A TRIP to accident and emergency and a skirmish with a hound couldn't stop the Ride 2 Northampton team bagging at least another £6,500 for the British Heart Foundation.

The intrepid York City supporters completed their second journey from Bootham Crescent to Sixfields Stadium last weekend and left with another set of memorable experiences following the three-day journey.

They battled saddle sores, injury and, on the final day, horrendous weather to successfully arrive before the Minstermen and Cobblers kicked off their League Two encounter and plans are already afoot for a third instalment next year - regardless of what division the two clubs find themselves in.

The event is the brainchild of City fan Ian Jones who, along with a number of the original cyclists 12 months ago, witnessed the death of home supporter David Henderson. He died of a heart attack after the final whistle when York met Northampton in January 2014.

Many of those first travellers climbed back on their bikes, and were joined by new pedallers, as they once again took on twisting roads, difficult terrain and tumultuous weather in a exhilarating journey which began in textbook fashion but soon had its mishaps.

"Thursday was great," Jones said. "We did it in super quick time and we got to the hotel for 3pm. We were sitting around thinking 'now what?' Friday is a hard day. The wind started to pick up and it's probably the hardest one - mentally and physically.

"We did 73 miles on the Friday and 62 on the first day but it is considerably flatter then. The Saturday was abysmal. We had a few crashes and Tom Poole ended up in A&E. We went a safe route - on a cycle track - but it was still terrible riding conditions and we had a Tour De France-esque crash involving six people.

"I was in front and I turned round and Tom was saying he had popped his shoulder.

"It definitely wasn't where it should be. He half popped it back in and he still cycled the last five miles - resting his arm on the handlebar. It was unbelievable. Nathan Brigham also had a bad cut on his leg and he did the last five miles one-legged. He had one leg clipped in and just pedalled.

"The support vans couldn't get near us but, five miles from home, I don't think anyone would have wanted to get in the van. It was great determination and credit to both of them."

The bikers arrived to a rapturous welcome from both sets of supporters at Sixfields and Jones said that would live long in the memory - as well as one or two more amusing moments which helped to lighten the mood when the going got tough.

He added: "The reception was fantastic and we can't speak highly enough of the Northampton fans, the club and the chairman. The messages that everyone left kept us going and, when we stopped to look at some, we had another 100 in from friends, family and other people.

"There were so many memories, some of which you can't print and some where you have to laugh. Robert Corker ran over a dog. Thankfully they were both unhurt. It gives you a break from the next few miles because you are too busy laughing to think about it.

"A herd of deer humped over a hedge and to the other side right in front of us and we just stood there in amazement. It is little things like that. It takes your mind off the pain and how far you have got to go."

Northampton, helped by their 2-0 win over Jackie McNamara's men, look well set for promotion to League One while City's Football League status remains firmly in doubt.

But, asked whether he wanted to make it a treble next season, Jones replied: "Definitely. They are 14 points clear and our league status is definitely up in the air but, if we are not in the same league next year, maybe we can do it over the Easter period when it is a bit warmer!"

Having raised £7,000 the first time, donations from bucket collections, the first team and people online see the team well on the way to matching that total. Jones has not given up hope that they can better it.

He said: "Some of the cyclists didn't think we would get anywhere near last year and, as we were getting close to the day, I was thinking that maybe we would get £5,000. We could now raise £15,000 over two years and that would be fantastic."

The Ride 2 Northampton team will be holding a bucket collection at the rescheduled tie with the Cobblers at Bootham Crescent on February 23 and a raffle will also be staged on March 3 to raise further funds.

Anyone who wants to help increase the total can do so online by visiting www.justgiving.com/ridetonorthampton2/