By Emily Anderson
A superb away win for Town on Tuesday night as they headed to west Leeds and thanks to skipper Leon Henry with a late second half goal beat the former Conference club.
Pleased Town manager Paul Quinn said: “It was an excellent performance, fantastic! It was frustrating at half time as we had created plenty of chances and not put any in the net”.
Commenting on the disallowed `goal' from a thunderbolt Ryan Hall first half shot that hit the underside of the crossbar and came back down, Quinn continued: “Leon (Henry) and Ryan (Hall) were closest and they said it didn’t go over."
After the loss at home a week last Monday to Ossett Town , Quinn said he had asked the lads to step up, which they had done with the win over Harrogate Railway Athletic and again at Farsley. “I thought James (Pollard) responded so well after being on the subs bench till late on Saturday, and he was outstanding. We had two central mid-fielders both 18 years of age out there tonight and they both deserve credit.”
Missing from the side was Danny Facey who had family commitments in London and Chris Fisher whose two match ban isn't due to start until next Monday but was unavailable due to injury. The repercussions of a dead leg causing swelling and the club physio wants to check it is not cruciate damage.
Dan Illingworth is also back from his long overseas trek and available to play in Saturday's home FA Cup game but is unlikely to be picked, revealed the manager, until he has got up to speed.
Farsley piled on the pressure from the off and had three near misses in the first five minutes, testing Town keeper Paul Hagreen.
Town were given a free kick on the half way line on nine minutes, fullback Matthew Stor swung the ball to the right of the box and Ernest Boafo headed the ball in for Leon Henry but his resulting shot was high and into the bread basket of the Farsley and ex-Brighouse Town keeper Thomas Taylor.
Town were denied a goal in the 16th minute with that quick-fire shot from Hall that hit the crossbar and the post and looked to have gone over the line but the referee waved for no goal.
Three minutes later and Hall cut through the Farsley defence like a knife through butter from 35yards down the pitch before taking a shot on target but it went just a foot wide of the post.
Another attempt came from Town in the 31st minute with a shot from 20 yards out from James Pollard, and a quick second attempt was followed up by Boafo.
Two minutes later and Farsley responded with a pass from Neil Stevens setting up Robbie O'Brien; he took the ball with in a few feet of the net but surprisingly sent the ball wide of the goal.
Hall made another last ditch attempt with 30 seconds remaining of the first half but Taylor just got to his hands to the ball and cleared the danger.
It was in at the break 0-0 and all still to play for!
The rain came in at the start of the second half making for greasy conditions but the end-to- end action continued. Both teams were looking for breaks and tested both keepers.
In the 58th minute Town were awarded a free kick from 40 yards out for shirt pulling. Pollard took the ball and swung it to the left of the goal and Farsley's James Riley just headed the ball away. In the 63rd minute Lewis Nightingale, who was having a superb game for the home side, took the ball and went head on with Hagreen but he just managed to snuff out the opportunity.
Town were awarded a free kick in the 70th minute from just over 20 yards out, Pollard took the shot again and was unlucky as the keeper was beaten for pace on the ball and saved with his chest.
Fresh legs came on to the field in the 72nd minute for Town, with Steve Hollingworth being replaced by Kurt Harris. Three minute later Farsley had a free kick, taken by Nightingale, and it was on target but it didn't beat the impressive Hagreen.
Town went one up in the 77th minute with a corner from Tom Haigh, which came in low and hard and Henry inside a crowded six yard box prodded home. Town followed up with a near miss from Harris with a superb ball from man of the match Hall. With four minutes to go Boafo was replaced by returning from injury Adam Wilson.
The referee gave four minutes of added time but Town held on to secure a great win.
Brighouse: Hagreen, Thornton , Storr, Hewitt, Field, Pollard, Hall, Haigh, Boafo, Hollingworth,Henry. Subs; Wilson , Stead, Baldwin, Harris, Scully. Referee Ken Haycock