​Below-par Scarborough Athletic’s home run halted by 2-1 Farsley Celtic loss

It was a scrappy game, and Celtic, who’d only scored two goals in their previous seven matches, deserved the win as Boro never got going, and Farsley’s Slovenian keeper Zan Luk Leban didn’t have a difficult save to make all game, writes Steve Adamson.

Boro had a strong wind at their backs in a poor opening 45 minutes, but it was Farsley who created the better chances, and they had the ball in the net on seven minutes, when Connor Branson tapped home following a free-kick into the box from former Boro favourite Ryan Watson, but an offside flag curtailed his celebrations.

A couple of minutes later play was halted when a Boro supporter in the Adverset Stand collapsed, and physios from both teams as well as first aid responders ran over to give assistance.

Players were called from the pitch, but play resumed after a 10-minute delay, the supporter being led away in a wheelchair, and Boro goalkeeper Joe Cracknell got down to save a long-range strike from George Smith.

Luca Colville had Boro’s first shot, which was easily gathered by Leban, then Lewis Maloney sent a free-kick into the area, and Frank Mulhern back-heeled over the bar.

Farsley’s centre-back pairing of Tom Allan and Rudy Misambo easily dealt with numerous high balls towards their area, and when they went forward, a long throw into the Boro box by Smith was headed on by Misambo to 39-year-old player-boss Clayton Donaldson, who swivelled to fire narrowly wide.

Branson headed over from a corner, then Donaldson sent a through-ball to Isaac Robinson, but Ryan Qualter got in a great tackle. Shortly before the interval Boro went close, when Curtis Durose cut in from the left, and fired just over.

The quality did improve after the break, but it was Farsley who started on top, a Watson free-kick was headed wide by Misambo, before they opened the scoring on 55 minutes.

Donaldson passed out to Silva on the left, and he played the ball across the Boro goalmouth, for Robinson to slam his shot past Cracknell.

Boro then enjoyed their best spell of the game, Michael Coulson lashed a shot over, Mulhern sent a precise pass to Kieran Weledji, who raced into the area, but his shot was blocked by Smith, before the equaliser arrived when Will Thornton sent a terrific ball forward, Mulhern held off his marker and fired in a low shot parried by Leban, but Dom Tear slotted the loose ball inside the back post, his first touch after coming off the bench.

Silva raced through for Celtic, but Cracknell brilliantly saved his shot, then Robinson had a shot deflected wide by Qualter, while at the other end, on-loan York midfielder Finlay Barnes, on home debut, set up Mulhern, who squared to Alex Wiles, whose low shot was held by Leban.

The visitors restored their lead with a scrappy goal, 13 minutes from time, as Silva found space to cleverly lob into the top corner after a Boro defensive mix-up.

Subs Tear and Wiles injected extra pace and energy as Boro exerted late pressure.

A cross-field pass from Mulhern found Alex Brown, whose shot was deflected into the side-netting by Chris Atkinson, a Maloney corner was punched off the head of Weledji by Leban, and Tear went on a mazy dribble down the left, before passing to Mulhern, who fired over.

In stoppage time both Thornton and Mulhern had efforts easily saved by Leban, as Farsley held on for the three points.

BORO - Cracknell, Weledji, Brown, Maloney, Thornton, Qualter, Purver, Coulson (Tear 63), Mulhern, Durose (Wiles 55), Colville (Barnes 63)

FARSLEY - Leban, B. Atkinson, Smith, C. Atkinson, Misambo, Allan, Robinson, Watson (Leverett 69), Donaldson (Forshaw 80), Branson, Silva

REFEREE - Zac Kennard-Kettle

GOALS - BORO - Dom Tear 65; FARSLEY - Isaac Robinson 55, Joao Silva 77

YELLOW CARDS - BORO- Kieran Weledji, Michael Ingham, Will Thornton; FARSLEY - Ryan Watson

BORO MAN OF MATCH - Ryan Qualter

ATTENDANCE - 1,461 (68 away)