Farsley 3 Trafford 4 (From Messenger Newspapers)

Farsley 3 Trafford 4

11:19am Wednesday 31st October 2012 in Sport

TRAFFORD produced a magnificent display to defeat fourth placed Farsley in a wonderfully entertaining game at Newlands on Tuesday night.

Despite Saturday’s FA Trophy reversal against Hednesford, the visitors started confidently and should have taken the lead in the ninth minute when Michael Oates saw his shot blocked from six yards and Martyn Andrews chipped the rebound just over.

Shelton Payne then split open the Farsley defence with a superb pass but Oates low drive was brilliantly saved by Tom Morgan.

In the 16th minute the home side took the lead completely against the run of play when an uncharacteristic mistake by centre back Steve Mason allowed Adam Priestley to tap in from three yards, and two minutes later Trafford gifted their opponents a second when Nia Bayunu headed past his own keeper Tom Read following a wicked in-swinging free kick from the left.

Priestley almost struck again a minute later when he headed wide at the back post when completely unmarked but gradually Trafford regained their composure and dominated the proceedings.

In the 37th minute the visitors were rewarded for their enterprise when Will Ahern fed Michael Oates who struck a fine low shot into the bottom corner from 20 yards for his 18th goal of the season.

Oates then curled a shot just over before Farsley’s Ryan Watson blasted a free kick inches wide from 25 yards.

Trafford pushed forward in search of the equaliser and in the last minute of the first period Nia Bayunu glanced a header just wide from a great position at the back post.

With the wind at their backs in the second half, the visitors were totally dominant and Oates should have levelled in the 49th minute but ballooned his shot over.

However, in the 64th minute Steve Mason atoned for his earlier mistake when he headed in a right wing corner and within a minute Shelton Payne should have put the visitors ahead but miskicked in front of goal.

Despite this, Trafford were pushing forward incessantly and Michael Oates made it 3-2 in the 67th minute when he collected the ball out on the right and struck a magnificent angled volley into the top corner from 25 yards.

Farsley were unable to cope with their slick moving opponents and in the 78th minute Will Ahern skipped past two defenders, wrong-footed the home goalkeeper and coolly rolled the ball home to seemingly secure the points for Trafford.

The home side thought otherwise and within a minute Adam Priestley controlled the ball in what appeared to be an offside position and drilled the ball past Tom Read from 10 yards.

Trafford were undaunted by this setback and once again assumed control with their beautifully composed football.

Will Ahern fired wide from 12 yards and then deep into injury time Michael Oates should have completed his hat-trick when put through by Payne but Morgan left his line to block the shot.

The final whistle arrived to signal a superb victory for Garry Vaughan’s young side and they will be hoping to build on this on Saturday when they entertain Goole FC at Shawe View, kick off 3 p.m.