Farsley Celtic aiming to make most of games in hand

The Celts currently sit third in the league table on 39 points, seven points adrift of table toppers Nantwich Town.

However, they have five matches in hand on the league leaders following their long run in the FA Trophy which came to an end last weekend with a 4-3 defeat at National League North side AFC Telford in the first round.

Manager Adam Lakeland believes that their cup exit means that the league now becomes the priority.

“I said to the lads before the Telford game, ‘if we go out, there’s no problem, but just make sure that we come down here and give a good account of ourselves’,” said Lakeland. “And we did that at the weekend.

“Now we’re out of the competition, we can focus all of our efforts on the league, a competition that we’re going really well in at the moment.

“All of our efforts will go into that over the coming weeks before we play Stafford in the quarter-finals of the league cup. We’ve got to take positives from our defeat to Telford into our upcoming games.”

Facing Farsley are third-from-bottom Marine, a side who have won just three of their 20 league matches this season and hover just six points off the foot of the table.

In the East Division, Tadcaster Albion and Brighouse Town will be aiming to keep pace with runaway leaders Morpeth Town as they travel to bottom-eight sides Carlton Town and Gresley FC respectively.

Tadcaster and Brighouse, alongside Pontefract Collieries and Lincoln United – who are not in action this weekend – all sit in joint-second on 33 points, six points behind Morpeth.

Ninth-placed Ossett United could move into the top seven as they host Loughborough Dynamo at Ingfield. United sit just one place above Loughborough in the table.

Mid-table Frickley Athletic will be aiming for a fourth consecutive win when they play hosts to lowly Wisbech Town whilst 17th-placed Pickering Town entertain Sheffield FC, who sit in eighth.

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Yorkshire Amateur could extend their lead at the top of the NCE Premier Division to 10 points, if they defeat Staveley Miners Welfare.

The Ammers’ six-match winning run came to an end last weekend when they slipped to a 1-1 home draw with Worksop Town, leaving the distance between themselves and second-placed Penistone Church at seven points.

Yorkshire Amateur travel to an in-form Staveley, who enter the fixture on the back of nine unbeaten matches in all competitions.

Aiming to close the gap to Yorkshire Amateur are Knaresborough Town, who make the visit to bottom-side Goole AFC.

Level on points with Penistone, Knaresborough could put themselves in second if they better their rivals’ result.

Hemsworth Miners Welfare sit five points behind Knaresborough, following last weekend’s 3-2 defeat against them, and will be looking to get back on track when they go to Bottesford Town – who have won all of their last five matches.

In a West Yorkshire clash, Liversedge host Garforth Town, with the latter able to move seven points ahead of their counterparts with a victory on the road.

And Harrogate Railway Athletic’s bid for survival continues in a crucial clash against Hall Road Rangers who sit a place and four points above them on the league ladder.

Without a win since August, Harrogate find themselves in the relegation zone and an elusive three points this weekend could be vital for their push for safety.

In Division One, Selby Town (third) and Nostell Miners Welfare – seventh – visit Swallownest and Winterton Rangers respectively, as they look to close the gap at the top.

Elsewhere, Glasshoughton Welfare host struggling Ollerton Town and AFC Emley go to Parkgate.