FARSLEY Celtic will be kicking themselves after allowing a 3-1 half-time lead to evaporate in a seven-goal thriller against Basford United at Greenwich Avenue in the Evo-Stik League Premier Division.

The Celts slipped to a 4-3 defeat in a game that was littered with defensive errors from both sides and, although it was Farsley’s first loss on the road, it dropped them from sixth to 15th in the table, while Basford moved from seventh to second, three points above their visitors.

The home side broke the deadlock early as Nat Watson saw his third-minute attempt well blocked by Celts keeper Ed Hall, but the same player slotted in the rebound.

The visitors took time to settle but hit three goals inside the last 15 minutes of the first half, two of them from the penalty spot.

Paul Walker levelled on the half-hour mark with a superb shot from distance, and the home side made two fouls inside their area late on, with Farsley’s Will Hayhurst netting both spot-kicks.

The Basford comeback gathered momentum just after the hour when they scored two goals in as many minutes.

They were awarded a penalty of their own, and Watson netted despite Hall getting a hand to it, and they then equalised through a header which seemed to come from Lewis Carr but was credited to Watson, giving him a hat-trick.

The home side were well on top and they completed their remarkable comeback when Matt Thornhill headed home following an 80th-minute corner.

There was better news for Brighouse Town as they came back from a road trip with three points after beating Carlton Town 2-1 in Division One East.

The visitors went in front courtesy of an own goal as a cross from Brighouse’s Iwan Heeley was inadvertently headed past his own keeper by Keiran Walker. Carlton were soon on terms though as Ben Hutchinson netted a 28th-minute header.

The visitors’ netted a contested winner eight minutes from time.

Brighouse substitute Jack Normanton sent in a header that came back off the face of the bar.

Gabby Johnson headed it back towards the goal but home keeper Jack Steggles clawed it out, and play continued until the assistant referee informed the man in the middle that the ball had crossed the line before Steggles’ intervention.