08-10-22. Match report Vs Farsley Celtic FC

Uninspiring stuff from the Harriers

Report: Phil Lench

Last season the Harriers went to Farsley Celtic and lost 2-1 in a controversial game. That result was also one of the big shocks of that weekend and was the start of the run of games that saw us fail to gain promotion through the play-offs. Today, we again, provided the shock result of the weekend by losing to struggling Farsley but made worse by being on homeground.

Things were made worse for us when Ethan Freemantle was pulled from the team during the warm up pre-game to be replaced with the unfit Amari Morgan-Smith. If ever we had needed another out and out striker on loan then this was it.

Under a sunny sky the game got under way in scrappy mode for both teams. It was the Harriers who were marginally on top but not be much as the ball flew from one end to the other without spending much time on the floor. Six minutes in and the game began to go pear shaped for the Reds when poor defending at a free kick saw Tom Allan gleefully accepting a free header to put Farsley one to the good.

That seemed enough for the visitors and from then on in they played eleven at the back. We couldn’t find a way through and had no idea how to with a lack of that creative through ball and a one man strikeforce being marked by three defenders.

Our only chance of the half went the way of Ashley Hemmings but it went well over the bar. Soon after Caleb Richards played a delightful ball into the area but there was no on in red near enough to it to convert the gilt edged chance.

The half ended low key with no one out their feeling responsible to take the game by the scruff of the neck and give it a damned well good shaking.

HT: 0 – 1

This half was no better with Farsley continuing with their deep defending tactics and even more timewasting. We continued with the inability to break them down.

Our first chance fell for Hemmings who shot weakly at the keeper, Max Dearnley, after Yusifu Ceesay played him in and then soon after came our first substitution. It was the one that was expected with Gabby Rogers coming on for Keziah Martin, who had been having a decent game, instead of for Ceesay, who wasn’t having a decent game. 

Our next chance went the way of our new loan signing Scott Burgess who tried a half-overhead kick that went over the bar. Just a word about Scott: it was his first game for us and he’ll take time to settle in but for the match sponsors to give him the Man of the Match award was astounding after he spent most of the game looking quite ordinary. That was shown soon after when he tried a shot at goal but side footed it weakly with not enough power to trouble the keeper.

Tom Allan got booked for a challenge on Ceesay that sent the Harriers winger flying and then soon after came yet another weird substitution for us when Russ Penn took our defensive midfield rock off when Shane Byrne made way for Nathan Lowe who was returning from injury. Straight away we went further behind when Zak Brown, on earlier for Morgan-Smith, had a shocking lapse of concentration to give the ball away to Jamie Spencer.

With no one between him and Tom Palmer the Farsley striker surged forwards. Palmer stayed on his line far too lang and with all the time in the world Spencer rolled the ball into the far corner of the net to give his team their second win in a row against us.

Even with the two goal lead the visitors continued with their time wasting tactics and when Allan took too long with a free kick the, poor, referee ran towards him holding a yellow card but when he saw who it was he turned and booked the Farsley captain Chris Atkinson instead. THE REF BOTTLED IT!!!!

We finished the remainder of the game without breaking a sweat and looking totally interested. Then again so did the fans as they filed out depressed at what they had witnessed and next week we face AFC Fylde in the FA Cup.

Barring a miracle we won’t be facing the likes of West Ham again this season.

FT: 0 – 2

Goals for Farsley Celtic: Allan 7, Spencer 77

The Harriers Online MotM is: Pass!

Talk about the game here

Latest table and stats here

Harriers	Goals	Subs	Time	Cards
Palmer
Penny
Richards
Margetson
Pearce
Byrne			75
Burgess
Martin			56
Morgan-Smith			71
Hemmings
Ceesay
Subs:
Leak
Lowe			75
Lissimore
Brown			71
Rogers			56
Farsley Celtic FC	Goals	Subs	Time	Cards
Dearnley
Turner			9
Scales
Johnson
Assenso
Butler
Allan
Atkinson
Spencer
Mulhern			57
Parkin
Subs:
Morgan
Ubaezuonu			9
Pointon
Osadebe
Dube			57
Referee:
Mr Liam Corbett
Birmingham