy’s 92nd minute goal gave Northwich Victoria a 1-0 win at Station View.

Railway had defended resolutely throughout and tested the goalkeeper on multiple occasions in the second half through Ryan Sharrocks and Tom Owen.

The home side were then dealt a cruel blow at the death as Roddy was left unmarked at the far post and smashed home to send Railway to a defeat they will feel was largely undeserved.

Lee Ashforth made four changes from last weekend’s defeat at table toppers Warrington and handed a first start to Owen up front.

Tom Goodwin was called into action immediately after the kick-off as he closed down Jordan Williams before the lively winger could finish his mazy run.

Ashforth then suffered a blow to his game plan as Vincent Dhesi was forced off after appearing to pull his hamstring when chasing down a long ball.

Alex Low was twice required to stop Northwich taking the lead just before the 20 minute mark when he executed a well-timed sliding tackle to deny Williams before swiftly getting to his feet and heading off the line.

Jim Gannon’s side then rattled the woodwork from the resulting corner after a header hit the post, although Railway managed to clear their lines.

Harrogate then had a spell of corners mid-way through the half that troubled the Northwich defence before Fatlum Ibrahimi almost gave the hosts a lead when his dipping volley from the edge of the area was a fraction too high.

Vics had the final chance of the half when Michael Clarke headed over from a corner in stoppage time and the two teams went into the break all square.

Sharrocks, who had replaced Dhesi early on, had the first chance of the second period when the ball broke to the winger on the right only for Mason Springthorpe to beat away the strike.

Northwich then blew their chance to take the lead when a long throw into the Railway box fell to Aboubacar Sanogo at the far post, however the Northwich man sliced his effort wide.

Ashforth’s men were looking dangerous on the counter attack and had another sight of goal when Sharrocks’ shot flew over the bar under close attention from a defender following Rob Worrall’s clever through ball.

Dan Thirkell then crafted out an opening for his side when he threaded through Owen whose powerful strike was again matched by Springthorpe, much to the frustration of the hosts.

The two combined again in the 68th minute with Springthorpe this time producing a diving save to his right to deny Railway’s new frontman.

At the other end, Louis Horne made a vital intervention to deny Josh Amis before Northwich’s substitute shot wide of the near post moments later.

Worrall then tried his luck for Railway in the 81st minute as the game looked to be heading for a draw, sending a left footed shot over the bar.

The visitors were having the majority of possession in the Railway half but had struggled to create any meaningful chances thanks to the efforts of Nathaniel Pells and co in the Harrogate back-line.

Railway were putting their bodies on the line for the point but were cruelly undone in the second minute of stoppage time.

A Northwich attack had been cleared, but was delivered back into the danger area and to an unmarked Roddy at the back post who remained calm to finish before being mobbed by his teammates delighted with their late winner.

Railway players were suffering the opposite of their opponents’ emotions after a determined defensive performance had kept the visitors out for so long and now look ahead to visiting Scarborough Athletic on Tuesday night.

Harrogate Railway: Goodwin, Pells, Hunter, Low, Brown (Bromley 74), Horne, Ibrahimi, Thirkell, Owen, Dhesi (Sharrocks 4), Worrall. Subs unused: Clamp, Kidd, Barrett.
Northwich Victoria: Springthorpe, Byrne, Duxbury, Ball, Clarke, Astles, Sanogo (Summerskill 70), Roddy, Bennett (Amis 70), Howard, Williams. Subs unused: Todd, Quirk, Smith
Referee: S. Porter
Attendance: 84

Thanks to Hal Boxhall-Dockree for this report.