Words: Thomas Ritchie
Photos: John McEvoy
Farsley Celtic won back-to-back league games for the first time this season, as they ground out a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Leamington.
Luke Parkin’s seventh-minute strike would prove to be enough for Farsley to secure the three points that lifted the Celts out of the sole relegation spot, as the defence held firm to secure a second clean sheet in three games.
It was with the first real opening of the game that Parkin made the breakthrough; A header forward from Adam Clayton was misjudged by the Leamington defence, and that enabled Parkin to race into the box, round Jake Weaver and finish superbly from an acute angle.
Farsley continued to probe the Leamington defence as the first-half progressed, and some nice interplay between Chris Atkinson and Frank Mulhern brought the former an opportunity, but his strike inside the box was blocked.
The closest the visitors came to levelling in the opening period after shortly after the half-hour mark, when a low corner from the right appeared to hit Junior English inside the six-yard box, and rebounded agonisingly wide of the upright.
Both sides had chances after the break, with Joe Parker heading wide for Leamington, before Luke Parkin dragged a strike wide from the edge of the box at the other end.
The big chance for the Brakes arrived 20 minutes into the second half, with Jack Lane’s blocked effort falling to Joe Parker 10-yards from the goal, but the forward could only prod a first-time effort against the upright.
Frank Mulhern, making just his second league start in a Farsley shirt, was a constant menace to the Brakes throughout the 90 minutes, and created opportunities to wrap up the Celts’ victory.
A superb run after winning the ball on the halfway line culminated in a Leamington defender almost inadvertently turning the ball into his own goal, before Mulhern lashed a strike just over after surging into the box with 15 minutes remaining.
Over the closing moments, Farsley were able to control the tempo of the game, with the only real threat for the visitors arriving when Kyle Trenerry was forced to make a smart save from Charlie Williams.
Ultimately, Russ Wilcox’s side would see out the game, and make it three games unbeaten in the league – and push the Celts off the bottom of the league – ahead of Saturday’s visit of fellow relegation strugglers AFC Telford United.
Farsley Celtic: Trenerry, Turner, Digie, Clayton, Butroid, Atkinson, Walker, Hayhurst (Gratton 77), Syers © (Greaves 60), Parkin, Mulhern. Unused subs: Jessop, Westcarr (GK), Leroy-Belehouan.
Leamington: Weaver, Meredith, Morley (Taylor 46), Clarke (Gittins 81), Mace, Lane, Parker, Walker, Mooney (English 19), Edwards ©, Williams. Unused subs: Kelly-Evans, Hawkins.
Attendance: 380.