Deflated Harrogate Railway fans will be hoping yesterday's frankly uninspiring 2-0 defeat was, as boss Martin Haresign hopefully suggested, just a blip.

The Northern Counties East League premier division table-toppers came a cropper at Station View to lowly Liversedge bringing to an end a 13-game unbeaten run just seven days after filing a 2-0 reverse at their opponents' place.

Something was clearly missing yesterday - for the what, see spark and shots, and for the who, see a lengthy list of key names.

Former Town captain Robbie Whellans broke his foot falling off a ladder, Lyle Hillier was ruled out with hamstring trouble, and Damien Henderson and left-back Phil Turner were unavailable.

Turner's absence was most keenly felt after Nathan Jones popped up on the right of the penalty box and lashed home a neat opener on 39 minutes as Jason Day struggled virtually throughout to cancel out the threat down the right flank.

But the burden of blame cannot rest solely on his shoulders.

Chances were squandered by a lack of nous and certainty in front of goal thanks to a distinctly shot-shy display, and even the experienced heads looked ropey with missed tackles and fluffed clearances.

The introduction of Danny Spence and Graham Marchant on the hour mark gave the Rail their best hope with a flurry of half-chances, Marchant forcing Liversedge 'keeper Kyle Sutcliffe into a great full-length save followed by a point-blank header.

But it just wasn't happening. And Andy Cygan scrambled in a killer goal with two minutes remaining despite Lee Ashforth's initial efforts.

Sighed Haresign: "We missed Phil Turner at left-back but right through the team there didn't seem to be a lot of energy. It was flat altogether.

"If you were giving people marks out of ten there wouldn't be a single eight, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a seven."

Added the Town manager: "But we're still top and I'm just hoping it is a blip, especially as we've just gone past half way and we started the season with three straight defeats."

Harrogate Railway: Ashforth, Holmes, Scott Ryan, Stevenson, Bairstow (capt), Ryan Haigh (Spence 60min), Shuttleworth, Day (Harrison 67), Featherstone (Marchant 12), Howarth, Lee Ryan.

Liversedge: Sutcliffe, Wood, Daniel Ryan, Milnes, Markham, Farrand, Walton (capt), Pat Gaughan, Cygan, Hamlet, Jones. Subs (not used): Crossley, Hewitt, Lowe.

Updated: 11:05 Tuesday, January 04, 2005