Jack Stockdill fires the spectacular equaliser home from 30-yards. Picture: Caught Light Photography
Harrogate Railway claimed an important point at Queensgate in an entertaining 2-2 draw with Scarborough Athletic.
Tom Owen gave the visitors the lead inside five minutes when he converted Lawrence Hunter’s free kick at the far post, although goals from Fernando Moke and Ryan Qualter left Railway trailing at the break.
Jack Stockdill grabbed Railway’s equaliser in spectacular fashion firing home from 30-yards after 55 minutes and, although both sides had chances to win, both left with a point apiece.
Lee Ashforth made three changes from Saturday’s last minute defeat to Northwich with Simon Wood, Jack Stockdill and Ryan Sharrocks returning in place of Nathaniel Pells, Harry Brown and Vince Dhesi.
With both teams needing a result, the contest started at a blistering pace as Steve Mallory shot wide with the first attempt of the game.
Railway then took the lead five minutes in when Owen headed home Hunter’s in-swinging free kick at the back post to score his third goal for the club in his first three games.
Owen looked increasingly lively in the opening stages and created an opportunity just five minutes later as he chased a ball to the left by-line and picked out Fatlum Ibrahimi on the edge of the box, although the final attempt was sent over.
Paul Foot and Bryan Hughes’ men equalised after 14 minutes when Moke showed quality and composure to lob the ball into an empty net on the volley after Tom Goodwin’s punched clearance had fell to the winger.
The Seadogs were buoyed by the leveller and went close through Gary Bradshaw’s near post effort before Alex Low denied Ryan Blott’s lofted finish with a well-timed header off the line.
From the resulting corner, Scarborough completed the five minute turnaround after sloppy defending allowed Qualter to tap home from a yard at the back post.
The fixture continued in end to end fashion as Moke had a chance to make the score 3-1, but missed the target, and Stockdill was unable to power Sharrocks’ low cross past Jody Barford who comfortably saved.
The pace of the contest dipped slightly towards the end of the first half with Nathan Peat’s 40-yard free kick the closest either side came to adding to the score-line as the referee was constantly forced to stop play for fouls across the pitch.
It was Railway that started brighter after the interval with a rapid counter attack ending in Ibrahimi’s dangerous looking shot deflecting behind for a corner.
The visitors then grabbed a deserved equaliser when Stockdill carried the ball with purpose into the Scarborough half and sent an arrowing strike from 30 yards into the top left corner; beating Barford all ends up.
Scarborough responded by putting pressure on Railway’s back line, although the away side’s defensive unit held firm with Captain Dan Thirkell clearing off the line from a corner.
With just under 20 minutes to play, both sides were getting forward at every opportunity as Hunter’s deflected shot was claimed by Barford before the Railway left back’s corner was headed into the ground and wide by Thirkell.
Ibrahimi again tested the ‘keeper with ten minutes remaining when the attacking midfielder cut inside on his right foot and pulled the trigger, although Barford matched the effort and palmed away.
With seven minutes to go, Harrogate stopper Goodwin showed great concentration to make a stunning save just when his team needed it most as he acrobatically pushed over Moke’s high, powerful attempt.
The hosts then came the closest of either side to claiming all three points when Qualter managed to hook the ball back towards goal after some pinball in the Railway area only for his effort to bounce off the outside of the post and out to the relief of all in blue.
Railway had the final attempt of the game in the 93rd minute when Ibrahimi was again denied by Barford, but in the end both teams took a share of the spoils at the seaside.
Harrogate Railway: Goodwin, Wood (Brown 67), Hunter, Low, Stockdill, Horne, Ibrahimi, Thirkell, Owen, Worrall, Sharrocks. Subs unused: Kidd, Clamp, Barrett, Bromley.
Scarborough Athletic: Barford, Robson, Winfarrah, Peat, Qualter, Mallory, Moke, Davidson, Corner, Bradshaw (Zand 85), Blott (Dixon 85). Subs unused: Peterson, Assenso, Hirst.
Referee: W. Grunill
Attendance: 228
Thanks to Hal Boxhall-Dockree for this report.