Farsley Celtic u19s were seven minutes from the 4th round of the National League u19 League Cup before an 83rd-minute 1-0 lead was cancelled out by two late goals in five minutes from Kidderminster Harriers, the Celts losing 2-1.
Jared Felix gave Farsley a 38th-minute lead which lasted until the equaliser with seven minutes remaining before Kidderminster’s winner was scored with two minutes of normal time to play.
Jacob Smith was the only introduction into Farsley’s starting XI from last Wednesday whilst Modou Bojang was named in his first competitive matchday squad this season, following injury.
Felix was denied within the first 3 minutes thanks to the speed of Wilfred Frimpong down the left to beat the Kidderminster Harriers’ right-back to the pass towards the hosts’ goal line. His low cross ended at Felix’s feet inside the box whose shot was blocked, deflecting for a corner.
Smith’s introduction in the centre of Farsley’s defence proved important already by 15 minutes played, Kidderminster crossing several times from the right but Smith heading clear every time.
The hosts did collect one clearance from the centre-back, however, a minute later, slicing a shot from the edge of the box, wide of the right-hand post.
Farsley’s fast attacking approach continued but a number of times Louis Fialdini wasn’t able to take the ball under control following direct passes from deep, into the lone centre-forward.
Fast, passing football turned possession into a chance down the right for Kidderminster but the cross on 18 minutes was once again dealt with by Smith.
Immediately Farsley launched the ball forward into attack, utilising the aerial presence of Flavio Tomas to flick-on the long pass forward, into Fialdini but the flag denied the forward for the second time.
Farsley cleared off their own line via TJ Kongolo on 21 minutes. The host’s throw-in from the left is flicked-on at the near post, cleared by Kongolo with Kidderminster getting a second attempt but it’s straight at ‘keeper Jamie Cosway.
Frimpong looked to be in on goal down the left after Farsley had retaken possession in an advanced position but around the box, 25 minutes in, Farsley’s winger chose to square a pass to his right – which was intercepted.
Jared Felix needed no second chance to open the scoring on 38 minutes.
Running beyond his forward to collect a pass, the midfielder now one-on-one, calmly passed under the ‘keeper’s attempted save on the edge of his box.
The Harriers went close to levelling, several inches, the ball flying narrowly over the near right post. The hosts rewon possession on the edge of Farsley’s box, the forward pushing the ball onto his right before shooting over.
Then Cosway denied an equaliser in first-half added-time following a deep free-kick from the right aimed over Farsley’s defensive line and onto the toe of a Kidderminster attacker poking to goal but it’s straight at the Farsley ‘keeper to save.
Felix is the forward running down the Farsley left this time on 49 minutes, away from the chasing Kidderminster defenders. He and Frimpong had rotated roles on this occasion and the cross right, to the edge of the box, was met by Frimpong’s shot, saved by the ‘keeper and Fialdini couldn’t get to the rebound before the defender cleared.
Kidderminster’s free-kick from the edge of the box, 61 minutes played, was curled over the wall, left-footed, curling into the middle of the goal with Cosway waiting to collect.
Tomas’ aeriel threat to knock a corner delivery from the right, back into the box, is almost turned in acrobatically by Fialdini, his back to goal, turning 180 degrees and poking the ball just wide of the left-hand post.
Kidderminster went very close with a header themselves only several minutes later, from as close as the 6-yard box, but again it’s straight at Cosway.
The hosts, with possession on the edge of Farsley’s box on 78 minutes, then chipped a pass over the Farsley defence, narrowly too heavy for the forward, the ball bouncing into Cosway’s arms, pulled in tight to his chest.
But Farlsey couldn;t hold onto their lead any longer than the 83rd-minute. A pass from the Kidderminster left is controlled 20-yards out with space in front of the receiver. The shot that followed was again at Cosway but too powerful for him to have a chance at stopping it before it flew over his top and under the bar.
And the Kidderminster winner that followed completed a 5-minute turnaround of result, in favour of the hosts. What can only be described as a cross, deep from the right touchline, rose high over Cosway, Farsley fingers crossed with the ball appearing to dip over the bar, but it dropped into the far, top corner.
With Farsley’s league cup run ended, Hartlepool on the hosts of Farsley’s third away trip in three weeks, travelling north next Wednesday, 1st December.