A frustrating night at the Citadel for Farsley saw them fall to a 2-0 defeat in a huge relegation battle clash with Blyth.

The game came to life in the second half, with Blyth scoring two early second half goals. Farsley came close on multiple occasions, with Tom Allan hitting the bar and Adam Clayton almost converting his lobbed attempt.

It was the away side who started the game brighter, with Cedric Main coming close minutes in after getting a shot off from the left hand side.

Just moments later, a free kick for Blyth almost left Farsley a goal behind after Nicky Deverdics’ delivery bounced just wide of the top corner.

Russ Wilcox’s side responded well to the early pressure, with Frank Mulhern sending a ball in behind the Blyth defence, Theo Williams latched onto it but his effort could only dribble wide of the post.

Farsley soon came close again after Danny Devine’s strike from outside the box whistled wide of the post.

It was the cagey opening to the game that was expected, with this game having so much at stake for both sides in the relegation battle.

Devine was proving the danger man for Farsley in the first half, coming close again but Alex Mitchell was there to make the save. Minutes later the home side had another great chance however Kian Scales’s effort flew just past the bottom corner.

A moment of magic from Mulhern almost saw Farsley take the lead, after a couple kick ups and a weaving run his effort was parried back into danger, but Williams and Lewis turner got in each others way to squander a huge chance.

Wilcox will have been pleasantly happy with his sides first half performance, creating the more chances out of the two sides and responding well to some early pressure from Blyth. But for all of Farsley’s chances late in the half the sides went into the break 0-0.

It was the worst possible start to the second half for Farsley as Blyth made it 1-0 straight after the restart. Main put a ball across the box and Jordan Hickey tucked it away into the bottom right corner.

There was almost an instant response for Farsley as Tom Allan rose highest from the corner but his effort crashed off the crossbar.

The second half went from bad to worse for the home side, after a great delivery from the left hand side found Hickey, who’s header flew into the back of net to score his second and put Blyth 2-0 up.

Farsley were beginning to look frustrated after the second had gone in, creating a very limited amount of chances and being wasteful in the final third with about 25 minutes to go.

There was a mix up at the back for Blyth as miscommunication between the keeper and defender saw the ball bounce out to Adam Clayton but his lobbed effort went just wide of the open goal.

It was so almost three for Blyth, as some fantastic footwork from Main saw his right footed strike smash off the crossbar. A huge let off for the home side.

Wilcox’s side were pushing with 10 minutes to go, causing Blyth plenty of problems from set pieces, but just missing that clinical touch in the final third.

Blyth once again almost got their third after Spellman had a great chance, but his strike was well saved by Max Dearnley.

Ultimately, there was no way back for Farsley who fell short to a disappointing 2-0 defeat under the lights.

Farsley: Dearnley, Scales, Butroid, Turner (Jessop 67’), Butler, Allan, Devine, Clayton, Syers © (Muggleton 82’), Mulhern, Williams. Subs not used: Atkinson, Morgan, Ubaezuonu.