By John Baron
Farsley Celtic earned a welcome win at title challengers Curzon Ashton with an impressive 3-1 win.
The Celts’ squad, reduced to just two substitutes and fielding a number of loan players due to an injury crisis affecting several experienced squad members, pulled off the shock result of the day in National League North.
Farsley had been on a miserable tun of form in the league, winning just one out of their 11 league games in the run up to their foggy Boxing Day clash in East Manchester.
It would be fair to label Farsley – yesterday coached by Chris Atkinson – a club in crisis, both on and off the pitch.
Due to ongoing delays laying a new 4G pitch at The Citadel, the game was the 28th league and cup game played on the road this season (37th if you include the nine pre-season matches).
A double from impressive loanee Finn O’Boyle sent the Celt Army into the break 2-1 up after former Celt Jimmy Spencer had earlier put the home side a goal ahead.
Curzon’s hopes were stretched even further eight minutes into the second half when Devon Matthews received his second yellow card before DJ Sturridge rubber-stamped victory for the Celts on 72 minutes.
The impressive win, aided by a fine defensive performance and some good goalkeeping, puts Farsley six points clear of the relegation places ahead of New Years’ Day’s crucial visit to Radcliffe. The Bury based side sit a place below them in the table but with two games in hand.
Farsley Celtic: Flavell, Hyde, Walker, Misambo, Ashbee, Abankwah, Fielding, B Atkinson, O’Boyle (Sturridge 69), Silva, Fox (Iwobi 90+2).