Depleted Harrogate Railway crash out of FA Cup as pressure mounts on boss Lee Ashforth

The pressure intensified on boss Lee Ashforth after his depleted Harrogate Railway side crashed out of the FA Cup in a 5-0 drubbing at home to Consett.
Harrogate Railway manager Lee Ashforth, right, has been in charge at Station View for 16 months (Photo: Caught Light Photography)Harrogate Railway manager Lee Ashforth, right, has been in charge at Station View for 16 months (Photo: Caught Light Photography)
Harrogate Railway manager Lee Ashforth, right, has been in charge at Station View for 16 months (Photo: Caught Light Photography)

Railway were forced to field top goalscorer Steve Bromley at left back for the majority of the fixture as injuries and unavailability struck Ashforth's selection plans.

Northern League side Consett took full advantage and added to Charlie Clamp's early own goal with Luke Sullivan's spot kick before the break.

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Jordan Nellis killed the tie off two minutes into the second half before Sullivan and Josh Gray added insult to injury late on.

Railway had made it through two rounds of the competition and earned more than £3,000 but they have now lost three straight games and conceded 14 goals in the process.

Ashforth, whose side sit one place above the relegation zone in NCEL Premier, said: “It's disappointing to go out of the FA Cup and to lose 5-0 was difficult to take.

“We didn't really have any chances and were just beaten by the better side.

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“It didn't help that Greg Kidd got ill in the morning and we had to play Michael Fargher at centre-back where he had never played before. He was probably our man of the match.

Steve Bromley had to fill in at left-back in Saturday's FA Cup clash (Photo: Caught Light Photography)Steve Bromley had to fill in at left-back in Saturday's FA Cup clash (Photo: Caught Light Photography)
Steve Bromley had to fill in at left-back in Saturday's FA Cup clash (Photo: Caught Light Photography)

“Then 15 minutes into the game our left back got injured and we had to put Steve Bromley in there.

“It just felt like everything was going against us. The team needsw to move on from it and start again.

“It's now important to concentrate on the league. We have got three points from four games and that's not good enough.

“We haven't got a game at the weekend now and with other teams playing, we are in danger of falling into the relegation zone.”

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