A week prior, The Celts experienced a disheartening defeat against the bottom-placed Darlington.
Fast forward a week, with two triumphs under their belt, the atmosphere surrounding the club has taken a positive turn. Following a crucial 2-0 triumph against Boston United at The Citadel on Tuesday, The Celts, having fallen behind, staged a comeback to defeat the highly-regarded Buxton on their own turf.
The well-deserved win marked The Celts’ achievement of consecutive victories in the National League North for the first time since overcoming Curzon Ashton and Leamington in March 2022.
Goals from Darren Stephenson and Ryan Watson orchestrated The Celts’ comeback. The match concluded with both teams reduced to ten men, as Conor Branson received a late red card following a second yellow.
Farsley made a bright start, and Branson came close to scoring in the eighth minute, almost connecting with a through ball. However, Buxton’s goalkeeper Max Dearnley made a crucial block. Shortly after, Branson unleashed a 30-yard drive directly at the former Farsley stopper.
Farsley suffered an early blow with the injury-enforced departure of defender Tom Allan. Soon after, Buxton was controversially awarded a penalty for a high foot from a Farsley defender. Diego De Girolamo converted the penalty, sending the home side into the lead.
Despite the setback, Farsley persisted and had an unfortunate miss when Clayton Donaldson’s lob beat Dearnley but struck the bar. Substitute Dylan Youmbi failed to convert the rebound.
The game’s dynamics changed with two goals in two minutes just before halftime. In the 43rd minute, Darren Stephenson skillfully flicked the ball into the net to level the score. Two minutes later, the influential Ryan Watson unleashed an unstoppable drive from just outside the box, securing the lead for Farsley.
The second half began slowly until De Girolamo of Buxton received a straight red card on 53 minutes for an apparent elbow aimed at Farsley defender Rudi Misambo.
Both teams had opportunities from distance in the second half, but neither goalkeeper faced significant challenges.
With only ten minutes remaining, Farsley’s goalkeeper Leban fumbled a 25-yard free-kick. However, as Buxton attackers prepared to equalise, the linesman’s flag came to Farsley’s rescue. Leban then made a superb save from a long drive to preserve The Celts’ lead.
Despite Conor Branson receiving his marching orders with just two minutes left, Farsley successfully navigated the final moments of the game. The back-to-back victories have boosted The Celts’ morale as they prepare for another challenging away fixture on Tuesday night, this time against Southport.
