Report: Slow start costs Yeltz against Farsley Celtic

HALESOWEN couldn't recover from a poor first half as they slipped to defeat against Northern Premier League new boys Farsley Celtic.

An improved second half showing from the Yeltz and an impressive cameo from Roland Agbor just wasn't enough for them to salvage something from a disappointing afternoon at the Grove.

The home side never got going early on and were two goals down at the break after Nathan Cartman and James Walshaw struck.

Agbor cut the deficit late on but the hosts had given themselves far too much to do.

Celtic quickly settled into the contest and enjoyed much of the early possession.

They worked the first sight at goal when Cartman fired wide from the edge of the area after just five minutes.

The Yeltz struggled to hold onto the ball and too often relied on long balls up to Shearer and Spray without reward.

The hosts were defending their box well but couldn't hold out as Celtic kept the pressure on.

The visitors opened the scoring just before the half hour mark when Cartman curled beyond Dan Platt into the far corner after being played in by Ben Atkinson.

It got worse for the Yeltz on 31 minutes when they failed to clear from a free-kick and the ball was played into the feet of skipper James Walshaw and he powered a low effort past Platt.

It could have been three on 34 minutes when Cartman drilled just past the post after again getting in far too easily.

Hales worked their best effort on 40 minutes when Ben Clarke managed to turn his marker in a central position before forcing Celtic stopper Graeme McKibben to tip his effort over.

It was a rare move forward in a lacklustre first half from John Hill's men who were outplayed by their newly-promoted and more assured visitors.

The Yeltz needed a response in the second period and looked to the bench to provide the spark as Agbor and Lee Chilton replaced Luke Shearer and Alex Woodhouse.

The Yeltz chalked up a host of early corners and Agbor's introduction had the desired impact as he posed a different threat in the final third.

He had his side's first effort of the half when he worked McKibben with a low shot from a narrow angle on 55 minutes.

Joe Howell, pushed out wide right after the half time reshuffle, then called McKibben into action two minutes later after drifting in behind to get a toe to Agbor's ball over the top.

Hales continued to have the better of things after the break without finding a way through.

Agbor again worked the keeper with another low effort on 68 minutes.

Farsley were suddenly offering nothing in attack and looked content to sit on their lead heading into the last 20 minutes.

The Yeltz found a lifeline with three minutes left on the clock when that man Agbor deservedly got his name on the scoresheet.

He played a neat one-two with James Spay in the edge of the box and slotted under McKibben.

However, it proved too little, too late for the home side who slipped to their second defeat of the season.

They will look to start much brighter when they go to Hednesford on Tuesday night.

Halesowen: Platt, Alexander, Kelly, Goddard, Lewis, Charlton (c), Howell (Steele 66), Woodhouse (Chilton 45), Shearer (Agbor 45), Clarke, Spray.

Unused subs: Morrison, Walker.

Farsley: McKibben, Harris, Baldwin, Atkinson, Pollard, Clayton, Priestly (Watson 65), Atkinson, Walshaw (c) (Porritt 85), Cartman (Parkin 78), Walker.

Unused subs: Marshall, Porritt, Trennery.

Att: 357