By Kiaran Graham
Additional reporting: John Baron
Farsley Celtic slipped to their first home league defeat since November as Kidderminster Harriers ran out 1-0 winners at the Citadel.
A third-minute goal from Krystian Pearce was enough for the visitors to end a run of 10 games without a win, and leave the Celts a point above the drop zone.
Injury-hit Farsley will also face the final six games of the season without the injured Bobby Johnson and Luke Parkin, with recent loan signings Connor Dixon and Nat Wallace also out for the season.
They’ll be hoping Chris Atkinson’s departure in the 90th minute isn’t a serious injury. Isaac Assenso has returned to Farsley with a slight hamstring injury after a month’s loan at Guiseley.
Saturday was a cagey game on a tricky surface, with neither side creating many clear-cut chances.
It was the worst possible start for Farsley, who fell behind early on for the second-straight game. After Adam Clayton needlessly gave away a corner, Krystian Pearce headed home almost unchallenged from three yards out to put Kidderminster ahead.
It was shortly after that the first chance would fall to the home side after Andy Butler’s knockdown fell to Clayton, but his effort flew over the bar.
The Celts would come close again before the break when a Danny Devine strike from range took a wicked deflection to leave Harriers’ goalkeeper Christian Dibble scrambling, but he did just enough to push the ball to safety.
After the break, the visitors would set out to frustrate Farsley in their quest for a leveller, with clear-cut chances hard to find in a stop-start half.
Frank Mulhern would come closest to finding a leveller, as his free-kick from 25 yards out cannoned against the inside of the upright and to safety, with the Kidderminster keeper getting his finger nails to somehow keep it out.
At the other end, Kidderminster always remained a threat from Joe Leesley’s set-piece deliveries, and he created a chance for Kyle Morrison at the back post who nodded just wide of the upright.
In the final 20 minutes, Farsley began to step up the pressure on the Harriers’ back line without creating a clear-cut chance.
With the Celts pushing for the equaliser, there would always be a threat of the visitors striking on the counter, and Ashley Hemmings almost did so, denied by an excellent stop from Max Dearnley.
There would be a nervy moments for Kidderminster in added time, Sam Muggleton’s long throw-in causing problems in the box, but they would hold out against the toothless Celts’ route one efforts and secure all three points.
Critical period
Farsley Celtic face three games in six days which could well decide their fate this season. Tuesday see them entertain high-flying Brackley at The Citadel (7.45pm kick off) before a Good Friday trip to a Boston United side who have lost just once in their last 11 games (3pm kick off).
Easter Monday see The Celts entertain fellow strugglers Blyth Spartans (3pm) in a ‘six-pointer’ as the scramble to avoid relegation intensifies.
Match reaction
Farsley boss Russ Wilcox reckoned his team deserved something from the game, following a spirited second-half performance.
Line-ups
Farsley Celtic: Dearnley, Scales, Butroid, Devine, Butler ©, Clayton (Turner 82), Allan, Atkinson (Muggleton 90), Ubaezuonu (Syers 69), Mulhern, Williams. Subs not used: Jessop, Morgan.
Kidderminster Harriers: Dibble, Penny, Richards, Pearce, Morgan-Smith (Brown 90), Hemmings, Foulkes, Morrison, Lissimore, Bryne ©, Leesley. Subs not used: Palmer, Leak, Bearne, Hall.
Attendance: 395.
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