U23s qualify in second after final-day defeat.

Emley 5-1 U23s,

Fanastic Media Welfare Ground,

Monday, 10th April, 7:45pm kick-off.

The U23s were overtaken into top spot by Emley in a final-day defeat to the new Group leaders – 5-1.

Reggie Waud scored his sixth goal in four starts in the competition as Farsley’s only consolation.

The Celts still qualified for the quarter-finals of the West Riding FA U23s Senior Cup, in second place, with Hemsworth Miners forfeiting the match which was arranged for Wednesday.

Emley’s first chance came on 2 minutes. The forward flicked the ball over Maywand and to his right, inside the box before mis-hitting his shot over and wide of the right post.

Their second came on 14 minutes, a cross from the right which went all the way to the back post but the attacker couldn’t control his header, falling back and firing wide of the left post.

Emley’s third chance gave them the lead.

The left full-back’s diagonal pass, on 17 minutes, went behind the Farsley defence into the striker inside the right of the box. His first touch was poor, leaving the ball to run wide and his second was a shot across goal, pushed round the post by Rhys Toft.

The resulting corner was met at the penalty spot and glanced inside the far, right post.

Emley attacked again on 25 minutes, a misplaced pass by Adam Maywand allowed Emley to advance three vs two. A one-two with a team-mate led to the forward receiving the ball back inside the right of the box before shooting across goal and against the left post, rebounding out.

Emley doubled their lead two minutes later.

A delivery from the opposite corner, the ball again found an attacker on the penalty spot, this time diverted inside the far post with a boot.

Emley’s throw-in from the left, on 34 minutes, was taken short, and with space, 35-yards out, curled a shot towards the far post which was dipping under the bar until Toft tipped the ball over.

Again, the resulting corner found an Emley attacker, again aimed at the far post but this time Toft saved low.

Emley also had the final dangerous chance of the half, on 36 minutes, a cross from the right down the ‘corridor’ was met at the far post, a first-time shot placed at the back post but Toft tipped wide.

The U23s first chance came four minutes after the break. A deep free-kick from the left was flicked to goal by Waud, saved but the flag was raised anyway.

Waud threatened again on the hour. A free-kick from 25-yards out was curled to the right but ended over the bar.

Emley replied three minutes later by getting their third

A long-ball forward down the left-wing was collected by their attacker. His cut inside alongside Jake Bayram’s slip advanced the forward into the box before shooting hard and under Toft.

Moussa Sidibe was introduced on 64 minutes and it took him just six to hit the target.

Inside the left of the box, he shot low and hard at the near post but it appeared he mishit the effort leaving it easy for the ‘keeper.

Emley threatened down the left again on 75 minutes, the forward running at pace and shooting quickly outside the box but hooking the ball wide of the near post.

Emley’s fourth came on 78 minutes.

The initial shot from the edge of the box was blocked but the ball deflected left into a team-mate inside the box. He chopped onto his left foot, beating Seth, moving one-on-one with the ‘keeper. Toft closed down the forward but he chipped it over the ‘keeper.

Emley went close again on 80 minutes, a curling shot, central on the edge of the box, just over the right-hand post.

Reggie Waud scored the U23s consolation goal on 82 minutes.

From close range, he powered the ball too hard for the ‘keeper to have any chance of stopping it.

Farsley went close again on 85 minutes, Waud flicking a long-ball into the path of the advancing Louis Fialdini. He found substitute Masuku to his right with a pass between centre-halves. The forward, inside the box, didn’t get enough power behind his shot and it was easily saved.

With Masuku’s introduction changing Farsley to a front 3, Emley countered to get their fifth and final goal on 86 minutes.

Inside the left of the box, Toft came out to meet a forward one-on-one but he cut the ball back, central, to a team-mate who had an open-net to score.

Waud had the final chance of the game on 87 minutes, curling from the edge of the box, wide of the far right post.

The U23s have still qualified for the Quarter-finals, in second place, as their match against Hemsworth Miners, arranged for Wednesday, 12th April has been forfeited by the opponents.

Instead, Farsley await to see who their knock-out opponents will be and a date for the fixture is yet to be confirmed.