Men's First Team
FA Cup Sat 16 September The Citadel
Farsley Celtic
  • Atkinson (39')
1
Scarborough Athletic
  • Brown (67')
1
1-1

Farsley Celtic will go to the Flamingo Land Stadium on Tuesday evening for an FA Cup Second Qualifying Round replay after the Celts played out an entertaining 1-1 draw with Scarborough Athletic.

Ben Atkinson opened the scoring in the first half for Farsley from the penalty spot, before Alex Brown drew the Seadogs level in the second half.

Farsley dominated the opening stages of the match and almost took the lead on two separate occasions during the first ten minutes of the match.

The first chance of the game fell to the home side when Bet Atkinson struck a free kick from the edge of the area goalward, forcing a strong save from Scarborough goalkeeper Joe Cracknell at the near post.

The Celts then went even closer on the ten-minute mark when Jordan Carroll tried his luck from range as the Irishmen crashed a thumping shot from outside of the box onto the crossbar.

Atkinson was then involved again on the half hour mark when the biggest chance of the match so far fell to the midfielder after some effective pressing from Darren Stephenson led to Farsley’s number ten being played through on goal, however he couldn’t find a way past the on-rushing Cracknell to break the deadlock.

The Celts then took a deserved lead with five minutes left to play until the interval when Clayton Donaldson was bundled over in the area, giving Ben Atkinson the chance to put Farsley in front from the penalty spot, which he did with real composure to stick the ball into the net off the left post.

Atkinson was perhaps the busiest player on the pitch during the first half, and he almost secured his brace in additional time when his effort on the volley was well saved by Cracknell, keeping the score within reaching distance for the Boro.

Scarborough started the second half better and they should have equalized within the first five minutes of the half when the excellent Zan-Luk Leban came out well to deny Michael Coulson after the substitute had broken free from Harry Sheridan.

Fresh off the back of scoring his first goal for the club away at Gloucester City last week, George Smith was proving to be a threat down the left once again and he almost doubled Farsley’s lead when his low cross evaded several blue shirts in the box as well as the out-stretching Ben Atkinson.

Farsley continued to pound on the door of the Scarborough defence with Tom Allan next to go close for the Celts after he met a superbly weighted cross from Jordan Carroll before powering his header narrowly wide.

Then, in the 67th minute, the Seadogs equalised through Alex Brown after a chaotic goalmouth scramble led to full back firing in from close range to level the score.

Scarborough then began to take more control of the match and they almost went in front with 15 minutes left to play when Alex Wiles fired over while through on goal, before Harry Green then miss-kicked Frank Mulhern’s cutback just several moments later.

Both sides then continued to exchange half-chances for the remainder of the match before the final whistle blew for 1-1, meaning a replay will be played at the Flamingo Land Stadium on Tuesday evening.

Farsley Celtic: Leban, Sheridan, Misambo (Leverett (53), Allan, Carroll (Watson 70), Smith, Branson, C Atkinson, B Atkinson, Stephenson, Donaldson (Silva 74). Subs not used: Acquah, Morrisey, Priestly-Standing, Ameho.

Scarborough Athletic: Cracknell, Brown, Gooda, Qualter, Jackson (Green 59), Purver, Maloney (Marshall 59), Wiles, Colville, Durose (Coulson 46), Mulhern. Subs not used: Weledji, Thornton, Bancroft, Tear.