21 Jan 2012 v Farsley

21 Jan 2012

Farsley 0 : Town 1

Bumper start sees Town get the Three Points

Town travelled to promotion chasing Farsley FC, looking to make amends for their 5-2 home defeat earlier in the season, on a day when a strong gale blew from end to end of Farsley's Throstle Nest ground, a wind so strong, it blew the bumper off the Town coach on the way to the match.

With a strong wind at their backs in the first half, Town made much of the early play, with striker Lee Madin shooting across the face of the goal early on.

The home side looked dangerous early on, but time and again were denied by the offside flag by the assistant referee. Town took the lead in a slightly fortuitous manner in the 10th minute, when left back Matty Cross swung a corner into the box, which deceived everyone and found its way past the home sides Italian goalkeeper Antoni Pecora and into the net.

What could have been the crucial incident of the game occured soon after when Town goalkeeper Chris Oldfield rushed from his goal to clear a dangerous throughball before striker Gareth Grant could reach the ball, only to clatter into the striker and injure his ankle in the process. Despite treatment Oldfield appeared to be severely incapacitated and many Town fans feared the worse, having lost keeper Paul Pritchard early on to an achilles injury in the corresponding game at Cantilever Park. Despite his injury, Oldfield saved well at his near post from a low drive by midfielder Simeon Bambrook and from the resultant corner defender River Humphreys was in the right place to head Bambrook's corner off the line.

After the initial storm from the home side, Town began to get back into the game, winger Allan Collins seeing his rising drive headed narrowly wide by striker Anthony Hickey. With the wind at their backs, Town pushed forward looking for a second goal, with Hickey seeing his shot blocked before midfielder Nick Jackson saw his curling free kick well saved by Pecora. Despite Oldfield's immobility, the home side failed to test the injury due to a defence well marshalled by captain Tom Hardwick. The last chance of the half fell to full back Cross, who saw his free kick fly wide of the upright.

Second Half

This time with the wind at their backs, the home side began to push forward and Town were somewhat fortunate early on, to see centre half River Humphreys stay on the pitch, after a foul on winger Adam Muller.

Soon after winger Dominic Krief saw his inswinging corner fly across the face of the goal with any number of onrushing players unable to get a touch. Just a minute later, Town went close to extending their lead, Hickey blocking Pecora's clearance at close range and with the goalkeeper lying incapacitated, Cross saw his long range effort hold up in the wind and fall agonisingly short of the goal, allowing the retreating defence to clear.

Just before the hour, the home side took advantage of the wind, pumping the ball into the box, and from the resulting scramble, Oldfield saved well from Grant.

With just over 20 minutes to go, Town went close to extending their lead when Hamid saw his dipping half volley swerve and dip to finish narrowly over the bar.

With a quarter of an hour to go, Krief picked up the ball, and after a jinking run, saw his shot go across the face of Oldfield's goal once again, before Hardwick was in the right place to head off the line, as the home side began to pile the pressure on the Town goal in search of an equaliser.

With the home side pushing forward, space was left in behind, and Town almost exposed this when Hickey saw his shot go wide of the upright after running from inside his own half with the ball. Once again Town went close soon after when Madin broke, only to see his cross missed by the on-rushing Hickey.

On the stroke of full time, Farsley went close to equalising when substitute David Stead saw his corner strike the far post, and in the resulting scramble somehow manage to shoot straight at Oldfield, have another shot blocked before full back Mike Duffy was in the right place to clear the ball away from the danger area. Try as they might, the home side could not find a way through and Town held on for an unexpected but hard earned three points

Town: Oldfield, Duffy, Cross, Humphreys, T Hardwick (c), Hamid, Collins (R Hardwick, 90), Jackson (Wright, 78), Madin (Thompson, 85), Hickey, Shipton.