First half goals from Darren Stephenson and Manny Mampala helped lift some of the gloom surrounding Farsley Celtic as the battling Celts secured a vital 2-0 win at Kings Lynn Town.
Stephenson struck with ten minutes remaining in the first half with a low strike before Mampala doubled the lead on the stroke of half time from a rebound – his first league strike for the club.
Absolute credit must go to the players and manager for the result, achieved despite off-field challenges and a three-match league losing streak which had seen The Celts fail to hit the target.
Stomach bug victim Conor Branson returned to the side after missing Saturday’s 2-0 ‘home’ defeat against Darlington, which was played at Buxton’s ground. Farsley stalwart Lewis Turner retained the captaincy tonigh, while fellow absentee Ben Atkinson only made the bench and Ryan Watson again did not travel.
The home side controlled the game early on, with Farsley’s goalkeeper Tom Wooster in inspired form.
However the Celts defended well and began to grow into the game as Danny Greenfield and Mampala went close to breaking the deadlock.
The nomadic Celts – yet to play in Farsley this season due to stalled work on a new pitch – took the lead ten minutes before the break. After breaking through the midfield, the ball fell to Stephenson who left his defender for dead before firing home his seventh goal of the season.
Farsley stayed on the front foot and grabbed the second just moments into stoppage time. Robbie Fox charged forward before drawing a diving save from Jones. The rebound fell to Mampala, who lashed in the rebound to give Farsley a two-goal cushion going into the break.
The Celts could have put the game out of sight within the opening five minutes of the second half when Cole Hyde’s volley flew just over.
Moments later saw Mampala come close to bagging a brace when some trickery on the edge of the penalty area was followed by a left footed strike which forced Jones down to his left to prevent a third for Pav Singh’s side.
It was end to end stuff in a surprisingly open but hugely entertaining game.
Farsley had to dig in for the rest of the half as the Linnets pressed. But the defence remained resolute, with Wooster producing some fine saves to preserve his fifth clean sheet of the season. After a couple of shaky displays the Manchester United loanee keeper was in fine form and his performance will have boosted the confidence of the youngster.
Farsley weathered the King’s Lynn storm to secure a massive three points to go up to 15th in the table on 20 points ahead of Saturday’s trip to Kidderminster Harriers.