Tough week: Harrogate Railway manager Lee Ashforth. Picture: Caught Light Photography
Lee Ashforth is under no-illusions how hard Harrogate Railway’s Emirates FA Cup Preliminary Round tie is tomorrow.
After a difficult week at Station View, Evo Stik Division One North title contenders Spennymoor Town are the visitors to Harrogate.
Blyth Spartans is the prize for the winners, but Ashforth is not getting ahead of himself.
“The fact that they’re playing in the FA Cup is something special for the players,” he said.
“When I used to play in it, it used to give me a buzz.
“It would be nice to get through a couple of rounds, but we know it is going to be a really difficult test as Spennymoor are a really good side.
“They have added a couple of signings since we last played them. If we can get progress through, Blyth is another really hard game.
“Fortunately it is a home tie, but we have to get through the Spennymoor game first.”
Shortly after last Saturday’s defeat at Brighouse Town, a car containing four Railway players aquaplaned on the M62 in torrential rain.
All four were unharmed, but it was a shock to the club and their woes continued on Monday night when Scarborough Athletic ran riot in a 6-0 victory.
Scarborough were leading 4-0 after just 20 minutes.
Ashforth added: “I thought we made some individual errors.
“Tom (Goodwin) dropped a couple which he knows he should have dealt with.
“I think we just got caught out in the first 20 minutes and it kept knocking the stuffing out of us every-time.
“The game was dead and buried after 20 minutes so it was a case of damage limitation.
“We’re a young side and I think we will learn from it.”
Ashforth has released Cameron Lyn this week, but at the same time, signed defender Nathaniel Pells on loan from Harrogate Town.