By John Baron
Farsley Celtic and Scarborough Athletic will have it all to do again in the FA Cup on Tuesday evening after an entertaining and hard-fought 1-1 draw at The Citadel.
In truth Farsley will feel they should have made more of a dominant first half display in their FA Cup Second Qualifying Round tie. But Scarborough came back strongly in the second period to ensure the game ended in a replay.
Ben Atkinson opened the scoring in the first half for Farsley from the penalty spot, before Alex Brown drew the Seadogs level with a little over 20 minutes to go.
Farsley dominated the opening stages and almost took the lead twice in the first ten minutes. Ben Atkinson’s free kick forced a strong save from Scarborough goalkeeper Joe Cracknell and Jordan Carroll rattled the crossbar. Rudy Misambo had a couple of half chances from distance before Atkinson was then played clean through but shot straight at Cracknell.
The Celts then took a deserved lead five minutes before the break when Clayton Donaldson was bundled over in the area. Atkinson made no mistake, the ball going in off the inside of the left post.
Scarborough’s Ryan Qualter headed a couple of dangerous crosses clear, and a Ben Atkinson volley was pushed over by Cracknell shortly before the interval.
Scarborough started the second period on top and should have equalised within the first five minutes of the half when Zan-Luk Leban came out well to deny Michael Coulson after the substitute had broken free from Harry Sheridan.
Boro were on top, but Farsley also created a couple of chances, George Smith cross-shot narrowly evaded Ben Atkinson and Tom Allan should have done better when he headed a quality Jordan Carroll cross well wide.
The Seadogs equalised after a scrappy goalmouth scramble led to full back Alex Brown firing in from close range after 67 minutes. It was poor defending from the Celts, who were missing injured defender Rudy Misambo after he limped off.
Scarborough then began to take more control of the match and they almost went in front with 15 minutes left when Alex Wiles fired over while through on goal. Substitute Green then mis-kicked Frank Mulhern’s cutback just several moments later and ex-Celt Mulhern’s late free kick cannoned off the Farsley wall.
Picky referee David Jones had a busy afternoon, booking a total of nine players – six for Farsley and three for the visitors.
The replay will take place at the Flamingo Land Stadium on Tuesday at 7.45pm.
Line ups
Farsley Celtic: Leban, Sheridan, Misambo (Leverett 53), Allan, Carroll (Watson 70), Smith, Branson, C Atkinson, B Atkinson, Stephenson, Donaldson (Silva 74). Subs not used: Acquah, Morrisey, Priestly-Standing, Ameho.
Scarborough Athletic: Cracknell, Brown, Gooda, Qualter, Jackson (Green 59), Purver, Maloney (Marshall 59), Wiles, Colville, Durose (Coulson 46), Mulhern. Subs not used: Weledji, Thornton, Bancroft, Tear.
Attendance: 691.
Match reaction
Farsley’s assistant head coach Danny Ellis praised his side’s first half display but was left disappointed by Scarborough’s equaliser:
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