Louis Fialdini’s 40-yard strike into the top left corner was the money shot as the U19s knocked out Frickley Athletic in the league cup.
Flavio Tomas and Fialdini both hit the net twice at the Phoenix Sports Club on Wednesday, Tomas benefitting from the rebound from Fialdini’s missed penalty.
Ben Quartey, Bubacar Bah and Jared Felix all joined the starting line-up while Ollie Clarkson, Moussa Sidibe and Wilfred Frimpong were all absent.
Fialdini had the first chance of the match in the 3rd minute, running onto a poor back pass after he had initially pressed the defence, his left-footed shot finishing wide of the near post.
But Frickley opened the scoring from a fortunately placed loose ball in the 16th minute.
Farsley initially blocked the shot to Westcarr’s goal but with the ball dropping to Frickley on the edge of the 6-yard box, all it needed was a toe-poke past the ‘keeper’s left.
Farsley were playing controlling possession football and maintaining the ball and bodies in the host’s half but Frickley were also threatening on the counter.
A direct ball was put over and behind left full-back Jaden Roberts into a Frickley runner on 26 minutes. The ball was initially cut back to the edge of the box but with the receiver’s shot path blocked, he was forced to pass to the right again. The second forward cut inside and followed with a hard shot at the bottom near post but Westcarr was down quick to deny a Frickley second.
Amari Smith then hit the post as Farsley collected a loose Frickley squared pass in the hosts’ own half. Farsley were three on two with Felix running towards the edge of the box. Fialdini was to his left but marked so Smith on the right was free. Receiving the pass, Smith continued wide on the right with Felix and Fialdini now in the box. But Smith went for goal, the near post, denied only by the framework.
Tomas equalised with a header following a corner in the 32nd minute.
A corner from the left dropped into the crowd on the penalty spot, the ball being diverted in the net and Tomas escaping in celebration.
His second was assisted by Fialdini’s penalty miss.
Fialdini’s spot kick was low, to the left but parried, Tomas reaching the ball first to put under the scrambling ‘keeper at his near post.
Jacob Smith hit the bar after a free-kick from the right was flicked onto the captain from the near post. He then poked the bouncing ball goalward but it kept rising, dropping on top of the bar.
And Frickley benefitted further with their equaliser with the final kick of the half.
A cross from the left was diverted past Westcarr from inside the centre of the box.
A second Farsley penalty came within 5 minutes of the second half, a late challenge giving Fialdini a second chance to open his scoring from the spot.
The ‘keeper had no chance this time, Fialdini smashing into the top left corner and restoring Farsley’s lead.
Farsley’s possession meant Jared Felix was able to create space in advanced areas, in front of the Frickley defence, managing three threatening shots at goal.
His first came on 56 minutes after he skipped past one through the centre of the pitch. Fialdini was passed in on goal but with the forward’s shot blocked, Felix’s continued run saw him recollect the loose ball in the right of the box and had two attempts at goal, both also blocked.
His second began with his back to goal but turning 180 degrees round the marker too tight to the Farsley forward, his left-footed shot resulted in being too powerful, over the near left post.
The third, in the 82nd minute, saw him with space 20-yards out. He attempted a placed effort towards the far right post but a Frickley defender blocked, deflecting it wide.
Smith met the corner delivery at the far post but was stretching and could only glance the header wide.
Only twenty players completed the match, one from each side being sent off after a free-kick to Farsley saw a reaction which involved punches thrown. Jacob Smith, while the referee admitted the defender only reacted to the incident, was controversially dismissed for the Celts.
Fialdini’s 40-yard strike into the same top corner his penalty found took the rest of the players out of the equation anyway.
The forward arrowed a free-kick, right-footed, across his body and the ‘keeper into the top left corner, mobbed shortly after by all his team-mates including ‘keeper Westcarr.
The full-time whistle was blown merely as a formality a few minutes later with the U19s now preparing for their next opponent in the next round of League Cup.