Harrogate Railway

2-3

Mansfield Town

Davidson 60, 83

Jelleyman 37, Boulding 50, 76

The FA Cup, sponsored by E.ON
Second Round Proper
1.10pm, Sunday 2 December 2007
Station View, Harrogate
Winning clubs receive £24,000
Click here for Second Round fixtures
Live on BBC1

Harrogate Railway manager Vince Brockie admits he has no complaints after seeing his side fall to a 3-2 home defeat by Mansfield Town in The FA Cup second round.

Two goals from Danny Davidson had given the home side hopes of progressing to the Third Round of the competition for the first time in their history - but a brace from Michael Boulding and a fortuitous effort from Gareth Jelleyman gave the League Two side victory.

And despite seeing his team's Cup dreams end against Mansfield, Brockie remained proud of his players' efforts.

"We've got no problems with the result. They were probably a bit better and the players should be proud of themselves," said Brockie.

"We could have done more, but they've done everything we asked them to do. The Cup run has done a lot for the club. It's done everything, helped the team sprit, given everyone some good memories and they mean a lot."

Harrogate performed heroically in bog-like conditions at Station View as they took Mansfield to the brink in a pulsating cup-tie in front of the television cameras.

Scott Byrne's third minute free-kick came within a whisker of giving the Northern Premier Division side the lead - the midfielder sending a thunderous effort against the crossbar.

However, that was the closest Railway would come to opening the scoring in the first-half as Mansfield grew in stature towards the break.

With the League Two side starting to assert themselves, Gareth Jelleyman seized on some indecision in the Railway defence to deflect the ball past goalkeeper John McLaughlin and give Mansfield the lead.

It went from bad to worse after the break for the home side as Michael Boulding wasted little time in adding a second as Billy Dearden's side took an iron grip on proceedings.

Boulding ran onto a flicked header by brother Rory, before sidestepping a challenge and slotting the ball past Mclaughlin from close range.

With Railway stuttering in the second period, Brockie threw on substitute Davidson and within 60 seconds it appeared an inspired piece of management.

Davidson was fouled by Lee Bell and from the resulting free-kick, the substitute rose highest to power home Byron Littlefair's cross and give his side a lifeline.

That goal woke the home fans from their slumber, but no sooner had they begun to dream of securing a replay at Field Mill, Michael Boulding touched home a Simon Brown cross to restore Mansfield's lead.

That goal appeared to have finally broken Railway's resistance, but inspired by substitute Davidson, Railway roused themselves for one final push.

And with the clock ticking down, Davidson, a banker by trade, smashed home from close-range with six minutes of normal time remaining to set up a nerve jangling finale.

Harrogate huffed and puffed in the final few minutes in an effort to find what would have been a deserved equaliser - but Mansfield somehow managed to hang on to book themselves a Third Round tie away at Brighton to the relief of manager Billy Dearden.

"I thought we were a credit to the league," said Dearden.

"We knew the whole nation was watching and supporting Harrogate and everyone wanted us to lose apart from our supporters but our attitude was spot on.

"When we went 3-1 up we should have gone on and scored more goals but full marks to them, got another goal and made it nervewracking for us.

"We've got no problems with the result. They were probably a bit better and the players should be proud of themselves.

"We could have done more, but they've done everything we asked them to do. It's done everything, helped the team sprit given everyone some good memories and they mean a lot."