SEADOGS LEFT IN THE COLD BY CELTS
Farsley warn off the rest with win
FARSLEY CELTIC put the stoppers on Northern Premier League leaders Scarborough, claiming a thrilling 3-1 victory at Throttle Nest.
Adam Clayton inspired the Celts to a welcome victory that keeps Adam Lakeland’s men in the play-off mix, scoring the third and decisive goal and pulling the strings throughout in the middle of the park. Despite their loss, the Seadogs remain seven points clear at the top of the table.
Meanwhile, Bradford Park Avenue affirmed their promotion credentials in National League North, thumping York 4-1 at Bootham Crescent to go second only on goal difference as Chorley suffered their third straight loss (2-1) at home to Spennymoor.
Jake Beesley opened the scoring for Avenue in the first half and added a second early in the second before Jamie Spencer put the game to bed in the 50th minute.
Sean Newton pulled one back for York, but Ben McKenna completed the rout late on.
BRADFORD Park Avenue moved level on points with longtime National League North leaders Chorley following a win at ten-man York City.
Away boss Mark Bower secured maximum points at his former club with Jake Beesley opening the scoring from the penalty spot on 27 minutes after being flattened in the box by Joe Tait’s flailing arm during an off-the-ball incident that saw the Minstermen’s captain receive his marching orders.
Beesley and Jamie Spencer both went on to net within six minutes of the start of the second period and, after Sean Newton had reduced the deficit just past the hour mark with a freekick, sub Ben McKenna wrapped up matters late on.
A pleased Bower, who played 40 games for York in the Football League between 2000 and 2001, said: “After we went 3-0 up, I was a bit disappointed with the way we managed that period of the game, because they have got quality whether they’re playing with 11 or ten men, but we got the fourth and did a pro-
fessional job from then on. They are one of the biggest clubs in the league, so to win 4-1 at their place is a fantastic effort and I thought discipline was the key word. We kept ours, but their lad lost his and, then, to go 1-0 up from the penalty was a massive turning point, because it meant they had to come out at us with ten men.
“If we had missed it, it might have given them something to defend and hold on to.”
Beesley sidefooted his penalty high to Adam Bartlett’s left, as the York keeper dived in the opposite direction and he added a second on 47 minutes, when he converted from close range following Lewis Knight’s low cross.
On 51 minutes, Spencer then fired a spectacular 20yard effort into Bartlett’s top-right corner after Hamza Bencherif ’s headed clearance from a Nicky Wroe corner.
The Minstermen, staring at a third straight defeat in eight days, finally managed to muster some spirit with Newton curling a 20-yard free kick into Steven Drench’s top-left corner after team-mate Tom Allan had his shirt pulled.
But Allan’s 82nd-minute slip at the other end of the pitch saw the dangerous Knight reach the left byline before pulling the ball back for McKenna, who emphati- cally found Bartlett’s top-left corner from ten yards.
Afterwards, fuming home boss Sam Collins refused to hide his anger at Tait’s indiscipline.
“It was a sending off and a very stupid thing to do,” the former Hull City and Huddersfield defender seethed. “He has let the team down and I will be fining him the most I possibly can.”