By Josh Makin
Farsley Celtic bowed out of the FA Trophy, falling to a 4-2 defeat to Radcliffe FC at The Citadel.
The visitors started the brighter of the two sides after dominating possession early on, and after ten minutes they were ahead when Jude Oyibo’s left-footed strike from outside the area found its way through a number of bodies before nestling into the top left corner to give Radcliffe an early lead.
Farsley responded well and five minutes later they were level when Ben Atkinson was brought down by Richard Smith in the box as he raced through on goal. Up stepped Atkinson who blasted the ball down the middle to score his fourth goal in as many games and draw the scores level again.
After a strong response however, the Celts found themselves behind again when Anthony Dudley’s half volley from inside the box cannoned off a Farsley shirt, wrong-footing goalkeeper Harry Allen to make it 1-2.
Radcliffe then widened their advantage five minutes before the break when Oyibo grabbed his brace through a fluid attacking move, ending in the winger firing past Allen into the bottom right corner.
It could have been four before the interval when Jordan Hulme found himself in space on the left side of the box. The forward cut inside and pulled the trigger, but his effort was too far wide of the top right corner.
The start of the second half saw more of the same with Farsley on the back foot. Hulme, looking for his first of the game, was played through by Dudley but his low finish trickled narrowly wide of Allen’s far post.
Clayton Donaldson’s side has struggled with injuries and suspensions of late, and it was clear to see today as the Celts struggled to keep up with the away side despite plenty of effort, with Isaac Robinson’s early injury which forced the winger to be taken off adding to the ever-growing list of absentees.
Oyibo came agonisingly close to sealing a hat-trick five minutes from time when his shot crashed onto the crossbar in what was the first major opportunity of the half, as Radcliffe looked to see the match out.
However, there was a late curveball after Jordan Carroll pulled one back with three minutes to play, getting on the end of a George Smith low cross and tapping into an empty net to give the visitors something to think about.
Before the Celts could equalise however, Oyibo claimed his hat-trick and Radcliffe’s fourth to put the game to bed after getting on the end of a rebound and finishing into an empty net.
The result dumps Farsley out of the FA Trophy for the 2023/24 season, as Donaldson and his side now turn their attention back towards the National League North, as Spennymoor Town visit the Citadel on Tuesday evening.
Lineups
Farsley Celtic: Allen, C Atkinson (Krubally 86), Misambo, Wadsworth, Robinson (Assenso 5), Carroll, Leverett, Smith, B Atkinson (Watson 58), Youmbi, Silva. Subs not used: Wilson, Polwarth.
Radcliffe: Hewelt, Joyce (Mercer 90+3), Smith, Thornley, Oyibo, Tse (Obasoto 69), Adams, Hancock (Navarro 79), Duxbury, Dudley, Hulme. Subs not used: Povey, Fitzpatrick, Evans, Clark.