Unbeaten Farsley Celtic and Guiseley face tricky trips across the Pennines

Farsley Celtic will look to maintain their unbeaten return to the National League North as they face a trip to Chester tomorrow.
Guiseley players celebrate during their victory over King's Lynn Town last weekend. Picture: Alex Daniel.Guiseley players celebrate during their victory over King's Lynn Town last weekend. Picture: Alex Daniel.
Guiseley players celebrate during their victory over King's Lynn Town last weekend. Picture: Alex Daniel.

Farsley took an unlikely point from York City in midweek, and remain one of the six unbeaten sides so far. Speaking about the trip, Farsley manager Adam Lakeland says he’s enjoying the challenge of this season and is looking forward to the game.

He said: “When the fixtures came out and you see Darlington, York and Chester you know you’re up against the biggest teams in the league. To be sitting on four points after the first two games shows just how hard we’re working for each other. We’ll go do our homework on Chester as we did with York and hopefully we can go there and pick up another good result”.

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Elsewhere, Guiseley also make a trip across the Pennines tomorrow afternoon, as they face Southport.

The Lions top the table after an impressive start to the year which has seen them beat Kings-Lynn Town 3-0, before a 5-0 thrashing of local rivals Bradford Park Avenue. Southport have got off to an uninspiring start to their campaign.

Two 0-0 draws against Gateshead and Curzon Ashton haven’t raised any eyebrows, however they will take confidence from some solid defending– but it will take something impressive to keep the free-scoring Lions out.

Meanwhile in the National League, Harrogate Town boss Simon Weaver says that his players will have to reach a similar level of performance to that which was delivered at Barrow in midweek if they are to get a result when they visit Woking tomorrow.

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The men from Wetherby Road followed up their opening-day draw against fellow promotion-hopefuls Solihull Moors with an impressive 3-0 success on the road at Barrow.

And with another tricky away trip to negotiate this weekend, boss Weaver is demanding more of the same.

“We have to show consistency in our performance if we want to stay up there [in the league table] where we are aiming to be,” he said.

“If we apply ourselves at Woking the same way that we did at Barrow and in the second half against Solihull then I think we can be positive about our chances of going there and getting a result.

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“You cannot go into any game in this division saying that you will 100 per cent come away with a win because the National League just isn’t like that, but obviously we are coming off the back of a really positive performance at Barrow.

“However, if we can keep it tight at the back again and punish our opponents at the other end then I don’t think we will go too far wrong.”

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The FA Cup extra preliminary round takes place this weekend with seven Yorkshire sides hoping to progress to the next stage of the competition.

After Knaresbrough Town fell to defeat in their league opener against AFC Mansfield, coach Colin Heath says he wants his side to regroup and try replicate last season’s cup form, which saw them reach the second qualifying round.

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Heath said: “We’re looking forward to it, it should be a good game.

“We enjoyed it last season in the cup and it’ll be the same again this time around.

“We’ll have a good crowd on and I expect they’ll bring a few down too, so it should be a great atmosphere and hopefully we can go on another cup run.”

Harrogate Railway Athletic will look to put last week’s disappointment behind them, where a late equaliser meant that the points were shared with Campion AFC, in front of their biggest ever opening day crowd.

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Railway play host to Whickham in the FA Cup fixture tomorrow, a side who were on the end of a 3-0 hammering in their opening game.

Meanwhile, Yorkshire Amateur face a trip to Billingham Town – they will be hoping to build on their form from last weekend.

A brace from Ashley Flynn as well as a goal from Fernando Moke helped the Amateur to a 3-0 win to kick-off their campaign.

Elsewhere, Hemsworth Miners Welfare are underdogs as they make the trip over to Kendal.

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Hemsworth impressed in their game last Saturday as goals from Rikki Paylor and Declan Parker helped them to a 2-1 win over Grimsby Borough and they will be confident they can upset the Lancashire Division One side.

Another side who got off to a flying start to the campaign was Nostell Miners Welfare, who won their opener against Ollerton Town.

Four goals from four different players was enough to see them to a 4-2 win, their attacking threat may be vital if they are to get into the next round.

Nostell face Stockton who also got off to a great start, beating Billington 6-0 away from home.

Elsewhere, Liversedge make the trip to Abbey Hey.

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Liversedge threw away a two-goal lead at the weekend in a 2-2 draw against Maltby Main. They will be hoping to improve their defence if they are to progress in the cup.

Finally, Garforth Town face Shildon away from home.

Garforth have have only ever faced Shildon three times in the FA Cup, losing every time.

However, following an impressive start to the season which saw them run out 3-0 winners against Handsworth, Garforth will be confident of getting a positive result.

Away from the FA Cup sees the second weekend of fixtures in the Northern Counties East League Division One.

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Glasshoughton Welfare will be hoping to bounce back from a disappointing 3-0 loss last weekend.

Winterton Rangers were the opponents and after a close first half, which saw the scores locked at 0-0, Glasshoughton shipped three goals in the space of 20 minutes.

The only other local side in action is Selby Town.

A goal midway through the second half saw them take a point last weekend at home to Skegness Town.

Selby have their second home fixture in a row tomorrow, playing host to Dronfield Town, who will be confident going into the game following their impressive 6-1 thrashing of Worsbrough Bridge Athletic.