Vauxhall Motors 1 Farsley Celtic 2

The Conference North mid-table skirmish on the south bank of the Mersey river saw Farsley Celtic earn themselves a rewarding victory.

The two clubs had eerily similar records and were separated by goal difference only but the Celts are now back in the frame at the top end of the table.

It was a toil but they grafted for the three points.

The deadlock was not broken until the 74th minute and it came from a set-piece. Farsley forced a corner and Simeon Bambrook whipped the flag-kick into a packed area, where Damian Reeves was accredited with the final touch.

The result was secured two minutes from time when Reeves turned provider for Gareth Grant to score.

Vauxhall grabbed a late consolation through Lee Furlong but it was never going to spark a comeback to threaten Farsley's hold on the game.

Celts boss Lee Sinnott said: "We showed dogged determination. It was hard fought but the players stuck to the task.

"I won't deny we can play better but we got the result. It was a very important win because we have a two-week break now from the league. The win puts us up to seventh or eighth and that is what we want going into the Christmas period.

"On Saturday we are in the FA Trophy so our next Conference North fixture is at home to Harrogate Town on Boxing Day.

"If you had asked me at the start of the season if I would have been happy being one point off the play-off places and four points off top spot at the halfway stage after just being promoted to a new division the answer would have been a definite yes."