A LATE penalty by substitute Ben Atkinson earned an out of sorts Farsley Celtic a 2-1 win over promotion rivals Nantwich Town at Throstle Nest.

The strong and biting wind made it difficult for both teams but the visitors played the conditions better and had come back from a slender half time deficit to look like favourites to win.

Farsley remain third in the Evo-Stik Premier Division and the Dabbers stay in fourth spot but there is now a three-point gap. The Cheshire outfit were below the Celts on goal difference only prior to the game.

Farsley had the wind behind them in the first half and they started well and they opened the scoring from a 17th-minute corner. Luke Parkin’s deep delivery found Adam Clayton and he guided a header from the back post across the face of goal and into the inside of the far side netting.

They continued to have the Dabbers on the back foot and the visitors’ centre back Joel Stair picked up a yellow card soon after for fouling Farsley midfielder Dave Syers to stop a breakaway by the home side.

But they tailed off after that and Nantwich got more and more into the game, creating some clear openings. James Lawrie and Joe Mwasile both had sight of Kyle Trennery’s goal but failed to trouble the Celts keeper.

Ten minutes into the second half Trennery dived to make a save that prevented Sean Cooke from levelling the game but with the wind now in their favour the visitors were building a head of steam.

A series of good shots had the Dabbers’ vocal following gasping with incredulity as efforts whistled past the woodwork or were blocked by desperate defenders. The equaliser finally came in the 78th minute as Lawrie got a glancing header to a good cross by Cooke.

The winning penalty came when Lewis Turner was fouled in the area and Atkinson, who had replaced Parkin in the 67th minute, rifled it inside the roof of the net, giving Dabbers’ keeper Will Jaaskelainen absolutely no chance.

The remaining four minutes and the four added on were very spicy but the Celts held out for their maximum.

Celts boss Adam Lakeland said: “I thought when we played at their place we were the better team and we lost, today they were the better team but we won and sometimes that happens in football.

“We were nowhere near our best but we got the win and every win is important.

"It has been a run of very difficult games for us, not just the four (in the last five games) against promotion rivals, but we knew it would be a tough spell and we said if we can get through and still be up there we’ll have given ourselves a chance and we’ve done that.”

Meanwhile, Brighouse Town consolidated second place in the Evo-Stik Division One East and knocked Tadcaster Albion out of the play-off places with a strong second half display in a 3-0 win.

The two promotion hopefuls went head to head in what was expected to be a close game and the first half was goalless.

The Brewers had the ball in the net during the first period but Casey Stewart’s effort was ruled out for offside.

The home side really got into their stride after the interval and they broke the deadlock eight minutes into the second half.

Gabby Johnson claimed the assist as his through ball sent Tom Haigh clear and with only the keeper to beat he slotted home.

Brighouse doubled their lead in the 75th minute and Johnson was again involved as he played Haigh in again but this time he laid it off for Aaron Martin and he lashed a shot into the top corner.

Tadcaster keeper Michael Ingham, back in the side after a long injury lay off, was beaten again just five minutes later.

A deep cross from Tyler Williams cross found Iwan Heeley at the back stick and he wrapped up the scoring.