Words: Mark Rawlinson
Photos: John McEvoy
Farsley extended their unbeaten start to the season on home soil, with an exciting 2-2 draw with Chester on Tuesday evening.
It wasn’t a great start for the Celt Army as they found themselves behind after only five minutes through George Glendon’s early opener, but struck back just three minutes later thanks to a spectacular Will Hayhurst effort.
Jimmy Spencer then edged the hosts in front shortly before the half-hour mark but Paddy Lacey restored parity before the break, with both sides cancelling each other out in the second half.
“It was an even game but I felt we edged it,” reflected Celts boss Adam Lakeland after the game.
“Despite them starting the game well, I think we scored two good goals and I think we gifted them two goals. The lads have again showed great character to come from behind against another good side, a team who were in the play-offs last year.
“I feel like we are improving and we’ve just got to look to keep doing that and we’ll start to convert some of those draws into wins soon.”
In what was a lightning start to the contest, Farsley trailed early doors as Glendon struck the opener as he followed up from Danny Elliott’s effort to finish from close range.
But Celtic came roaring back into the contest as Hayhurst, playing at left back in this fixture, thundered home a terrific first-time strike from the edge of the box, to fire the hosts level.
Then on 27 minutes, Spencer put Farsley into the lead with his fourth goal of the season. Hyde loanee Paddy Lane played in a low cross which Chester keeper Louis Gray couldn’t contain, and attacker Spencer tapped home from close range for 2-1.
Steven Drench had to be alert to twice deny Chester in the next five minutes, with the shot-stopper first denying Elliott and then Declan Weeks but was powerless to prevent the equaliser on 39 minutes. Paddy Lacey was allowed a free header at the back-post and he took his chance to send the sides in at the break at 2-2.
The closest either side came to earning the three points in the second half came on 68 minutes, with the Chester woodwork rattled. Lane linked up with Spencer again, but the former Football League frontman’s effort cannoned off the crossbar.
Chester too hand a handful of chances to claim victory after Spencer’s effort, with Adam Clayton first putting in a vital block to deny substitute John Johnston, and a little later Drench was quick off his line to deny Elliott.
It all meant the spoils were shared, with the second 2-2 draw at the Citadel in the space of four days.
Farsley Celtic: Drench, Richards, Hayhurst, C Atkinson, Allan, Clayton, Lane (B Atkinson 84), Johnston, Spencer, Syers, Walton (Charles 76).
Subs not used: Smith-Brown, Heath, Parkin.
Chester: Gray, K Roberts, Livesey, Grand, Taylor, Lacey, Glendon, Weeks, Dudley (Johnston 67), Elliott (Waring 87), Bauress (Jackson 67).
Subs not used: Hughes, Morgan.
Referee: Aaron Bannister (West Yorkshire)