The goal netted by Kilheeny was scored in the 22nd minute.

Meanwhile, a super solo effort by Lancaster sub' Aaron Helliwell broke Harrogate Railway hearts on Saturday, as their first UniBond Division One North match of the season ended in a 3-2 defeat.

Railway struggled to get out of the blocks in the first half with a couple of glaring errors responsible for that deficit, but winger Scott Ryan showed his class with two stunning individual goals to get them back to level pegging.

As the clock ran down, Lancaster seemed to have run out of ideas and even saw defender Guy Heffernan red-carded for a shove in the City box.

But a great break down the right wing from Helliwell allowed the substitute fire past a hapless Liam Sutcliffe in goal to nail the winner.

Before the game, Railway coach Dave Morgan had voiced his concern about Railway's lack of 'bite' upfront, but in the first half it was the hosts' defence that seemed more problematic.

Within ten minutes Lancaster had gone a goal up, Rail' conceding a free kick 20 yards out.

Pacy winger Lee Dodgson had already caused the home defence some trouble with his trickery on the wing, but proved even more dangerous from the set piece.

Whipping in the kick, left back Neil Marshall got ahead of his nearest challengers to head in from close range.

Sutcliffe looked nervy between the sticks, repeatedly opting to punch out the ball instead of keep hold of it, offering City chances which they lapped up.

And it was a terrible error by Sutcliffe which gifted City their second.

Sixteen minutes after the opener, striker David Foster outpaced the defence to surge towards the goal.

Inexplicably, Sutcliffe had come forward to assist centre-halves Rob Morgan and James Riley, and with consumate ease Foster tricked his way around him to fire home under no pressure in acres of space.

To their credit, Railway turned up the heat for the remainder of the half, and headed in for the break as the more dominant side.

Whatever Morgan said to them at the break had the desired effect, as when they returned it seemed like a different side.

Pererenially reliable winger Scott Ryan and dependable midfielder Ryan Haigh led the fight-back, running their markers ragged as Railway threw everything they had at their visitors.

Nine minutes into the half, Ryan got his reward as he got on the end of a looping cross-field ball just past the half-way line.

Shaking off Michael Rushton with one hand as he ran towards the box, Ryan, still far left of the goal, stayed strong to fire past City 'keeper Mark Thornley (making his 400th appearance for Lancaster) into the top right corner.

Barely had Rail' had time to celebrate when Ryan was in again three minutes later, this time after a ball from a Danny Thirkell corner had been scrambled out to reach him outside the box.

Taking time to bring it down and steady it, Ryan delivered a screamer to punish Thornley for a second time.

Back on equal terms, Railway bossed the second half, but despite further efforts on his debut from ex-Guiseley man Damian Dunn, Haigh, and sub' Guiseppe Downing the winner refused to materialise.

City suffered a blow when referee Jason Tyas redcarded a furious Heffernan, but despite the extra advantage Railway's lack of bite returned to haunt them.

And then came the killer punch, which began after more Railway pressure from another corner.

City sub' Helliwell nicked the ball on the wing and with no-one there to challenge him, ran three-quarters of the length of the pitch towards Sutcliffe.

With fellow sub' Tom Entwistle in support, and no-one there to support Sutcliffe, Rail' could only watch as Helliwell coolly slotted past Sutcliffe to secure all three points.

It was a cruel finish after Railway had worked so hard to get back into the game, but certainly motivation for Morgan's men to notch their first points of the season when they visit Rossendale on Tuesday.

UniBond Division One North
Harrogate Railway 2 (Ryan 54, 57)

Lancaster City (Marshall 9, Foster 25, Helliwell 90+2)


Teams
Railway: Liam Sutcliffe, Dan Thirkell, Matt Morgan, Joel Etienne, Rob Morgan, James Riley, Ryan Haigh (Jamie Carol 83), Damian Dunne (Dan Verity 70), Nick Boshell (Guiseppe Downing 63), Dean Walters, Scott Ryan; Not used Byron Littlefair, Jamie Flowers.

Lancaster City: Mark Thornley, Paul Rigby, Neil Marshall, Guy Heffernan, Scott Greenwood, Michael Stringfellow, Michael Rushton (Ben Price 65), Dominic Ward, David Foster, Paul Fildes (Aaron Helliwell 78); Not used - Tom Entwistle, Mark Jackson, Neil Uberschair.