Farsley Celtic won their first league game in over a month as they defeated Whitby Town 2-0 in a hard-fought Boxing Day derby by the coast, writes Thomas Ritchie.
Goals from Paul Walker and debutant Dan Cockerline were enough for the three points as Whitby were consigned to their 16th match without a win.
Farsley showed their creativity early on as Nathan Turner found Nathan Cartman, only for the Farsley frontman to shoot wide.
Cartman was again involved as Dan Cockerline latched onto his flick on, however Daniel McWilliams made a fine block.
Whitby then had a fantastic chance to take the lead, as Lewis Maloney’s free-kick found Junior Mondal inside the six-yard box, with Graeme McKibbin making a fantastic save from point blank range.
The visitors thought they had broken the deadlock on the half-hour as Nathan Turner’s effort was saved by Ryan Whitley and Nathan Cartman tapped home the rebound, however the assistant referee had raised his flag for offside.
Dan Cockerline was the next to come close for Farsley as he intercepted Callum Martin’s weak pass, Whitley making a good save to preserve his clean sheet.
Farsley took a deserved lead ten minutes into the second-half, as Cameron Murray won the ball in the middle of the park and found Paul Walker on the left who cut inside and fired an excellent strike into the top-right corner.
And just five minutes later Farsley had doubled their lead with Isaac Baldwin delivering an inch-perfect cross to Dan Cockerline who tapped home from close range for a debut strike.
Whitby began to search for a route back into the game and Celts’ defender Adam Clayton was in the right spot to block Matthew Tymon’s effort inside the box.
Farsley almost wrapped up the three points minutes later as Dan Cockerline made an excellent run down the left and whipped in a terrific centre that just evaded Nathan Cartman in the six-yard box.
The visitors were reduced to ten men with five minutes remaining, Lewis Turner receiving his marching orders for denying an obvious goal scoring opportunity, although it did appear that defenders may have been covering.
In the last minute of added time Whitby were awarded a penalty as Kieran Weledji was brought down by a mistimed tackle from Isaac Baldwin. However, Graeme McKibbin preserved his clean sheet as he got down well to save Luke Bythway’s spot-kick with Farsley earning an important three points.
Whitby Town: Whitley, Martin, McWilliams (Weledji 29), Burgess, Bythway, Snaith ©, Monkhouse (Salkeld 63), Maloney, Mondal, Tymon, Fryatt (May 76). Unused subs: Poole, Dixon.
Farsley Celtic: McKibbin, L. Turner, Baldwin, C. Atkinson, Ellis ©, Clayton, Murray (Harris 85), N. Turner (B. Atkinson 76), Cockerline, Cartman, Walker (Watson 76). Unused subs: Trenerry (GK), Parkin.
MOTM: Paul Walker
Attendance: 369
