Harrogate Railway's comprehensive win at Parkgate FC had been 'coming for weeks'

Elliot Holmes, left, celebrates after firing Harrogate Railway into a 22nd-minute lead at Parkgate. Pictures: Craig Dinsdale

Harrogate Railway boss Mick O’Connell felt that Saturday’s comprehensive 4-0 victory at Parkgate was a result that had been “coming for weeks.”

The Starbeck club consolidated third place in the NCEL Division One table courtesy of what was their eighth win of an 11-match unbeaten league run.

But, while they have been picking up points over the last couple of months, the Rail haven’t been as ruthless in front of goal as they might have been.

Thus, O’Connell was pleased to see his side produce a more clinical display in South Yorkshire.

Sean Hunter, third from right, came off the substitutes' bench to bag a late brace as Harrogate Railway put four past Parkgate.

"Away from home, to score four and keep a clean-sheet, you can’t ask for more than that,” the Irishman reflected.

"It’s been coming for weeks, we’ve been creating a lot of chances and saying to the lads that it will turn at some point.

"We’ve been scraping through games 1-0 or 2-0 having had seven or eight good chances.

"But with the quality we’ve got in the side, it was always going to come.”

Elliot Holmes and Oliver Norman struck before the interval to put Railway in control at Parkgate before second-half substitute Sean Hunter netted twice in stoppage-time to put a gloss on the scoreline with his first goals since returning to Station View earlier this month.

"Sean came on, he had two chances and scored two goals. That’s what Sean is good at, that’s what we brought him to the club for, to score goals,” O’Connell continued.

"He will be the first one to tell you that he’s not fit enough yet to start games of football, but we’ll keep persevering with Sean, we know the quality he’s got in the opposition’s box.

"Give him chances and he scores goals and Saturday will give him confidence, it will help integrate him into the group, it will give the lads confidence in him and him confidence in us.

"We’re here to build Sean up now. He’s here with us for the rest of the season and he’s going to be a very important player for us.

"He scores goals and that’s what we need, a poacher who is going to get goals in and around the box because we create a lot of chances.”

Next up for the Rail is a home clash with second-from-bottom Glasshoughton Welfare this Saturday (3pm).