TEN-MAN Selby Town began the new NCEL Division One season with a 3-0 defeat at Harrogate Railway.

A first-half header from Mike Morris gave Railway the lead before Desmond Okoro added two more after the break.

The Robins did enjoy the lion’s share of possession throughout, but could not quite get the ball over the line.

Ryan Cooper gave competitive debuts to goalkeeper George Bason and centre backs Jack Bull and Connor Ryan, whilst fellow new faces Jake Drury, Takunda Katsere, Freddie Millard and Tyler Wilson were named on the bench.

Selby made a bright start, when Harrison Rowley headed a cross just wide of goal.

And they had a strong claim for a penalty before Dec Racher hit an effort over the bar.

Town continued to look dangerous, but goalkeeper Alfie Stevens-Neale twice beat Harry Clapham and Rowley to the ball on the edge of the box.

But it was Railway who took the lead in the 19th minute when a corner was headed back from the edge of the six-yard box by Morris and it beat a defender on the far post.

Undeterred, Selby threatened to hit back, with Clapham shooting over the angle of the post and bar before James Danby saw a shot just about collected by the home keeper as he was falling.

The Robins’ back four of Bull, Ryan, Caden Mcgrath, and Jason St. Juste looked comfortable together, and although Sam Clothier looked to cause problems, he failed to trouble Bason as the hosts could not add to their one-goal advantage.

Selby again opened the second half strongly and both Clapham and Rowley saw shots blocked by the overworked home defenders and Stevens-Neale.

Danny Mutch then forced Bason into a superb save with a first-time volley from 20 yards before things took a downward turn.

Clapham was shown a yellow card, quickly followed by Danby being sent off for violent conduct and Matty Dawes sin-binned in the same incident.

Down to nine players, Selby conceded again when a shot hit Bason’s post and rebounded across the face of goal, with Onkoro poking home despite desperate attempts to keep the ball out.

Town tried to come back, with Rowley breaking free on the right before finding Racher, but he could only fire at the goalkeeper with the goal gaping.

Railway instead wrapped up the scoring with an intricate passage of play from which Onkoro notched his second.

Selby entertain Club Thorne Colliery this evening (7.45pm).