Harrogate Railway bow out of the Buildbase FA Vase to Charnock Richard after conceding three second half goals.
The first half ebbed and flowed with both sides carving out a number of chances but unable to break the deadlock.
Stephen Bromley went close from a Paul Beesley flick-on while Mark Adams forced a great flying save from Jake Lofthouse in the Railway goal.
Both teams went in at halftime goalless, but not for the want of trying.
The second half started brightly with Charnock Richard on the attack.
The first chance of the second half saw a ball played in to a crowded Railway penalty box.
Neither team seemed initially to be able to either shoot or clear the ball, but then it popped up nicely for Ashley Young to perform a bicycle kick.
His shot took a deflection and beat Lofthouse, giving Charnock Richard a 1-0 lead on 47 minutes.
Railway stepped up the pace as Ryan Sharrocks worked tirelessly down the Railway right, but was unable to unlock the Charnock defence.
At the other end the visitors were having more luck as Nathan Fairhurst’s shot was half-saved by the advancing Lofthouse, but the spin on the ball took it across the goal line with a single bounce.
Charnock led by two goals on 65 minutes and looked to be advancing into the next round of the FA Vase.
Harrogate Railway’s player/manager Paul Beesley, was unlucky not to get Harrogate back into the game immediately from the kick-off after hitting a superb 30-yard shot, which thumped against the crossbar with Adam Halton in the Charnock Richard goal only a spectator.
Railway pressed forward trying to get a foothold in the game.
With time running out, Harrogate Railway made a couple of attack-minded changes that saw Brandon Deane replace Craig Radcliffe and Dan Barrett replace Stephen Bromley.
As Railway pushed forward, gaps appeared at the back and Charnock punished Harrogate with a third on 76 minutes scored by the impressive Mark Adams.
Brandon Deane reduced the deficit with a deft finish, but it was to only prove a consolation goal and Railway are out of the FA Vase at the first attempt.
Good Luck to Charnock Richard FC in the next round – a good club and we’ll be looking for their results.
Harrogate Railway 1-3 Charnock Richard
Report and photography by Caughtlight Photography
