Moors moved within a point of the National League North play-off positions with a battling 3-1 win over Farsley Celtic at The Brewery Field on Easter Monday.
Graeme Lee’s side were clearly determined to issue an instant response after seeing their remarkable seven-game winning streak ended at the hand of South Shields on Good Friday.
They did it the hard way against The Celt Army though, recovering from the setback of conceding an early goal to produce a resilient performance and clinch three important points.
Lee made four changes to his starting eleven, with Glen Taylor and Ben Pollock both unavailable through injury. As a result, Will Harris returned to the attack and Gary Liddle was handed a debut in the centre of defence, while John Lufudu and Finley Shrimpton were also restored to the line-up.
Conditions were tricky for both sides after heavy rain meant a heavy pitch, a contributing factor in an early injury to Matty Dolan who was forced off inside quarter of an hour after a sliding challenge left him with a gash just below the knee.
Moors struggled to get into a rhythm in those early stages and suffered a further setback on 17 minutes when Farsley took the lead. A ball into the box wasn’t dealt with, and that allowed Ben Atkinson to stroke an opening goal past Brad James.
It took Lee’s side a little time to clear their heads but slowly but surely, they got themselves back into the game, coming close to levelling just before the half hour when Rob Ramshaw’s inviting cross was well cleared by visiting defender Tom Allan.
Danny Greenfield did well to win a free kick on the edge of the box on 35 minutes and when Reece Staunton’s whipped shot over the wall was parried by keeper Zan Leban, Greenfield reacted quickest to get to the loose ball before being upended by a defender. Will Harris rammed home from the resultant penalty to drag Moors back on level terms.
Another wonderful cross from the left from Ramshaw could have seen Moors in front less than two minutes later but Greenfield could only steer his shot into the side netting as he slid in at the far post.
Moors began the second half with greater purpose. Corey McKeown could have made it 2-1 soon after the restart when he turned menacingly inside from the left but sent his curling shot just too high.
There was more anxiety at the back for Farsley on 55 minutes when Lebrun Mbeka lifted a teasing cross into the box from the right which was met by Ramshaw, but his looping header was brilliantly tipped over by Leban.
Moors were in control but just needed that moment of luck or invention to unlock the opposition defence – and it arrived on 72 minutes. Staunton’s right-wing corner was cleared partially before being worked back out to the full-back on the touchline from where he took a touch before whipped a wicked cross into the far post which totally deceived Leban and found its way directly into the top corner for 2-1.
Harris could have made the game safe eight minutes from time when Ramshaw seized on a sloppy touch from Allan to feed the front man through on goal but Leban did just enough to turn his prodded shot on goal wide.
However, there was no such luck for Farsley just afterwards when Harris returned the favour by slotting Ramshaw through on goal as the visitors were caught upfield and the midfield star tucked home his tenth league goal of the season to secure the win.
Full Time: Moors 3 Farsley Celtic 1
Moors: James, Lufudu (Ledger 87), Mbeka, Liddle, Staunton, Dolan (Ross 15), Shrimpton, Greenfield, Ramshaw, McKeown (Fletcher 65), Harris.
Subs not used: Myers, Chimalilo.
Farsley Celtic: Leban, Turner, Allan, Branson, Smith (Carroll 73), B Atkinson, C Atkinson, Evans, Coulson, Donaldson (Leverett 64), Watson (Silva 77).
Subs not used: Stevenson, Ellis.
Booked: Watson (11), B Atkinson 45), Evans (85)
Referee: Gareth Thomas
Attendance: 1,227
