NCEL Division One – 27th July 2024
TOWN DEFEATED IN FIRST LEAGUE GAME OF THE SEASON.
Selby Town suffered defeat in their first league game of the new NCEL season on Saturday when they went down to a three nil defeat at Harrogate Railway.
A first half header from Michael Morris gave Railway a first half lead and Desmond Okoro added two more in the second half. In fairness to the robins they had lots of possession of the ball throughout the game but could not quite get the ball over the home goal line.
Manager Ryan Cooper gave competitive debuts to three new players in goalkeeper George Bason, and centre backs Jack Bull, and Connor Ryan.On the subs bench alongside Troy Greening were new signings Jake Drury, Takunda Katsere, Freddie Millard, and Tyler Wilson.
On a good playing surface town looked good in the first minutes and Harrison Rowley headed a cross just wide of goal and town seemed to have a good shout for a penalty before Dec Racher hit an effort over the bar. Town looked dangerous as the home keeper Alfie Stevens-Neale twice beat Harry Clapham and Rowley to the ball on the edge of his penalty area.
Town were shocked to go a goal behind on the 19th minute when a corner for the home team was headed back from the edge of the 6 yards by Mike Morris and it beat a defender on the far post.
Back came town and Harry Clapham shot over the angle of the post and bar and James Danby saw a shot just about collected by the home keeper as he was falling.
The back four of town. Bull, Ryan, Caden Mcgrath, and Jason St. Juste looked comfortable together although Sam Clothier tried to cause problems but his shot failed to trouble Bason in goal. just before halftime Ryan tried a 20 yards shot but was high and wide.
Town opened the second half strongly and both Clapham and Rowley saw shots blocked by the overworked home defenders.and Stevens-Neale.
For the home team Danny Mutch forced Bason into a superb save with a first time 20 yards volley but he game went downhill shortly after for town when Clapham received a yellow card, quickly followed by Danby receiving a red card for violent conduct and Matty Dawes sin binned in the same incident. Sadly whilst down to nine players town conceded again when a shot hit Bason’s post and rebounded across the face of goal with Onkoro poking home despite desperate attempts by the keeper to keep the ball out.
Again town tried to come back, Rowley broke free on the right and his cross was met by Racher who could only find the arms of the keeper with the goal gaping.
The home team wrapped up the scoring with an intricate passage of play from which Onkoro notched his second goal of the game.
Town are next in action on Tuesday evening when they entertain Club Thorne Colliery at The Fairfax Plant Hire Stadium KO 7.45pm
Selby Town. Bason, Mcgrath, Bull, Ryan, Marsh, St. Juste, Danby, Dawes, Rowley, Clapham, Racher.
Subs. Greening, Drury, Katsere, Millard, Wilson.
Attendance 125.
Match report by Garry Mollon
Photos by Harvey Brewster