Farsley Celtic 0-2 Boston United
Vanarama National League North
Saturday 7th May 2022
It’s 88 minutes into the final game of the season!
There’s an eerie and foreboding sense of desperation around The Citadel with Farsley Celtic staring down the barrel of relegation from the National League North.
The Celts are trailing 2-0 to Boston United and the game is pretty much done. Telford United are drawing 1-1 at home against York City. Guiseley are winning 1-0 away at Alfreton Town.
It’s looking ominous. A miracle is needed from somewhere and the scattering of jubilant Boston fans sat in and amongst the locals in the Main Stand; happy their own team are gatecrashing the Play-Offs, are almost trying to be polite and respectful with their muted happiness.
The Northern Premier League is looming large at this point for Russ Wilcox's men.
And then, in a single instant out of absolutely nowhere, everything changes and the emotions become the polar opposite to what they are.
A MASSIVE roar erupts behind the goal where most Farsley fans are situated; an outpouring of sheer euphoria and delighted met by a few spookish glances of hopefulness from players in green and white shirts towards their dugout follows.
‘What the f**k is going on?’
News suddenly filters through. Matt Rhead (once managed by Boston gaffer Paul Cox) has equalised in the 88th minute for Alfreton and Guiseley are now in the relegation zone. Farsley are safe and there's only minutes to go until the final whistle.
Sporadic chants of 'ALFRETON' and 'GUISELEY'S GOING DOWN!' follow before the full-time whistle is blown. The season is over; only it isn't over, because both teams are huddled together separately and waiting on results elsewhere which will decide their fate with Boston just as keen to hear how Kettering Town have got on away at Curzon Ashton.
And THEN the celebrations begin as word filters through that Alfreton have scored again in injury-time. There's no coming back now for Guiseley as jubilant Farsley fans invade the pitch to celebrate with a group of players who've pulled off a miracle and saved the club from relegation. It's pandemonium.
The whole season is encapsulated in that moment; the triumph, the joy, the unadulterated feeling of achievement and memories which every player, and supporter, will remember for years to come. It might not be Manchester City, it might not be Sergio Aguero, but it feels the same.
The passion is infectious and these are the moments which make football worth it. It's a world away from the everyday rigmarole and ground in the football world; the rejections (which feel personal), the despair, the sense of hopelessness after every defeat, the frustrations, the worries, the b*llockings and moments of self-doubt when things aren't going right.
This is different; it means something and in this moment, that sense of accomplishment (having created memories for people to remember forever) is worth it for each and every player.
As the 'Great Escape' plays aloud over the PA system, there's an outpouring of joy at the other end of the pitch too. It's over in Greater Manchester, and although Kettering Town have leveled things up in injury-time against Curzon, they haven't managed to snatch a last-gasp win and it means Boston leapfrog them into the Play-Offs, with a trip to Kidderminster Harriers now awaiting them next week.
The scenes continued long after the full-time whistle (and the party probably carried on long into the night for a few folk in West Yorkshire too) but this day WILL be remembered at Farsley Celtic.
When Russ Wilcox took charge at The Citadel, they were down and amongst the dead man. The suggestion of a turnaround seemed laughable and with little in the way of resources to rebuild, plus with Guiseley, Telford, Blyth, Gloucester and a few others putting results together at that point, it seemed more a case of 'when' and not 'if' Farsley would be relegated.
But Mr Wilcox is a wily old gaffer. He's been around the block. He knows his players. He knows what characteristics are needed to create a positive environment and this group clearly never stopped believing in themselves and looking at the end goal.
Good coaching, work on out-of-possession shape (evident even from just seeing the past two games), being more disciplined in specific areas of the pitch and, above all, good recruitment of good youngsters with fantastic attitudes such as Jacob Gratton, Jerome Greaves, David Robson and Harry Jessop (despite the fact he only played three minutes at Curzon before being ruled out through injury) to compliment the experienced heads in the team who've been there and in it for the long haul this campaign, gave Farsley a fighting chance. It gave them hope when, previously, all hope might have been lost!
The game itself with Boston, played on such a hard, dry and bobbly pitch that it most definitely works to the hosts' advantage, swung back and forth. As anticipated, it was a physical contest and an absolute scrap; second balls being even more vital than the numerous long balls and set-pieces.
Having spurned a few good chances early on, Boston took the lead through Jake Wright shortly before the half-time interval when he was afforded time to spin inside the box and smash his resulting shot beyond the on loan David Robson. That goal put the cat amongst the pigeons in the Pilgrims' battle to reach the Play-Offs ahead of Kettering Town (still 0-0 at Curzon at this point) and simultaneously raised the anxiety levels amongst the Farsley faithful who knew fine well they were now treading the proverbial tightrope.
That anxiety didn't subside when, despite an aggressive start to the second half by Farsley during which they were on the front foot and had Boston penned in for a short time, news filtered through from Derbyshire that Guiseley had taken the lead against Alfreton. With Telford also beating York thanks to Keaton Ward's early opener, everyone was totally aware what the scores across the division meant now.
Something had to change and Wilcox threw caution to the wind in attempting to force that change.
Luke Parkin unleashed a powerful drive straight down the neck of Marcus Dewhurst which was handled well by the Boston 'keeper. Frankie Mulhern whistled a free-kick just inches wide of the right-hand post; agonising! Jerome Greaves' header looped and looped amidst glances of desperation; it landed on the roof of the net as opposed to in the net. Kennedy Digie saw the ball drop to him inside the area; he swiveled and shot. The ball went over!
The equaliser would just not come despite the kitchen sink having took up residence in Boston's goalmouth and then the sucker-punch into the guts was fired home at the other end when Danny Elliot made it 2-0 with a near-post finish.
With that second goal came the chastening, grim and dark realisation that relegation was looming. It really was now a 'Sweet Disposition' with a reckless abandon and desperation. The pangs of fear, dread and anxiety felt greater and more intense than ever before. This game (theoretically at least) was over now as a contest. It was out of Farsley's hands and something was needed from elsewhere.
Step forward at that point, Alfreton's Matt Rhead. He put the ball past Guiseley 'keeper Owen Mason at North Street to make it 1-1 and ignite the jubilation in the 88th minute. That's when things changed and in amongst the swirling volatile whirlwind of emotions, that news had only just sunk in by the time Yusifu Ceesay scored a second goal to put Alfreton ahead in injury-time.
That was it; that was safety and another season of National League North football accomplished.
Farsley's smiles will span the length of the M62 for several days to come and they'll be hoping now that is just the first step in the right direction in the Russ Wilcox revolution.
Mission (Number One) Accomplished!
