Toolstation NCEL Premier Division
Harrogate Railway 2-1 Armthorpe Welfare
David Brown was at the forefront of Harrogate Railway’s 2-1 win over Armthorpe. Picture: Caught Light Photography
First half goals from Jules Gabbiadini and Stephen Bromley guided Harrogate Railway to back-to-back wins.
Darren Mansaram scored Armthorpe’s goal early in the second half.
Railway adapted quickly to the heavy pitch and went ahead with their first meaningful attack after 8 minutes. A corner from the left was only half cleared and when the ball was played back into the box the Welfare had a couple of opportunities to clear before the ball found Gabbiadini who fired past Adam Stevens from 12 yards.
James Walker had Welfare’s first sight of goal on 16 minutes, but he fired his 22 yard free-kick over the bar after Tom McLaughlin had been brought down.
Chris Ovington saw his angled shot deflected onto the roof of the net on 23 minutes for the home side, whilst a minute later Chris Gowen saw his 25 yard free-kick deflected wide of the far post for Welfare.
Four minutes later Liam Radford burst clear down the right and sent over a cross which Leon Wrigglesworth did well to push away at full stretch with the ball just evading McLaughlin who would have had a clear shot at an unguarded goal.
Railway doubled their lead on 40 minutes when David bBown broke away down the right and he evaded Craig Morley’s challenge before crossing to the back post where the ball was headed back across goal for Bromley to head in from close range.
On the stroke of half time Railway left-back Chris Fisher tried his luck with a strong 20 yard shot which Stevens tipped over the bar.
Eight minutes after half time Welfare dragged themselves back into the game. Gowen sent over a good cross from the left which Radford headed down for Mansaram to steer past Wrigglesworth from 10 yards.
Bradley Johnston replaced Louis Penty on 56 minutes and with renewed hopes of getting something from the game Stevens came to Welfare’s rescue a minute later when he saved with legs from Ovington who was clean through.
Brown went close again for Railway on 78 minutes but his 15 yard shot was deflected wide of the near post following a cross from the right. Welfare went agonisingly close to snatching an equaliser on 79 minutes when Mick Jones saw his angled 15 yard drive come back off the far post with Wrigglesworth well beaten.
Gary Collier and Josh Gibbons replaced McLaughlin and Morley with nine minutes left but the Welfare were unable to carve out any more chances and suffered their second successive defeat.
The Teams
Harrogate Railway: Wrigglesworth, Lees, Fisher, Baravelli, Denton, Morris, Robinson, Ovington (Kidd 88), Brown, Bromley (Beesley 77), Gabbiandini. Sub unused: Riley.
Armthorpe Welfare: Stevens, Fossen, Gowen, Jones, Waldron, Morley (Gibbons 81), Penty (Johnston 56), Walker, Mansaram, Radford, McLaughlin (Collier 81). Subs unused: Collins, Pearse.