KNOCK-OUT specialists Harrogate Railway enjoyed yet another goal feast in a cup competition as they beat Cammell Laird 4-3 in the FA Carlsberg Vase second round.

The Railwaymen had gone to the shipbuilders as slight favourites because of their Northern Counties East League status.

But the Merseysiders, unbeaten leaders of the West Cheshire League, were always going to prove difficult opposition, and so they proved.

The hosts went 2-0 up, the first from a penalty, before Kevin Smith volleyed one back.

Smith then had to go off suffering from 'flu while Ian McLean and Matty Flynn also went off injured.

That forced manager Paul Marshall to bring on Ian Hart, Phil Walker and Steve Davey and reshuffle his side.

Davey was tripped and got up to equalise from the penalty spot before goalkeeper Ed Neale saw a pass intercepted for Laird to retake the lead at 3-2.

However, Railway hit back as Paul Stansfield's miss-hit shot was toe-poked in by Davey, who then set up wing-back Mark Watkinson to score the winner.

"Cammell Laird hadn't been beaten for 20 games and we showed real competitive spirit to win it," said Marshall, who, with tomorrow's league match at Sheffield called off, now switches his attention to Railway's history-making FA Cup run away to Slough in the first round next Saturday.

Pickering Town also made it through to the third round of the Vase, thanks to a splendid 3-2 defeat of Midland Alliance League champions Stourbridge at the Recreation Ground.

Former York City junior Richard Dale gave the Pikes the lead after just two minutes and, after the visitors brought it level, an own goal put Steve Brown's men back in front before half-time.

Luke Ibbetson, recently released from the Minstermen, made it 3-1 after the break, with Stourbridge's second goal coming in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

Brown said: "I don't think we played particularly well in the first half but we did in the second half and we could have scored more."

On loan debutant Clayton Donaldson stroked home the winner midway through the second half as Harrogate Town twice fought back to win 3-2 at Gateshead.

The 18-year-old Hull City striker, signed just in time to play in the game, capped a fine display when he took advantage of a mix-up between goalkeeper and defender to slot home.

The three points lifted John Reed's men away from the relegation zone in the UniBond League premier division and provided a good boost ahead of their first-ever FA Cup first round tie next week against Farnborough.

Town were the better team in the first half and should have been well ahead by the interval.

But they needed captain Robbie Whellans to head home an equaliser on the stroke of half-time after Michael Dickinson had given Gateshead an undeserved 34th-minute lead.

Dickinson again put the hosts ahead on the hour mark but Dave Merris levelled just a minute later, shooting through a crowd of players, and Donaldson's winner came soon after.

Tadcaster Albion secured their first win of the NCEL division one season as they came from behind to triumph 2-1 at Staveley.

Delighted boss Wayne Day said: "We played well again, just as we have been doing these past few weeks, and we thoroughly deserved it."

Mark Hick got Albion's equaliser just before half-time when he ran from deep on to Leon Daniels' flick from Jules Vollands' ball upfield.

Daniels then got the winner on the hour mark from Jim Jollands' cross to finish off a good move.

Selby Town found themselves dragged back into the relegation battle in the premier division after a 2-0 defeat at Thackley, but Goole Town maintained their advantage at the top with a 2-1 victory at lowly Hallam.

Updated: 13:44 Monday, November 11, 2002