With COVID-19 wreaking havoc to the National League North schedule, a friendly against a Huddersfield Town B side was the task facing Adam Lakeland’s side this weekend, writes Thomas Ritchie.
And it was the hosts who ran out winners in a high-scoring encounter, defeating Farsley 5-3 at the Canalside Training Complex after a flurry of late goals.
The opening 15 minutes saw little goalmouth action, before Kieran Phillips gave Huddersfield the lead. There were suspicions of offside and of a foul on Adam Clayton, but Jaden Brown was allowed in down the left and squared for Phillips to tap home.
It didn’t take long for Farsley to level, as Luke Parkin won the ball high up the pitch and found Carl Johnston on the edge of the box whose strike crept over the line.
The hosts then came close to re-taking the lead twice, Steven Drench making an excellent save at his near post, before Tom Allan made a vital block from Jaheim Headley’s strike.
However, Phillips was on hand to re-establish his side’s lead, neatly flicking home Patrick Jones’ low centre from inside the six-yard box.
On this occasion, Huddersfield’s lead lasted less than two minutes, as Will Hayhurst picked the ball up in midfield before driving forward and firing a superb strike into the bottom corner from 20-yards out.
Farsley came agonisingly close to taking the lead on the stroke of half-time when Luke Parkin was denied one-on-one, and the impressive Eliot Goldthorp then came inches away from scoring a screamer as he let fly from range.
A quiet spell followed after the interval, before with 20 minutes remaining the Terriers edged in front for the third time, using their man advantage whilst Tom Allan was off receiving treatment as Patrick Jones finished smartly.
Jimmy Spencer almost equalised for the Celts as he forced a fine save low down, however, Huddersfield then doubled their advantage on the break as Matty Daly found Phillips who converted for his hat-trick.
Almost immediately from the restart Farsley had pulled a goal back, the trialist delivering an excellent cross for Jake Charles who leapt highest to head home.
The trialist then almost levelled the scores as his curling effort seemed destined for the top corner, before Town shot-stopper Ryan Schofield flew across his goal to tip over.
Moments later Schofield had to be at his best once again to deny Tyler Walton’s deflected strike after the midfielder had been played in by Johnston.
And with Farsley pushing for the equaliser, it was Huddersfield who broke at speed once again to secure the win, Patrick Jones finishing at the second attempt after his initial strike had been saved by Drench.
Farsley v Huddersfield line-ups
Farsley Celtic: Drench, Trialist, West (Richards 46), Allan (Parkin 70), Ellis © (C. Atkinson 63), Clayton, Johnston, Hayhurst, Syers (Spencer 63), Parkin (Charles 63), Goldthorp (Walton 63). Unused subs: Kelly.
Huddersfield Town B: Schofield, Brown (Trialist 55), Ayina, Olagunju (Trialist 60), Diarra, Austerfield, Jackson, Daly, Headley, Phillips, Jones. Unused sub: Chapman.