FA Trophy: Frustrated Farsley have it all to do again on Tuesday night

Farsley twice had to come from a goal down to force the replay, though the Yorkshiremen will feel hard-done-by as they also had a goal ruled out.

Frustrated manager, Adam Lakeland, said: “I’ve spoken to four different people now, and no, I still don’t know what’s going on.

“It’s embarrassing, embarrassing refereeing, and I think it’s costly for us.

“I felt we deserved to go through to be honest, and now we’ve got to go back there on Tuesday and it’s going to be a completely different game.

“They’re now big favourites, I would say, and it’s frustrating.”

Lakeland was, however, happy enough with Farsley’s overall performance: “I felt my players were outstanding.

“I really do feel like we’ve been very unfortunate not to have progressed, but I cannot fault the players.”

Jordan Hulme stunned everyone in the arena early doors when he scrambled the ball home after his initial effort had been saved at point-blank range by ex-Altrincham goalkeeper Elliot Wynne.

Nathan Cartman then cut inside from the left and dribbled past two Altrincham defenders but fired over the crossbar.

Jimmy Spencer hit the sweet spot and the back of the net from 20 yards out for his eighth goal of the season to get Farsley back on terms.

There was still time before the break, however, for Altrincham goalkeeper Tony Thompson to be called into action to deny Spencer after good work by Cartman and Dave Syers.

The game settled – unlike the wintry conditions – but, around the hour mark, a failed clearance by Wynne let Jordan Hulme in albeit at the second attempt, tapping in after his initial header had come back off the upright.

Cartman thought he’d levelled a matter of only three minutes later but, after first awarding the goal, the referee ruled it out following consultation with his assistant.

Farsley dusted themselves down quickly after this setback and equalised with 15 minutes remaining, Syers squeezing the ball home from close range.

Spencer brought out another good save from Thompson with around five minutes remaining, before Syers shot just wide of the upright in added time.

Farsley Celtic: Wynne, Richards, Regan, Higgins, Ellis ©, C. Atkinson, B. Atkinson (Parkin 89), Syers, Spencer, Cartman (Francis 89), Hayhurst (Walton 81). Unused subs: Trenerry (GK), Allan, Clayton.

Altrincham: Thompson, Densmore, Hampson, Mullarkey, Hannigan, Mount ©, Peers, Williams (Richman 81), Hulme, Hancock, Walker (Harrop 59). Unused subs: Wall, Jonks, White, Blackburn.

Attendance: 253.

Referee: Mr. Richard Aspinall.

Elsewhere, FC Halifax Town knocked out 10-man Wrexham.

The Shaymen took the lead when Niall Maher’s free-kick sneaked through the Wrexham wall, before Jack Redshaw struck with a shot in off the post.

JJ Hooper won a penalty for Wrexham but his spot kick was saved by Sam Johnson.

Redshaw lobbed keeper Christian Dibble for his second, before Wrexham had Leighton McIntosh sent off for a late challenge and Danny Williams added to Wrexham’s woe with a fourth goal.

Halifax were the FA Trophy winners in 2016.

Bradford Park Avenue, meanwhile, like Farsley have it all to do against tomorrow after their 2-2 home draw with Halesowen Town.

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Harrogate Town manager Simon Weaver felt that his team showed the good, the bad and the ugly sides of their game during Saturday’s dramatic comeback victory over Hartlepool United, writes RHYS HOWELL.

Trailing 2-0 with 76 minutes on the clock, the Wetherby Road outfit looked to be heading out of the FA Trophy at the first-round stage, only to then go on and win the match courtesy of a remarkable late recovery.

Peter Kioso’s own goal gave Town hope before Connor Hall levelled matters, Brendan Kiernan then pouncing in stoppage-time to seal a 3-2 success.

Yet, as pleased as he was by his players’ second-half improvement and the character they showed in staging their late fightback, Weaver was still hugely disappointed by what he saw during the opening 45.

“I think we showed the good and bad sides of Harrogate Town,” he said.

“First half, we were miles off it, which is so disappointing after a good week’s training.

“We were loose in possession and off the ball we weren’t strong enough.

“It was limp, awful from our point of view.

“We read the riot act and, second half, we seemed to set our stall out right from the off and passed the ball better.

“We were more patient in possession and manage to prize open a few chances to score.

“The goals weren’t particularly pretty, but it really doesn’t matter in cup football. We found a way to win.

“The lads have got to take a lot of credit for the fighting spirit.

“They could have come out sulking after what we said at half-time but they didn’t, they fought hard.”