Harrogate Railway 1-2 Selby Town
At the start of the day, Railway found themselves above Selby in the table and looking to get their charge for the play-off places reignited. A late pitch inspection deemed the surface playable as many teams in the local area found their games falling foul of waterlogged and frozen turf.
The fact that Harrogate Town's game against Grimsby had been called off with many of the away fans already in the spa town - was to prove fortunate for Railway as they sought to find a game to watch.
It was great to see so many supporters in through the gates of Station View and they were to be served up a great game of football.
The first half was all Railway. The home team playing some scintillating football; attacking with pace and getting shots away to test the resolve of the visitor's defence.
New signing Eliel Anku powered in what threatened to be the first of many for The Rail on six minutes, finishing off a move that swept through Selby like they weren't there, 1-0.
A combination of woodwork, profligate finishing, and superb keeping meant that Railway were frustrated throughout the first 45; unable to add to their safe-looking lead.
In fact, it was the visitors who appeared to be rattled as the half time whistle approached - with the manager on the sideline and his keeper exchanging words as they disagreed about the urgency needed to take a goal kick.
The home supporters seemed happy as the first half came to an end, but were also voicing their wariness about the slender lead and the potential to let it slip.
That concern was to prove right as the second half progressed and Selby pressed forward to get an equaliser.
Somehow, where the Harrogate midfield was dominant in the first 45...it was to cede control to the visitors, as they seemed to drop back a few yards and as a result started to lose the initial challenges and not pick up the player in possession as quickly.
Such are the tiny differences that change games.
Selby's equaliser came from the penalty spot as Edward Day stroked the ball into the back of the net on 67 minutes, setting up a nervous final 20 minutes.
Railway tried to respond, pushing forward to reestablish their first half superiority, but this meant that spaces appeared all around the pitch and it was Selby that capitalised.
A quick attack in the 80th minute was finished off with a fairly simple tap in by Harry Clapham, who ran to the small contingent of away supporters at the side of the pitch to celebrate.
Railway switched on...instantly pushing forward trying to avoid the defeat that at one point in the game, had seemed impossible. A series of attacks, corners and free kicks were all missed, saved by the keeper or hacked clear by the Selby defenders.
There were two shouts for penalties for Railway, one definitely wasn't but was appealed more in hope; the other was more uncertain and on another day, with another referee...would have been given.
The final whistle went and Selby had won the game, and on their second half showing, probably deserved it...by the tiniest of margins. This defeat will leave Harrogate Railway kicking themselves; if any of the numerous shots had gone in in the first half, or the woodwork hadn't come to the visitor's rescue...then no one would have argued that the men from Station View didn't deserve points from this game.
A tough one to take...but Rob, Lee and Fraser have this team going in the right direction and more importantly, they are still in the race for those play-off places. They just need three points to kick off that challenge.
And thanks to the Grimsby and Harrogate Town fans for boosting Railway's attendance to the second best at level six on Saturday in the country.
