Darlington 1-1 Farsley Celtic

Darlington 1-1 Farsley Celtic

National League North

Monday 2nd May 2022

If Guiseley hadn't scored late on to beat Spennymoor Town, this hard-earned point would have been enough to maintain Farsley's place in the National League North for another 12 months.

Instead, that result at Nethermoor means nothing is yet guaranteed - although Farsley's destiny remains in their own hands going into what should be a dramatic final day.

Russ Wilcox's team host Boston United (who MUST realistically win to keep alive their Play-Off hopes), Guiseley (two points worse off than Farsley) travel to Alfreton Town (who MUST also win to have any chance of gatecrashing the Play-Offs) and AFC Telford United (languishing a point below Farsley) host York City (who need to win to try and guarantee themselves a home game in the Play-Offs).

There's so many permutations about what could or couldn't happen but come Saturday things will crank up by more than a few notches and the pressure and expectations will become a reality. It's a scenario for all the players involved to absolutely relish and much more exciting than 'dead rubber' games like quite a few others will be elsewhere this weekend.

Since taking the reigns at Throstle Nest in February, Russ Wilcox has done a terrific job and if he can keep Farsley in the National League North then it'll be nothing short of a miracle.

At the time of his arrival, they were on the fast-track to relegation, stuck at the bottom and appearing to be 'no hopers' with their relegation rivals putting results together whilst they lurched from one game to the next without ever really increasing their points tally.

Since then, Wilcox has overseen an upturn in fortunes with key victories over Kidderminster Harriers, Guiseley (which was a massive six-pointer) and most recently Southport - adding to his squad with decent loan signings in the process despite not having grandiose resources like many others at this level.

In this game with Darlington, despite being second-best in a footballing sense to a good technical team who moved the ball about with purpose, it was Farsley's battling qualities and their grit and endeavour which got them a point and it could yet prove to be the difference between survival and relegation; particularly when you consider their -39 goal difference is the worst in the division and they'd finish lower than any time they might get the same points as.

Although Darlo's Play-Off aspirations recently went up in smoke after a surprise defeat to Curzon Ashton, the hosts put in a performance in this game which was more than just going through the motions. Jack Lambert made some decent contributions with his direct attacking style, pace and trickery and he was instrumental in the opener with a disguised pass through to Junior Mondal who saw his effort saved only for Tyrone O'Neill to follow up on the rebound and put the ball past David Robson.

At this point, Farsley ought to have been worried - perhaps not 'quaking' as Darlington sometimes struggled with their final ball but it's fair to say they were on top and looking more likely to add a second. The hosts almost did just that when Adriano Moke put a close-range header on target that required a goal-line clearance by a visiting defender but on the stroke of half-time, Farsley centre-back Kennedy Digie turned the game on it's head with an equaliser after he wasn't properly picked up at a corner which allowed him to plant a firm header beyond Tommy Taylor.

A point was far more precious to Farsley than it was Darlo and, surprisingly in the second half, it was the West Yorkshire outfit who fashioned out some of the best chances to grab all three points. 

Jerome Greaves (on loan from Rotherham United) went close with a follow-up from a curling cross-shot which bamboozled the home 'keeper and actually clipped the post before it dropped in the edge of the six-yard box. Farsley's other player who they've borrowed from the New York Stadium, Jacob Gratton (right-footed but playing on the left-wing), also went close with a low drive which Robson palmed away before the ball was desperately hooked away to safety.

At the other end, Lambert was involved in two crucial moments just shy of the hour mark; the first being when he opted to pass rather than shoot (despite the angle to unleash an effort opening up for him) in an attack which eventually fizzled out before he cut inside from an angle tight to the byline just a minute or so later and hammered a shot goalwards which required a fingertip save by Robson.

Mondal also went close from a free-kick and as the game became stretched late on (at which point Farsley were happy to hold on for a precious point), Nathan Lowe went close from range, whilst Kevin Dos Santos and Lambert were denied during a lengthy amount of injury-time where the referee seemed to want to do anything but blow his whistle.

Many of the Farsley players dropped to the knees through exhaustation when the whistle was blown to signal full-time; two games in the space of three days evidently having an effect, but they can be proud of the effort levels they put in to hold their own and grind out a point.

Jacob Gratton, who I've seen play before for Rotherham's youth and reserve teams, put in an excellent shift; constantly being up and down the pitch and heavily involved in a lot of play (especially in two instances late on where he 'bust a gut' to get back and get in a recovery position to stop a counter-attack). He must have easily covered 12-13k distance over the course of the 90 minutes which is good going. Jimmy Spencer also grew into the game as it progressed, Frankie Mulhern was good in the attack and Kennedy Digie can take comfort from his important equaliser which came at such a crucial time.

Farsley's opponents on Saturday are Boston United and they dropped out of the Play-Off positions at the expense of Kettering Town in the 94th minute on Bank Holiday Monday, so with plenty riding on the result at Throstle Nest on Saturday, it could be an absolute belter.