Harrogate Railway Ladies put in an awesome display today at home against AFC Preston winning 2-1 and bagging 3 valuable points.
Before the start the girls were told that anything less than a 100 percent effort and performance would not be tolerated by the managers, and thus the best game this season ensued. From the start railway pressed hard and with some great passing and tackling soon had Preston on the back foot, in mid field and player of the match Jodie Hodgson, took full control and was the main stay for keeping the back line linked up with the two attackers, Emma Lansdall and Nicola Hadley.
On the 15th minute Jodie won the ball she played out to the left for Louise Donnely to take the ball 15 yards down the wing then crossed into the feet of Nicola who thundered a shot at goal, which the keeper saved but couldn’t hold, and Nicola followed up the loose ball to slot home,1-0.
Preston re started and for the next ten minutes had a good run of the game testing rails back four and keeper Charllote (rocky) Donnelly but were unable to break them down.
Another counter attack saw Railway pressing for a second rail won a corner which was collected by the Preston keeper who duly dispatched a quick ball down the middle, this had Rail running back towards their own goal and as a last-ditch tackle went in from behind the referee blew for a free kick, 22 yards out from rails goal. The shot went in Rocky fumbled the ball and as it came loose it was a Preston boot that got in first ,1-1.
At half time the Ladies were given a reminder that last time Preston beat them 6-4 and were not going to be easy to turn over today, this spurred them on and in the first 3 minutes of the re start Emma was unlucky as she struck the top bar, the pressure from railway was relentless with numerous sequences of 4,5 and 6 passes at a time getting them in front of goal with no reply from Preston.
On the 63rd minute finally rail scored the second and again it was the partnership of Louise Donnely finding Nicola Hadley breaking through the middle collecting a pin point pass to drive home for her second,2-1.
Only 6 minutes later came a brilliant cross from Krista Shuttleworth on the right the ball cleared the defenders and came down just next to the far post where Emma was denied only by the brave dive from Preston’s keeper. Preston never gave up and for the last 12 minutes they threw everything at railway but all in vain as the defence and midd fielders held strong to ensure all 3 points went to the station view Ladies. A brilliant game for all that were watching on a very heavy pitch.
