Farsley Celtic 2, Harrogate Town 1

Farsley Celtic bounced back from two consecutive defeats in the Blue Square North by beating near-neighbours Harrogate Town at Throstle Nest tonight.

The Celts fashioned the first chance of the game as Lee Ellington got in a low drive but Town’s Peter Knox went close on two occasions.

The home side broke the deadlock six minutes before the break.

It was man of the moment Dave Sayers who netted, converting a Roy Stamer corner with a header into the top corner.

Sayers had opened the scoring, ironically in the same minute, in last Saturday’s 3-2 home defeat to Northwich.

However, he was also credited with an own goal after being forced to don the gloves following the dismissal of keeper Piotr Skiba.

Town hit back in the second half when former Guiseley centre back Simon Sturdy forced the ball home following a 68th-minute free-kick.

The Celts bagged all three points when Josh Radcliffe poked the ball over the line after Lee Ellington’s 76th-minute free-kick had cannoned back off the bar.

The visitors had a couple of late chances. The main threat for Harrogate was substitute Simon Yeo, and there was an agonisingly long five minutes of stoppage time before the Celts could celebrate their three-point maximum.

The match should have been played over the festive period but was postponed because of snow and ice.