Toolstation NCEL Premier Division
Harrogate Railway 2-2 Maltby Main
Brad Morton
Brad Morton’s equaliser earned Maltby Main a point and denied relegation-threatened Harrogate Railway a vital victory.
The stalemate does lift Railway out of the drop zone, but Hall Road Rangers have five games-in-hand and would pull clear with just two victories.
It was a disappointing climax for Marlon Adams’ Railway who should have put Maltby to the sword at 2-1.
They had worked so hard to get back into the game too.
Having fallen behind in the 14th minute through a soft goal for Ross Duggan, Railway could have easily folded.
Instead Railway patiently got themselves back into it. A dramatic 30 seconds on the stroke of half-time saw Railway have three quick-fire goals cleared off-the-line.
The equaliser was found 48 seconds into the second half, Declan Greene scoring.
Just sixteen minutes were remaining when Railway thought they had found the winner. 11’s free kick from the left-wing was partially cleared. Nathan James planted the ball back into the six-yard where Taylor Foley was waiting to score with a bullet header.
Maltby’s stalwart goalkeeper Jamie Bailey then pulled his team out of the mire by denying Jordan Missin at point blank range.
That was a crucial moment as it would have been game-over and it came back to bite the home side when Morton headed home.
The draw keeps Maltby on course to finish fifth.
The Teams
Harrogate Railway: Senior, Foley, Haigh, Greene (captain), Hamilton, Markham, Thirlwall, Baravelli, Younis, James, McMahon. Subs: Adams, Holland, Missin, Underwood, Turner.
Maltby Main: Bailey, Morton, Lannaman, Swales, McGowan, Sweeney, Johnson, Smith (captain), Duggan, Hopewell, Parker. Subs: Rigby, Evison, Carroll, Austin, Lill.
Who Was In Charge
Andy Smith (10/10)
How Many Were There
48