By Thomas Ritchie
Farsley Celtic head to local rivals Bradford Park Avenue this weekend with a spot in the FA Trophy third round on the line.
The Celts will be looking to bounce back from their 4-0 defeat at Southport last time out, and seek to reverse their poor away form which has seen them concede 13 goals in their last three contests on the road.
Park Avenue earned a valuable point on the road at Alfreton Town on Saturday, but have experienced a similar start to the season as Farsley, having collected the same number of points as the Celts from a game more.
Looking ahead to Saturday, Russ Wilcox will be looking for a response from his short-handed side, following last weekend’s disappointing outing.
He said: “It was a different type of game, I was always worried about the physicality side of it, we’ve got three centre-halves sat in the stand and we needed them.
“It’s a freakish first goal, a mistake, and Owen knows that, and then we get done off a long throw, which again, is hard to compete with when you’re smaller.
“It’s a shocker of a day, you look back through it and it’s hard to describe it, it’s crazy.”
INJURY UPDATES
Russ Wilcox has been unable to call on three of his centre halves in the last two outings, with Isaac Assenso joining Adam Clayton and Andy Butler in the treatment room.
Adam Clayton has stepped up his recovery with running sessions, working individually on the pitch before yesterday’s game.
The Farsley manager said: “The main thing with Clayts (Adam Clayton), I think his movement is okay, I think it’s the contact, he’s still feeling pain in his back area.
“Andy Butler had an injection to remove some fluid from the back of his knee, fingers crossed he can get back into training very soon, hopefully next week.
“Isaac (Assenso) is still sore ankle-wise, we’re not quite sure what that is, there’s no swelling there, no bruising there, so we’re not quite sure, he just seems to have lost a bit of power.
“So it’s a difficult period for us, which you have to deal with as a manager and you have to deal with as a club.”
Striker Jimmy Spencer picked up a hamstring injury last Saturday and will be unavailable and Bradford City loanee Kian Scales is also an injury doubt.
TICKETS
Admission for this fixture at the Horsfall Stadium is by cash or card payment on the gate. No advance tickets are available.
Tickets are priced at £10 adults, £8 concessions, £3 12-18s, and £1 U12s.
The Celts are back in action at home on Tuesday evening when Chester are the visitors. Take advantage of our special World Cup ticket offer!
BUXTON GAME REARRANGED
Farsley Celtic can confirm that we will now host Buxton at the Citadel on Tuesday, 24 January 2023, with a 7.45pm kick-off.
The fixture was initially scheduled for November 26, but has been rearranged following the Bucks’ progression through to the Emirates FA Cup second round.
