A poor decision from one of the assistant referees made for a tension-filled ending but it was never a real cliffhanger after the Celts had re-discovered their goal-scoring touch in the second half.

Farsley had endured a nervous 45 minutes when they appeared to want to walk the ball into the net. They needed shock therapy and vibrant Leek provided that when they took the lead in the 56th minute.

With the start to the league Farsley have had, that could have led to a slump, however they decided to use it as a spur.

Two substitutions, one either side of Leek's opener, helped the home side click into gear.

"I was delighted to see the heart and application the players showed. It was going to go one of two ways and they made sure it worked for us," said relieved Celts manager Lee Sinnott.

"It really shouldn't have been that close at the end. I thought we were going to win it at 3-1 but when there is just one goal in it you can never be certain. It was a good three points to get.

"That is what I said to the players in the dressing room immediately after the game.

"It could have been 2-2 or 3-3 but the players battled for the victory and when that happens it is very satisfying."

The Celts had the Leek defence under pressure early but only had a James Knowles shot, which curled inches wide of the post, to show for their efforts.

On the other hand, Leek could twice have taken the lead before the break but were foiled by top class saves from Paul Cuss.

Midway through the half he made a reaction save to parry a header from Alan Nagington that came through a group of players.

The next top-drawer stop came in the penultimate minute of the half, from a counter-attack after Lee Duxbury lashed wide following a Carl Serrant free-kick.

Cuss again parried a Nagington effort and the ball sat up for Ryan Brown but the Leek winger side-footed it over the bar from the edge of the six-yard line.

Cuss had to be brave when he dived at Nagington's feet early in the second half but he could do nothing when Leek took the lead. Dave McPerson beat him with a shot after a long run and Nagington just beat the covering defender to make sure the ball crossed the line.

The lead lasted all of four minutes, Andy Shields levelling with a bullet header from the far side of the area after Mark Bett had chased a ball down and sent in a testing cross.

The home support had to wait just four more minutes for the goal of the game. Bett was fouled by Adam Yates near the touchline on the left flank.

The dead ball was chipped in and Bett, Shields and Simeon Bambrook indulged in one-touch football before substitute Curtis Bernard drilled in low from the edge of the area.

The third goal was almost as good. Bett's intelligent lob was collected by Bambrook and hooked across the area for Bernard to head in.

With just 15 minutes remaining McPherson scored with the Celts howling for offside and a foul on keeper Cuss.