After visiting a Sikh Gudwara in Leeds, part of Heritage Week. I journeyed north to watch Harrogate Railway Athletic FC. I recently watched Harrogate Town and was looking forward to see their Non-League rivals just up the road. The sunny day was still a bit cool with a breeze that came across the pitch, which looked a bright green. The grass pitch sloped from side to side and was very thick, considering our very dry summer.
The ground is near the railway line within some housing on the northeast side of Harrogate, less than 3 miles from rivals, Knaresborough Town. There is a car park by the side of the stadium and other parking in the street. Walking through then turnstile you see an open arena that has a very small seated covered stand between the dug outs on one side and covered seating behind one half of one end which also has standing next to it which is closed off at the moment. Around the rest of the pitch is flat standing apart from a small tiered area on the side. The teams change outside the ground in a modern club house, which is next to a local rugby pitch.
Harrogate Railway Athletic FC have been in existence since 1935 when it was started by the employees of The London and North Eastern Railway Company, initially playing in a local league. they moved to the West Yorkshire League in 1945, and five years later, after a successful season, they were promoted to the Yorkshire League. Some ups and downs in the league divisions resulted in them dropping back to the Harrogate and District League in 1973. Back into the Yorkshire League in 1980 and league mergers saw them become founder members of the Northern Counties East league in 1982. More promotions and relegations in this league eventually meant they moved up to the Northern Premier League in 2007, but 9 years later, they were back in the NCEL where they play today.
Doncaster City by contrast were only formed in 2022 initially playing in the Sheffield and Hallamshire County League but soon moving to the Central Midlands League which they won and have this season started their journey in the Northern Counties East League. They are currently sharing the Armthorpe Welfare ground but are looking to find their own home.
Harrogate Railway Athletic 2 Doncaster City 3
Saturday 13th September 2025, Northern Counties East League, Division One. 15.00 pm kick off
Harrogate Railway Athletic FC, Station View, Harrogate, HG2 7JA. 2nd v 18th, The Rail v Not known. Attendance 183.
Harrogate; Red and green quartered shirts with green shorts, goalkeeper in all green.
Doncaster City, Sky blue shirts with black shorts, goalkeeper in all pink.
Harrogate soon took control of the game, bringing their number 7 continually into play on the right as he beat defenders and delivered balls into the goal mouth. With ten minutes gone he beat the defender again and chipped the ball into the path of Alex Burton, who tapped the ball into the goal for the home side to lead. Within two minutes the same thing happened again with the winger running on to an expertly placed pass and slipping it across the goal for Alex Burton again to place the ball beyond the away keepers diving left hand to nestle in the corner of the net. Harrogate were the stronger and first to the ball, with Doncaster finding it hard to put together an effective attack. The home side should have gone further ahead when, on 35 minutes, they hit the bar twice, Despite their domination, Harrogate left the field at half time only the two ahead.
The second half started with grey clouds scuttling over due to an increase in the wind, which brought a few rain showers. Harrogate continued to be in charge, although their number 7 was now operating on the left and was having no success against the defence.
Out of the blue, Doncaster won a corner with 65 minutes gone, which was headed against the post but then cleared. This was a wake-up call for the away team who at last pushed forward more. With just 6 minutes left on the clock, the referee blew for a penalty after he adjudged that the Doncaster forward had been fouled in the penalty area, a bit dubious in my eyes. Reggie Waud made no mistake, and Doncaster were suddenly in the game as they pressed forward.
With time up on my watch, they were level when a cross from the right was not cleared, and a mele in the goal mouth saw the ball trickle over the goal line. No one was sure who scored, Doncaster City Facebook page said, Kenzie Dillon, the League’s site says, Reggie Wau, but I thought it came off a home dedfender.
Unbelievably after 4 minutes of added time a free kick on the left for Doncaster was hit into the area where Reggie Waud controlled the ball , moved to his right and his shot was in the back of the net after taking a deflection from a despairing home defender. The away team celebrated in the corner, and Regie Waud, who had received abuse from some of the home crowd, had made them eat their words.
An unbelievable turn around by Doncaster who were without some of their first team line up. For Harrogate, they must have rued their missed chances of the first half and must review why they ran out of steam as the game progressed.
There was a refreshment kiosk in one corner of the ground, and they sold chips. They were hot, crispy, tasty, not greasy, with soft centres but a little limp, a score of 61. The coffee, though, did not match the chips, although being hot, it was very weak.
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