Evo-Stik Division One North: Farsley Celtic 3 Prescot Cables 0

NEW signing Jordan Deacey made an instant impact as he came off the bench to play a major role as Farsley Celtic marched on with their eighth straight victory in all competitions.

The Celts continued to climb up the table with Saturday’s win over a very stubborn Prescot Cables.

Former Bradford Park Avenue and Telford United attacking midfielder Deacey had only completed his switch from Evo-Stik rivals Shaw Lane Aquaforce, from Division One South, earlier in the day and was named among the substitutes.

Deacey was introduced in the 65th minute with the game still goalless but he was brought down in the area a minute later, leading to the dismissal of Prescot’s keeper Michael Burgess, and he added Farsley’s third eight minutes from time to complete a scoring debut.

Celts boss Neil Parsley felt referee Matthew Sowerby was a little hasty in his decision making regarding the sending off that changed the game.

Parsley said: “I thought the referee was quick to blow the whistle throughout the game as a whole, and if he had given himself a little bit of thinking time he could have allowed the goal and then he doesn’t need to send the keeper off.

“The lad did take Jordan down but the rest of them played on and the ball was put into the net, so if he’d played advantage he could have gone back and booked him and kept 11 against 11 on the pitch.

“Don’t get me wrong, it’s gone for us and it had been a tight game, but I just feel that one incident has decided the game.

"They didn’t have a keeper on the bench, so an outfield player has gone in and from then, against ten men without a recognised keeper, there was only ever going to be one winner.”

Parsley was correct in his assessment that it had been a tight contest.

The home side had produced the better openings of the goalless first half and clearly edged possession but Cables had looked dangerous on the break.

The biggest blow to Farsley in that first 45 minutes was losing Paul Walker to an injury in the opening minutes.

Club captain Robbie O’Brien was sent on as a replacement and was immediately handed the armband by right back Aaron Hardy, who had started the game as skipper.

It was the unfortunate O’Brien who limped out after a late tackle, which earned Prescot’s Jonah O’Reilly a yellow card that led to Deacey’s introduction.

Just a minute later, he was played through and Burgess fouled him.

The Farsley players beseeched the referee to award the goal that had been scored but the official was adamant and brandished a red card.

The visitors' left winger James Edgar donned the No 1 jersey before Hardy, who had been made to wait for more than three minutes, coolly despatched the spot-kick.

It wasn’t all one-way traffic after that but Aiden Savory doubled the Celts’ lead in the 79th minute and Deacey wrapped up the scoring with a composed finish soon after.

The new boy had the ball in the net again in stoppage time but from an offside position after a Lewis Nightingale shot had been blocked.