An early quickfire double from Tom Allan and Darren Stephenson put Farsley in the driving seat although Daniel Pudil’s impressive looping effort put the hosts right back in the tie midway through the first half.

Hallam stuck in the game for much of the contest although Stephenson’s second with 16 minutes left on the clock, ensured Farsley victory against their hard-working hosts.

The world’s oldest football ground set the backdrop for the start of Farsley’s 2024/25 FA Cup campaign after the tie was switched venues owing to delayed pitch installation works at The Citadel and Farsley played the first half playing down the significant slope of Snadygate’s pitch in West Sheffield.

It only took seven minutes for The Celts to assert their advantage over Hallam, who ply their trade in Step 5’s NCEL Premier Division. A low free-kick was delivered into the box by Danny Greenfield from the left and although Manny Mampala’s initial attempt was blocked on the line, Allan was on hand to smash the ball home through a sea of bodies.

Then on 18 minutes, Stephenson latched onto Isaac Assenso’s pin-point through-ball and coolly finished past Hugo Warhurst to put Farsley two ahead.

Farsley had largely dominated proceedings until this point but the hosts responded via an ambitious lob from former Sheffield Wednesday and Watford man Daniel Pudil. The Czech, who earned 36 caps for his nation, took aim from well outside the box and the ball flew over debutant Liam Wilson, who came into the side with Darryl Ombang ineligible to play in the FA Cup.

Farsley almost replied immediately from the kick-off. Ryan Watson attempted a similarly ambitious shot from the centre circle with Warhurst forced to tip the ball over to stop it finding the top corner.

Just a couple of minutes before the break, Stephenson nearly added a third for the Celts but he pulled his effort just wide of the upright.

Hallam shot-stopper Warhurst was called into action again on 58 minutes as he palmed a shot from Farsley’s top goalscorer Ben Atkinson around the post.

The hosts, now kicking down the slope were continuing to look a threat on the counter, so it was a relief to the travelling Farsley fans when Stephenson restored the two-goal advantage on 74 minutes after an impressive strike. Substitute Robbie Fox flicked the ball onto the winger and he rounded a defender before firing into the corner of the goal.

Despite falling further behind again, Hallam didn’t throw in the towel and they should’ve reduced the gap again on 85 minutes. After a shot was spilled by Wilson, Calum Ward wasted a glorious chance as he skied the ball over the bar from just a few yards out.

Then just into stoppage time, Chris Salt’s shot smashed against the crossbar as the Sheffield side tried in vain to set-up a grandstand finish.

Farsley Celtic: Wilson, Assenso, Allan, Branson, Hyde, B Atkinson, Watson (Youmbi 87), Sloane, Greenfield, Stephenson, Mampala (Fox 55).
Subs not used: Walker, Kiwomya, Newsome, Edmondson, Polwarth.