Farsley AFC 2, Garforth Town 3

Farsley suffered a home defeat in their first Evo-Stik League fixture of 2012 as a late Paul Walker goal secured all three points from a full-blooded Division One North derby at Throstle Nest.

The game was in the balance right from the off but despite Farsley twice going in front they could not keep out their Leeds-based neighbours.

Gareth Grant rounded Town goalkeeper Ben Higginson to give the home side a seventh-minute lead but Garforth hit back when Matt Dempsey headed in from a corner.

Farsley were back in front before the break as Simeon Bambrook scored directly from a corner on the stroke of half-time.

Oliver Hotchkiss amazingly emulated Bambrook’s effort when he also netted after Town had forced a 52nd-minute corner.

Walker’s late strike then gave the visitors the final say in the entertaining encounter.

A bad-looking injury to centre-back and player-coach Mark Jackson was arguably more of a concern to Farsley boss Neil Parsley than the defeat.

Jackson was forced off after just five minutes and Parsley said: “It looks like ligament damage for Jacko, which is a big blow to us. We regrouped after that but we have not defended set-pieces well.

“But we have won eight out of our last ten league games, so that is full credit to the boys.

“I don’t want to take anything away from Garforth’s lads and their management staff. Fair play to them, they have come here and got a very good win.”