Evo Stik Dviision One North
Farsley Celtic 3-1 Harrogate Railway
- Stephen Bromley put Harrogate in front and the visitors even had a strong penalty appeal turned down.
- The game swung Farsley’s way when Aiden Savory equalised. Adam Clayton then scored twice to win it for Farsley.
Dan Thirkell was denied a penalty during Harrogate Railway’s 3-1 defeat at Farsley Celtic. Picture: Caught Light Photography
Harrogate Railway came within ten minutes of ending Farsley Celtic’s nine-match winning run, only to be undone by Adam Clayton’s late brace.
Stephen Bromley gave Railway the lead at the interval with a well taken lob after six minutes before the visitors to Throstle Nest had a strong penalty claim waved away on the hour mark.
Aiden Savory then pulled Farsley level in controversial style, with an injured Will Peers playing the attacker onside and setting up an all to play for finale.
With just ten minutes to play Clayton popped up with a thunderous strike from 20 yards before heading home in the 87th minute to break Railway hearts and ensure Neil Parsley’s men made it ten wins from ten.
The Celts started the game full of confidence and almost created an opening after five minutes when Chris Howarth jinxed his way into the box and flashed in a cross that Simon Parkes did well to head from the line.
Railway then grabbed the lead on the counter attack when Dan Thirkell caught out a high Farsley back line with a lofted pass that Bromley latched onto and lifted over the goalkeeper with enough power to cross the line before a recovering Farsley defender could clear.
Farsley had a chance to peg back their Yorkshire rivals soon after when Howarth was teed up 18 yards out but blasted over the bar.
The league’s in form side were having the lion’s share of possession but couldn’t break down Railway’s defence with Alex Low making a crucial intervention to deny Lewis Nightingale space to level.
It was Harrogate that finished the half strongest, however, as Chris Ovington twice went close to doubling the visitors lead.
First the attacker saw a near post shot beaten away by Tom Taylor then fired wide of the far post after being released by Peers in first half stoppage time.
Farsley came out after the break in rampant mood and peppered the Railway goal with corners from which Clayton should have done better when the ball fell to his feet.
It was on the hour mark, however, when a big call from referee Michael Denton denied Railway the opportunity to go two up from the spot.
Thirkell had only Taylor to beat and knocked the ball past the ‘keeper before going to ground under the stopper’s challenge, although the referee deemed Railway’s Captain’s fall theatrical and booked the skipper for a dive.
Had they been down to ten men and about to face a penalty, Farsley would have been in a tricky situation but instead were even more determined to turn the tie around.
The equaliser almost came in the 65th minute when first, Howarth’s header from a corner was acrobatically denied by Stewart only for the rebound to fall to Clayton just a few yards out, but his attempt was hooked off the line.
The goal eventually came for Parsley’s side when Savory, being played onside by an injured Peers, powered in an excellent finish high into the net from the right of the penalty area.
In the fifteen minutes that followed, Stewart made smart saves from substitute Jordan Deacey and Paddy Miller, while Railway carried a threat on the break.
With both sides playing attractive football, the game certainly looked to still have goals in it and that proved to be the case as Clayton sent a rocket of a strike past Stewart from just outside the area with just ten minutes left to play.
Clayton then added a second and sealed the points for the home team when he met an out-swinging corner at the near post with a powerful header that nestled into the back of the net.
The controversy didn’t stop there though, as Railway marched straight back up the other end and had the ball in the goal through substitute Callum Robinson’s low shot, only for the linesman to raise his flag and judge Tom Owen to be offside and interfering with play.
There was some disagreement between the referee and linesman as to whether Owen got a touch on the ball but nevertheless the goal was ruled out and the frantic affair ended 3-1 to Farsley.
Farsley Celtic: Taylor, Hardy, Serrant, Howarth, Clayton, Miller, Nightingale (Grant 88), Daly, Walker, Savory (Osbourne 90), Sugden (Deacey 58). Subs unused: Lofthouse, Harrison.
Harrogate Railway: Stewart, Parkes, Hunter, Coates, Low, Thirkell, Mason (Owen 72), Peers (Robinson 69), Bromley (Barrett 61), Ovington, Sharrocks. Subs unused: Pells, Goodwin.
Referee: M. Denton
Attendance: 135