Witton Albion 2 Farsley Celtic 3

A LATE Nathan Cartman goal saw Farsley Celtic win a five-goal thriller at Wincham Park and kept them in second place in the Evo-Stik Premier Division.

Celts boss Adam Lakeland had warned that 16th-placed Witton Albion were a difficult side to beat and that they were in a false position in the table. The home side were indeed tough opponents and they opened the scoring soon after the half-hour mark.

They had been gifted a chance much earlier but Farsley keeper Kyle Tenerry made a fine save to deny Will Jones. Adam Clayton lost possession later and his error was punished as Tom Owens pounced to fire past Trenerry.

Farsley recovered from that blow to level the game before the break. Jack Higgins was on the end of Luke Parkin’s ball in and he fired in at the back post.

Witton keeper Greg Hall was under as much pressure as Trenerry and he also made fine saves. He was alert to deny Dave Sayers when the former Bantams midfielder followed up after a Danny Ellis header was blocked, and Hall saved a later Ellis header.

Ellis, Higgins and Clayton, Farsley’s solid central defenders, were all causing problems in the opposite area as they went forward for every corner and free-kick.

The Celts were claiming a penalty just after the hour mark when Nathan Cartman took a tumble in the area but the referee wasn’t interested. But just five minutes later he awarded one to the home side after Trenerry fouled Jones and James Foley netted it to put the home side back in front.

That lead lasted less than two minutes as Sayers pulled another strike right out of the top drawer. Sayers netted a spectacular strike in the Boxing Day win over Whitby Town and, when another cannoned off the bar, Jimmy Spencer turned the ball in.

This time he fired in a 20-yard volley that gave Hall no chance at all. The match was still in the balance with both sides pushing for a winner, but it was the Celts who grabbed it as Cartman picked out the bottom corner with a fine strike in the 87th minute.

Farsley stay ahead of third-placed Warrington Town – who also won 3-2 away. The gap between those two clubs and leaders Nantwich Town is now down to four points and Farsley have four games in hand, Warrington have played one game more than the Celts but three fewer than the leaders.