Harrogate Railway forwards receive vote of confidence from Mick O'Connell following Beverley Town stalemate

Harrogate Railway striker Albert Ibrahimi challenges for a header during Saturday's NCEL Division One draw at home to Beverley Town. Picture: Craig Dinsdale

Mick O’Connell is certain that it is only a matter of time before his Harrogate Railway forwards rediscover their scoring touch.

The Starbeck club squandered numerous chances - and missed a penalty - as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Beverley Town at the weekend, much to their manager’s frustration.

Railway have been in decent form this term and currently sit fourth in the table, however their tally of 21 league goals is comfortably the lowest in NCEL Division One’s top-five.

Saturday’s strike-pairing of Luke Stewart (4) and Albert Ibrahimi (1) have netted just five times between them to date, but O’Connell is backing them to come good sooner rather than later.

Harrogate Railway manager Mick O'Connell. Picture: Gerard Binks

"That’s two points dropped,” he reflected. “We had a goal disallowed for offside which I’m sure should have stood and missed a penalty.

"But, having watched the game back, I’ve counted 15 good chances that we didn’t take. The lads up front are lacking confidence in and around the box and it’s just not falling for them.

"They just need one to go in off a backside and then I’m confident that plenty more goals will come. I’m 100 percent confident of that and I know it won't be long now because the signs are positive.

"Luke and Albert have proved they can score at a higher level. Their all-round contribution, their hold-up play, their link play, it’s all been great, just the goals are missing.

"It’s taken us longer to get them up to speed than I expected, but that match-sharpness is coming and it’s now up to us as a coaching team to bring the best out of them.”

Railway had the opportunity to take a first-half lead against Beverley when they were awarded a penalty after Josh Hardcastle was pulled back inside the away box.

But, the usually-reliable Dan Thirkell blasted his effort over the cross-bar and the sides went into the interval with the game still goalless.

Beverley were then awarded a spot-kick of their own early in the second period and Harry Griffin made no mistake, though the hosts secured a share of the spoils just after the hour-mark as Oli Norman slid in at the back post to finish off Hardcastle’s inviting cross from the right.