Celts notch up second pre-season win

Yorkshire Amateur 2-3 Farsley Celtic

The Celts won their second pre-season friendly after defeating NCEL Division One side Yorkshire Amateur 3-2 at Bracken Edge on another hot and humid day in West Yorkshire.

In a barnstorming opening to the game Farsley found themselves two goals to the good in the first three minutes. Within the opening minute of the game the Celts won a corner which Peter Davidson was able to stab home from close-range to give the visitors the perfect start. The home defence was left reeling just two minutes later, when skipper, Paddy Miller headed home from a free-kick to made the score 2-0.

Confidence was running high in the team as the Celts continued to keep possession with some neat football and nearly had a third goal on six minutes, as Jordan Deacey had his shot pushed onto the crossbar by the Ammers keeper. Farsley continued to press and go in search of more goals, and on fifteen minutes Paul Walker broke down the left and cut the ball back for Richard Marshall who fired over.

The Ammers were struggling to contain the Celts and found themselves conceding a number of free-kicks, and two of these nearly resulted in goals on seventeen and nineteen minutes, when James Walshaw and Paddy, respectively, headed efforts wide.

The Celts weren’t afraid to try long-range shots either, as both Richard Marshall on twenty-one minutes and Luke O’Brien, four minutes later, had attempts whistling over the home team’s crossbar. Farsley thought they had scored a third goal on thirty-four minutes, when James Walshaw was put through, but his neat finish was flagged offside.

As with the first-half at Hemsworth earlier in the week, the Celts totally dominated the first period and should in truth have been further than two goals ahead given the chances created.

The second-half saw Neil Parsley and John Deacey ring the changes to look at all the squad as multiple substitutions were made. It didn’t affect the Celts momentum as they continued to dominate and they got their reward on the hour mark, when a defensive mistake within the Ammers ranks allowed Paul Walker to score from inside the box for a 3-0 lead.

Credit to the home team, though in that they continued to battle, and they grabbed a goal on sixty-three minutes through Joel Hughes. Unsurprisingly given the conditions the pace of the game slowed considerably as both sides continued to rotate their players. However, with just five minutes remaining, the Ammers got a second goal from Salu Dawo to make it 3-2. The home team though couldn’t find an equaliser and indeed it was the Celts who nearly grabbed a fourth as Luke O’Brien was inches away from sliding home a cross in the final minute.

At the whistle, the Celts had secured a second win in pre-season. Their first-half display was encouraging, although they would have liked to have converted more of the chances created. Credit to the Ammers for their two-goals in the second-half from virtually their only two chances, but the Celts will be keen to eradicate opponents such opportunities in the remaining pre-season games.

Celts line-up: McKibbin, Howarth, O'Brien, Davidson, Knowles, Miller, Deacey, Marshall, Walshaw, Savory, Walker.
Subs (all used): Clayton, Daley, Serrant, Hardy, Turner.