Match Report: U18s progress through FA Youth Cup Preliminary Round

Jared Felix’s double helped progress the U18s through the FA Youth Cup Preliminary Round, beating Brighouse Town 4-2 on Wednesday night.

Felix’s 100% goalscoring record continued into the competitive season and Karlmani Furey added the third.

Brighouse forced a nervy ending by scoring in the 84th minute but Harry Emery secured the victory in added-time.

Farsley took the lead within 4 minutes.

Abu Bah’s hard pass into Felix ahead of him looked to have been lost when the ‘keeper closed down the forward’s first-touch but the Farsley man rounded his opposition and squeezed the ball in off the near left post.

Jacob Smith’s back pass didn’t reach Toft but the ‘keepers already out and forces the forward wide, running the ball out.

The defender’s range was in just two minutes later, however, finding Jayden Roberts sprinting beyond his marker to receive the long-pass. The full-back cut inside then back onto his left but the shot from the corner of the box was blocked.

Felix came short to receive the ball and looked to have worked him self free of three surrounding defenders but instead the ref blew for a free-kick on 10 minutes.

Felix’s initial shot from the set-piece hit the wall but his rebound found and was parried by the ‘keeper with Cedric Kouemeni first to it but the ‘keeper closes his shot.

Brighouse passed in-behind on the left, cutting inside and appearing to shoot at the near post but Toft is quickly covering his post and watches it out.

A Brighouse corner from the right finds the first man but it’s a Brighouse attacker but he gets too much connection on the ball and heads wide of the post on 19 minutes.

Directly after, Felix countered down the right, knocking the ball past his marker with his pace getting him ahead of the defender before crossing to Cardoso at the near post who flicked the ball over the keeper but just over the bar, also.

Jacob then found Furey in behind on the right but his cross missed Felix’s head by a hair and the ball ran across the box to safety.

Brighouse’s equaliser came on 30 minutes from Paul Ikoe

A ball from the half-way line was chested by the centre-forward Ikoe, directing the ball into the box before passing to the left of Rhys Toft in goal.

Ikoe looked to have worked himself one on one but Jacob Smith’s sliding challenge dispossessed the forward as he prepared the shot.

Smith and Furey again linked on 38 minutes, Furey cutting across his defender but his touch was heavy forcing him further left before a sliding challenge from a defender took the ball away.

Brighouse’s Bobby Hamer knocked the ball away from Jayden Roberts on the Brighouse right and crossed which was cleared by Farsley but only behind their own goal, clearing the corner to remain the score level at half-time.

A yellow card opened the second-half just two minutes in, the hosts’ Cormac Rosza carded for a late challenge.

Bah began Farsley’s second-half control as he intercepted ahead of the attacker in the middle of the park before a Cryuff turn took him 20-yards out. He chose to pass right to Cardoso who cut inside with his quick feet supporting his idea before he was fouled on the edge of the box.

Yonas Melake’s effort deflected off the top of the wall.

Brighouse were almost gifted the lead as Emery’s clearance unfortunately deflected off a Farsley defender and ran straight into the path of a brighouse attacker on the dge of the box. There shot but was straight at Toft who smothered on the ground.

Jared Felix’s second goal was reward for his close control on 57 minutes.

Coming short again, he rounded two defenders, shifting the ball onto his left  foot before shooting low and hard into the bottom right corner.

Karlmani Furey extended the lead after another Bah interception in midfield on 69 minutes.

Bah then passed right to Furey who had loads of time on the edge of the box to control and then shoot across goal inside the left post.

Jacob Smith was yellow carded for a sliding challenge on 82 minutes with Brighouse adding their second caution two minutes later with Sam Brearley carded.

Brighouse’s second goal forced a nervy last four minutes.

Hamer beat Melake on the Brighouse left, advancing into the box before his shot was parried into Butterworth who smashed the ball in from inside the box.

The win was sealed in added-time by Harry Emery.

A free-kick from the right found Emery at the back post who’s powerful shot on target could only be pushed into the top corner by the ‘keeper.

Substitute Josh Carney almost added another before full-time, receiving a loose ball on the edge of the box before advancing into the left of the area and poking to goal but without enough power it was easily smothered by the ‘keeper.

York City are the U18s’ opponents in the first qualifying round after they received a bye against Rossington Main – date TBC