Farsley Celtic 2 Bamber Bridge 1

Farsley reached the quarter-finals of the UniBond Chairman's Cup with a home victory over Bamber Bridge which was far more convincing than the scoreline suggests.

The Celts played within themselves but still restricted their Red Rose rivals to a handful of openings.

Bridge keeper Cyril Sharrock was by far the busier of the two custodians. However, while the home side held a narrow lead the cup tie remained finely balanced and it was not until Mark Betts struck his third goal in two games that the Celts could breath easy.

"It was a positive performance and the right result. Given the amount of play we controlled we deserved the win," said Celts boss Lee Sinnott.

But the former Bantams defender could find himself going as grey as Kevin Keegan if his side continue to dice with disaster.

On Saturday it turned out right but had the visitors snatched one of their few chances it would have had the Celts in panic mode and upped Sinnott's blood pressure.

"The second goal was a long time coming," admitted the manager of Betts' strike five minutes from time.

Bridge offered too little too late as their solitary goal came two minutes into the four added on at the end.

"All afternoon it looked like he would score and he finally made it. The second half wasn't quite one-way traffic but I thought we dominated.

"It was unfortunate on their part that they went down to ten men and they were on the back foot from then.

"We tried different things in the game and rested some players who will be needed for the big derby with Guiseley on Saturday. We altered the system slightly and played more of a four-three-three than the regulation four-four-two.

"With Lee Calvert sitting in there just behind the front two it is a system we can think about adopting now we have proved it works. Overall I'm very pleased with the way it went; it was a good day for us."

The visitors played 30 minutes with a numerical disadvantage after an injury to Dave Swanick. Late in the first half both sides used their first substitutes when Bridge striker Neil Zarac and Graham Mitchell, Celts captain at the start of play, left the field following a clash of heads.

At 1-0 down Bridge made two further changes in the first 15 minutes of the second period in an attempt to release their wing backs. It backfired immediately as right back Swanick went down in a challenge and was stretchered off.

The Celts had broken the deadlock midway through the first half. Betts raced down the left and sent a low centre across the edge of the area. Matt Smithard timed his run well and lashed a drive into the bottom corner from 17 yards.

In the 81st minute Betts had a firm header, from a Smithard cross, just saved on the line by Sharrock but four minutes later he beat the keeper.

Following another Smithard assist Betts, trapped the ball on his chest and, even though he was falling backwards, he steadied himself before hammering home.

In stoppage time, Stuart Honor got possession on the corner of the six-yard box and blasted in the visitors' reply via the underside of the bar.

Farsley Celtic: Morgan, Beech, Annan, Shields, Mitchell, Iqbal, Calvert, Knowles, Smithard, Betts, Stammer. Subs, Stabb, Kilner, Copley.