Harrogate Railway Athletic manager Mick O'Connell could not contain his delight after seeing his side win a tense penalty shoot-out on Saturday and book a place in the next stage of the Buildbase FA Vase.

The Rail were one of fifteen Toolstation NCEL teams to progress to Second Round Qualifying in October on a weekend that also saw the start of the league season with two games each in the Premier Division and Division One.

Joseph Crosby gave O'Connell's side the lead early in the second half at home to Cleator Moor Celtic but found themselves pegged back when the visitors equalised in the 66th minute.

With all ties finishing level after ninety minutes being settled by penalties, it went to spot kicks after a 1-1 draw and it was pure nailbiting drama as both sides had ten efforts each at goal before Alexander Wilson converted to give the ecstatic hosts a 9-8 victory.

Five other matches were decided by shoot-outs with Hallam and Penistone Church making it through but Athersley Recreation, Emley AFC and Staveley Miners Welfare saw their adventure in the competition end at the first stage.

Kieran Watson earned Hallam a 1-1 draw against Burscough in a game that had been switched to Sandygate and it was the home supporters who were celebrating as the Countrymen claimed a 4-3 shoot-out win.

Penistone twice led at home to Prestwich Heys through Andrew Ring and an own goal but were pegged back on both occasions by penalties but spot kicks were ultimately their friend as they progressed 5-4 after a 2-2 draw.

Athersley Recreation went down 4-3 in the shoot-out having drawn 1-1 at Cheadle Town, a late breakthrough from Innocent Huly cancelled out from twelve yards by the hosts in the 89th minute.

Emley were equally as frustrated as an injury-time equaliser for visitors Irlam took their game to penalties after Aiden Savory had seemingly given the Pewits a single-goal victory, the away side then going home celebrating a 5-3 win on spot kicks.

And, Staveley played out a goalless draw at home to AFC Darwen before bowing out in another tense shoot-out, 6-5.

Elsewhere, the weekend got off to a fantastic start for our sides as Thackley sailed to an impressive 4-0 win at Durham City on Friday night - Lewis Waddington, Sebastian Scaroni and an own goal giving them a three-goal advantage by the break before Jack Normanton added a fourth nine minutes from time.

They were joined on Saturday in the next stage by Selby Town who won 2-1 at Litherland Remyca, courtesy of a Joshua Street brace, whilst Danny Emerton's opener and a Danny Buttle penalty saw North Ferriby progress 2-0 in a game that was due to be away at St Helens Town but had been switched to the Dransfield Stadium.

There were victories against non-NCEL opposition as well for Garforth Town, Goole AFC, Silsden and Swallownest.

Jack Lazenby, Charlie Marshall and Alex Burton netted for Garforth - along with two own goals - in a 5-1 home win over Sunderland West End whilst Goole prevailed 7-3 over their hosts Cheadle Heath Nomads in a switched tie.

There was a hat-trick for Reagan Waud, two for Nathan Keightley and one each for Reece Fennell and Jaydan Sandhu for the league's top scorers in the round.

Leon Hurles-Brook found the net twice for Silsden in a 3-1 home win over Garstang whilst Joe Pearson was the sole scorer in Swallownest's defeat of visitors Ashton Town.

Five ties were all-NCEL affairs with the most dramatic coming at the EC Surfacing Stadium as visitors Winterton Rangers won 3-2 at Brigg Town.

Four of the goals came in four breathtaking first-half minutes with Winterton twice going in front through Josh Walker and Will Sutton, only to be immediately pegged back on both occasions by James Osborne and David Taylor.

Things calmed down a little after that flurry with Matthew Allison getting what was the decider on 59 minutes in a match that truly entertained all 260 fans who witnessed it.

Another humdinger of a tie took place at the Springfield Training MDC Stadium as Hemsworth Miners Welfare and visitors Armthorpe Welfare played out another five-goal thriller.

Layton Swaine gave the hosts a second-minute breakthrough only for Luke Williams to equalise six minutes later and Paul Sherburn to put the away side ahead by the interval.

Jason Davis made it 2-2 on the hour before Jeff Steven got what proved to be the winner with eight minutes remaining to give Hemsworth a 3-2 victory.

Joseph Gaughan struck twice in Liversedge's 3-1 home victory over Handsworth, and there were goals for Frederick Tracey, Alex Rippon, Bruno Holden and an own goal from Callum Turner as Parkgate dispatched visitors Worsbrough Bridge Athletic 4-0.

And, goals at both ends of each half from Amir Berchil and Brett Smith saw Nostell Miners Welfare go through with a 2-0 victory at the expense of their hosts Rossington Main.

There was disappointment, meanwhile, for Knaresborough Town, Bottesford Town and Albion Sports who all went down 1-0 on their travels, at AFC Blackpool, Avro and Crook Town, respectively.

Barton Town were beaten 3-0 at Charnock Richard whilst, despite goals from Sam Robinson and Richard Medcalf, Hall Road Rangers lost 4-2 at home to Barnton.

Eccleshill United fell to a 3-0 defeat at Holker Old Boys, and Retford FC succumbed to a 2-0 home loss at the hands of Cammell Laird 1907.

In the Premier Division, Bridlington Town began their campaign with a 5-2 home victory over Grimsby Borough in a game that was only 1-0 at half-time, thanks to Daniel Earl's 19th minute deadlock breaker for the Seasiders.

Lewis Taylor doubled their advantage on 49 before Thomas Hipwell brought Borough back into the game two minutes later only for Billy Logan and Christopher Jenkinson to give the hosts a 4-1 lead by midway through the second period.

Jack Debnam's penalty gave the visiting Wilderness Boys some hope on 80 but Bridlington's three-goal cushion was restored by Andrew Norfolk just before injury time.

Yorkshire Amateur waited until added-on time to take three points from AFC Mansfield in the top flight's other game, Daniel Naidole's 97th minute strike earning them a single-goal victory at their ten-man hosts.

In Division One, Dronfield Town will be delighted to have come from behind to take a 3-1 win at Skegness Town, having trailed at the interval through a Cenk Acar goal.

Jamie Wills restored parity with Connor Chapell and Daniel Wood netting in the final quarter-of-an-hour for Chris Millington's side.

And, Campion got their league season off to a winning start as Aidan Kirby's fourteenth minute goal earned them a 1-0 home win over Glasshoughton Welfare.

Photo: Harrogate Railway Athletic boss Mick O'Connell celebrates his side's 9-8 penalty shoot-out victory over visitors Cleator Moor Celtic in the Buildbase FA Vase on Saturday. (Picture: Craig Dinsdale)