Farsley Celtic returned to winning ways as an excellent second-half performance saw Bradford Park Avenue defeated 3-0, writes Thomas Ritchie.
Tom Allan, Jordan Richards and Ben Atkinson all struck after the half-time break to earn the Celt Army all three points against their local rivals.
Boss Adam Lakeland was delighted with his side’s performance. He said:
“I thought we controlled and dominated the entire first-half of the game, I thought we came out and started really well, really quick, obviously had a lot of possession.
“I was disappointed at half-time not to have got our nose in front, but then in the second-half we’ve obviously come out with a quick corner and we’ve got our noses in front, big Tom (Allan) getting a goal which he thoroughly deserved.
“We only spoke at half-time, just before the lads came back out, I think there’s a few things that have just not quite gone our way in the last couple of games at big moments.
“You can either feel sorry for yourselves or you can put in a good performance and work hard, and eventually that little bit of fortune will change, and obviously we got that little bit of fortune with the goal of Jordan’s.”
The game started quietly as both teams attempted to settle into a rhythm, but Farsley carved out the first opportunity as Luke Parkin and Tom Allan played a sweet one-two down the left before the former shot wide.
The hosts had a golden opportunity to open the scoring midway through the first-half, as Isaiah Bazeley led a counter-attack down the right and crossed for Lewis Knight who sliced his strike wide, when he really should have hit the target.
With five minutes remaining in the first-half Farsley had strong shouts for a penalty turned down. Adam Clayton headed Luke Parkin’s corner down to Tom Allan who was being held by Avenue defenders, but the Farsley protests were waved away.
The Celt Army were quickly out of the blocks after the interval and Jimmy Spencer was inches away from breaking the deadlock as he brought down Tom Allan’s excellent cross, but his strike was tipped onto the post by Avenue shot-stopper Jack Bennett.
However, Farsley edged in front from the resulting corner which was taken short to Tyler Walton, whose delivery was nodded into the bottom corner by Tom Allam.
The woodwork prevented Luke Parkin from doubling his side’s lead just after the hour mark, as his terrific free-kick cannoned against the upright before he fired the rebound wide.
It was then Bradford’s turn to be denied by the frame of the goal as Marcus Wood made a dangerous run, waltzing through the Farsley defence only for his strike to hit the base of the upright.
With just under five minutes remaining a goalkeeping error saw the three points all but wrapped up, Nathan Cartman working the ball to Jordan Richards who scored his first Farsley goal as his low strike went through the legs of Avenue ‘keeper Bennett.
The best was saved until last as Ben Atkinson capped off a fine win with a superb strike deep into added time, receiving the ball from Spencer and drilling home a terrific strike past Bennett from 20 yards out.
Bradford Park Avenue: Bennett, Lund ©, Calder, Wood, Digbeu, Bazeley, Knight, Marriott (Holmes 67), Cresswell, Hurst, Headley (Dockerty 58). Unused subs: Gibbons, Laird, Moran.
Farsley Celtic: Trenerry, Richards, Allan, Walton (Maltby 89), Ellis ©, Clayton, B. Atkinson, C. Atkinson, Spencer, Parkin (Cartman 78), Syers (Baldwin 67). Unused subs: Wynne (GK), Hayhurst.
Attendance: 508
Referee: Aaron Bannister