Eloi Nyom’s 6ft 5in frame proved the advantage as the u18s’ two headed goals following corners seperated the sides as Farsley Celtic beat Handsworth 3-1 in the FA Youth Cup Extra Preliminary Round on Wednesday evening.
Chayse Sewell restored the lead by repeating Nyom’s header after Nathan Metcalfe had rounded the Farsley defence before finishing, to equalise.
The win was secured only in added-time by Mikey Beaumont’s composure one-on-one.
First-year ‘keeper Charlie Greaves rescued the Celts’ clean-sheet in a one-on-one against Metcalfe in an open match.
Farsley’s early control of possession allowed Handsworth space in-behind down the left.
Metcalfe’s flicked header in the centre of the Celts box doesn’t have enough connection to guide it goalwards after the cross from the left.
Greaves was needed, rather than tested, minutes later, however, with a Handsworth free-kick from 20-yards curled straight into his arms.
A well-planned Farsley free-kick played Amari Smith into the box, down the right, from Josh Carney’s pass on nine minutes. Smith’s first-time drilled cross is met first by a host defender and cleared from the back post.
Another set-piece almost had the hosts in front on 11 minutes. Leo Higgin’s first-time volley back across goal at the far right-hand post, behind the Celts defence, was inches over the bar.
Shawnee Eddy looked intent on turning onto his left-foot but the defender wasn’t keen. The ref was just as unimpressed about the tackle and awarded a free-kick, 30-yards out.
Later, Eddy returned the ball onto Carney’s left-foot to shoot from the edge of the box but it appears he’s have favoured it on his opposite side, from the wide finish.
After Andrew Grainger’s earlier shot at goal from range, fellow centre-half Richy Bamba advanced with the ball to the edge of the box. He continuously glanced at goal but decided to pass left under a challenge and the ball is eventually cleared from Andrew Fyfield for a Farsley throw.
Eddy, attempting to get onto his left-foot once more, went to utilise the good work so far of RJ Singh’s hold-up play and played a one-two with his forward but a rare misplaced pass from the striker was intercepted.
Greaves got Chayse Sewell out of trouble on twenty-five minutes.
The centre-half is indecisive in possession running back to goal and is intercepted by Metcalfe before Greaves smothered the ball at the forward’s feet.
Excellent recovery from Bamba sees him regain yards on Higgins after a lay-off from Metcalfe looks to put the forward one-on-one with the ‘keeper.
Grainger this time, minutes later, cleverly timed his tackle on Metcalfe’s first-touch on the edge of the Celt’s box after a cut back from the right.
The two sides were separated finally, into half-time, by the matter of a couple of inches of Nyom’s sizable frame, heading in at the far post on 40 minutes.
The corner from the left bea everybody including the stretching ‘keeper’s hand and is buried at the back post before Nyom races away with his arm raised, the ball hitting Carney suspiciously close to the goal-line.
Eddy and Singh had time to combine again before the break, moving the ball from left to right and continuing it onto Smith’s run into the box. His first-time drilled cross was ahead of everybody.
There was almost a repeat of the opening goal before the pause in play as Grainger’s corner found Nyom again. This time it’s headed wide, back across goal but is deflected to goal again to worry Handsworth once more before it’s cleared.
A deep Zak Longley free-kick was flicked to goal by one of the crowd at the far left-hand post and only narrowly wide.
Bamba again proved he’s comfortable by the other box and found Roberts on the edge of the area. The recipient had time to turn inside a shoot right-footed, wide of the far post.
Grainger was on the cover again with Higgins behind the Farsley defence and pacing into the box.
The defender’s unable to stop the equaliser, however, as Metcalfe ran around the back of the Farsley defence, into the left of the box before placing, right-footed, into the far side netting.
Handsworth almost repeat the favour by heading in from a corner themselves but the attacker can’t get far enough over the ball.
Changes were necessary, according to Farsley manager Jake Boyd, with Kieran Murthoo-Williams and Mikey Beaumont replacing RJ Singh and Shawnee Eddy in attack after an hour played.
Greaves was at full-stretch on 65 minutes to deny Metcalfe’s half-volley across goal and tip round his right-hand post.
Again Handsworth go close from a corner, a looping header back across goal lacking enough accuracy, floating over.
Sam Ali’s introduction finalised a complete change of Farsley’s front three, replacing Jaden Roberts with 17 minutes remaining.
The difference coincided the change when Farsley retook the lead as Sewell benefitted from a loose aerial ball in the box and powered his header to the left of the ‘keeper.
The initial corner wasn’t defended out of the Handsworth box with the attempted clearance lofted into the air. Sewell was placed perfectly under the sinking ball, by the penalty spot, to head in.
And time was remaining for the lead to be extended by Mikey Beaumont, one-on-one in added-time.
Josh Carney’s splitting pass, from the centre-circle, through the two Handsworth centre-halves, ran into Beaumont’s well-timed run.
In on goal and having reached the box, Beaumont’s pressured finish found the bottom right-hand corner with a slight touch from the ‘keeper’s hand. The next round leads to the visit of Stocksbridge Park Steelers to The Citadel on Monday, 29th August, with an initially arranged 7pm kick-off (subject to change).