Along The M62 And Up A Bit

Tea rooms and Agatha Christie.

A rather simplistic overview of what Harrogate is noted for I'll admit, but with having to travel to Yorkshire's 'posh bit' again in January, I've got to save something for that preview.

Having visited Harrogate once before I've got to say that it is a very nice place but the fact that it's a popular destination for Britain's blue rinse brigade does put you off making repeat visits. Being forced to walk around slowly due to the sheer number of o.a.p.'s cramming the footpaths, whilst having to listen to political views that Neo-Conservatives would baulk at for being too right wing does not a happy holiday make.

Back to the football however and our opponents, Harrogate Railway Athletic, are the smaller of town's two teams though they did briefly surpass their more senior neighbours, Harrogate Town, a few years ago with a run to the big money rounds in the FA Cup.

Athletic go in to the game on the back of a 2 - 0 defeat against FCUB XI; a result which meant that half of the M.E.N.'s non-league section on Monday was taken up with describing the game in detail. Of course if Harrogate had won it would have just been a couple of sentences hidden away, bemoaning the travesty that had taken place. Not that the M.E.N. is predictable or anything...

This will be the first ever meeting between the two sides though I did see Railway play at Woodley last season. To give you some idea of just how bad that game was, despite the fact there was still extra-time to be played when the match finished at full-time all square, people left; the thought of another thirty minutes of similar fare proving to be too much for some, including me! Hopefully things will be better for those making the journey to Station View.

Prediction: My head says draw but I'll go with my gut instinct - a win for Mossley