Pickering Town 1, Farsley Celtic 2; With FA Cup hopes dashed, the Pikes are looking for a win in their first league home game of the season against Sutton Town on Saturday.

And, despite the score-line, their performance against Unibond League premier division Farlsey Celtic in Saturday's cup game was very encouraging.

"It was a good game against a quality side," said Pikes manager Alex Mathie. "They are a few leagues above us and we gave them a good go - it maybe could have been a draw. It is individual errors that are letting us down at the moment and they need ironing out."

Looking to the league now, Mathie is hoping to introduce a new trend this season. "We seemed to struggle at home last season so that's something I want to change," he said.

"We've had two league games so far, both away, and got two draws so I've got to be happy and hopefully we will win our home games," he added.

The good news is that James Drinkell will be returning as his pro-golf season draws to a close, but on the down side, captain Alex Willgrass is still out with a painful back injury with no indication of when he will return.

After an uneventful first half, Farsley got away to a perfect re-start when, after 51 minutes, they took the lead when Lee Duxbury scored with an unstoppable 20 yard right foot shot which deceived the Pikes defence as it went into the bottom corner of the goal.

Two minutes after taking the lead they almost doubled their score when skipper Shields drifted forward, beating three Pikes players but shooting wide from 20 yards. After 59 minutes Rickers, the former Oldham player, had a good shot well-saved by Silburn, a minute later McNaughton saved the day for the Pikes when he robbed Rickers as he was about to shoot after good work by Bernard.

Farsley doubled their lead after 62 minutes when Curtis Bernard, the former Barnsley and Gainsborough Trinity player, ghosted into the Pikes penalty area and scored with a well-drilled 15 yard shot after good work by Rodney Rowe.

The Pikes started to play, and for the last 25 minutes they were the better team as they really got at their opponents after substitutes Danny Gray and Liam Salt had come on. After 65 minutes Rob Eeles was clean through but his goal-bound effort was tipped for a corner which was taken by Lee Pallender for Steve Baxter to head wide. Two minutes later Pallender set up Matthew Morton who beat three men and passed the ball to Greening whose effort was blocked. After 74 minutes Tom Adams set up Pallender whose 25 yard shot was saved. Eight minutes later Adams shot wide from 20 yards.

The Pikes were back in the game after 84 minutes when a great move started by Morton in his own half saw a pass to the left for Danny Brunton, to run down the left wing and cross to the far post with a perfect cross for Liam Salt to somehow get the ball into visitors goal from an acute angle with a brilliant far post header.

The Pikes were now all on top throwing everything forward. In stoppage time Morton shot from 18 yards but the visitors keeper Paul Cuss saved superbly as he held the ball with Salt and Gray waiting for the ball to leave the keeper's hands. But it wasn't to be, so Farsley progress and the Pikes must get some outstanding league game caught up.

The crowd was 146. Matthew Morton was the Pikes Man of the Match and the Pikes line up was as follows: Silburn, Higginbottom, Brunton, Eeles, McNaughton, Morton, Pallender, Adams, Greening, Baxter (Salt 67 mins), and Roberts (Gray 58 mins), Whincup, Ramm and Mathie not used.

The match against Sutton Town on Saturday starts at 3pm. Sutton were promoted last season have played three games winning two and getting beat just once. They have scored seven goals and conceded just one. On Saturday last they won at Mickleover Sports 2-0.

The Pikes Reserves lost 5-3 away at league leaders Yorkshire Cobble Saturday.

Bad news for the Pikes followers is that Roy Walker from Bury who has been a lucky mascot will now follow Farsley Celtic on the way to the competition after seeing all the Pikes Cup games so far.

Updated: 16:18 Wednesday, September 14, 2005