Harrogate manager Lee Ashforth celebrates one of his side’s goals. Picture: Mark Gledhill
Luckless Harrogate Railway were leading 3-0 when their local derby with Ossett Town was abandoned at half time because of a waterlogged pitch.
If Ossett go onto win the replayed Evo Stik Division One North clash then it will count as an enormous stroke of fortune for the Ingfielders.
For Rail, it was a day to forget after missing out on the three points. A fact further compounded by the fact that Dan Barrett will still have to serve a three-match ban for his red card, despite the abandonment.
Apart from the sending off, the first half was almost like a dream for Rail. George Mason’s first minute opener was added to by Lawrence Hunter’s penalty before Barrett was shown a straight red card for violent conduct in the bad tempered affair.
Jack Stockdill’s header then gave the ten men of Railway a sizeable advantage at the break before referee David Storrie deemed the Station View pitch too boggy to start the second half.
The hosts got off to the best possible start when Barrett broke down the right hand side and poked into the path of Mason to finish at the near post.
Hunter’s corners were causing problems within the Ossett backline and almost presented Dan Thirkell with a chance at the far post moments before another corner lead to Nathaniel Pells pulling back for Ryan Sharrocks who shot just over.
Railway were then awarded a spot kick after 13 minutes when Will Peers was brought down by Simon Rogers as he took the ball in his stride yards inside the penalty area.
Hunter stepped up and calmly side-footed into the top left corner to give Railway a two goal advantage.
Harrogate’s Dan Barrett saw red and will still have to serve a ban. Picture: Mark Gledhill
The rampant hosts were then dealt a blow, however as striker Barrett was given a straight red card for what the referee described as a slap to the face.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, Railway were still on top as Stockdill forced a good save low to his left from Ossett’s debutant goalkeeper Chris Barrow to push the strike out for a corner.
Barrow couldn’t prevent Stockdill getting on the score-sheet from the resulting set piece, however, as the young midfielder glanced Hunter’s corner in at the near post.
Ossett started to fight back but were denied by a crucial Pells headed clearance before Ross Shelton made insufficient contact with a back post header to trouble Tom Goodwin.
With ten minutes to go until half time, the true rivalry between the two clubs began to show in unsavoury scenes as Shelton and Stockdill reacted angrily to a challenge prompting players squaring up to each other and Louis Horne carded, along with Shelton and Stockdill, for his reaction.
That concluded a drama-filled half. The match was then abandoned.
Harrogate Railway: Goodwin, Parkes, Hunter, Pells, Horne, Thirkell, Sharrocks, Peers, Barrett, Stockdill, Mason. Subs unused: Ibrahimi, Brown, Dhesi, Day, Wood.
Ossett Town: Barrow, Fishley, Merris, Jeff, Rogers, Shelton, Rupere, Ackroyd, Lyn, Mangham, Brown. Subs unused: Monfredi, Simpson, Moor, Fogarty, Hamilton.
Referee: D. Storrie