Farsley Celtic (0) 0
Tonbridge Angels (0) 3 Fagg 11
New Ground: 350
Attendance: 150-ish
Admission: £3 Senior
Programme: £3
Mileage: 488/784
Farsley Celtic are based outside of Leeds, a couple of train stops to New Pudsey from the city. They play in National League North and were involved in a relegation scrap last season that went down to the last day of the season before they secured their status.
As a ground tick, The Citadel doesn’t set the pulses racing but with its seating behind one goal and the main stand, it seats around 300 people in a capacity of 4,000. But sitting on a seven acre site there is massive potential.
There are two nice bars in the clubhouse along with an outside beer garden area that on a hot day was put to good use by the travelling Tonbridge support that numbered around the 20 mark. But, apart from coming away with a healthy 3-0 win, the trip will be remembered for the hospitable welcome offered by everyone at Farsley.
The day had started early with a 6:30 am dog walk before leaving Staplehurst on the 8:20 train. The rail network behaved itself perfectly with every journey running to time, arriving back home at 11:50 pm, a long day but a worthwhile one.
The game itself was a strange affair with Farsley dominating for over an hour but were wasteful in the extreme with the chances that they were offered before folding once the Angels had taken a 70th minute lead.
Tonbridge, who were without Louis Collins (injured) and Femi Akinwande (unavailable) had a makeshift striker in the shape of Tommie Fagg whose 19th minute strike was the first real attempt on goal. In reply, almost immediately, Farsley fashioned a good chance that was squandered without troubling Jonny Henly and sadly for the hosts this became a pattern of the game.
The early part of the second half saw further chances for the home side that went begging before the Angels had their best chance when a teasing cross from Mason Saunders-Henry just evaded the head of Lewis Gard.
But, two minutes later, on 70 minutes, the Angels opened the scoring when a in-swinging corner from Ben Hermitage sailed directly into the net for his first senior goal.
If I was a Farsley Celtic supporter, given their struggles last season, what happened in those final 20 minutes would concern me greatly, because they folded like the proverbial pack of cards although Henly was forced to make his only real save of the game before good work down the left saw a close range tap-in for Saunders-Henry on 78 minutes.
The same source provided a close range header for Fagg on 82 minutes and the game was done and dusted.
A very enjoyable day, capped by a sound performance and win. Who could ask for much more from pre-season.
No comments:
Post a Comment