FARSLEY Celtic scored four while Guiseley conceded four as the two clubs had vastly differing outcomes to their respective away games in the National North.

Adam Lakeland’s Celts leapfrogged their hosts Alfreton Town in a battle of the promotion challengers at the Impact Arena. A 4-2 victory saw Farsley jump from fifth to third and it came after a fine first-half performance.

The Reds, managed by former FC Halifax Town boss Billy Heath, had the best possible start as Nyle Blake netted after 40 seconds but they were soon pegged back.

Farsley’s on-loan York City defender Tom Allan headed the Celts level in the 17th minute and Allan headed down a corner midway through the first half for Jimmy Spencer to put the visitors into the lead.

Spencer netted his second ten minutes later and that all but ended the hopes of Heath’s Reds. The home side cut the deficit ten minutes after the break with a pile-driver from former Bradford (Park Avenue) utility man Connor Branson but Farsley’s former Bradford City midfielder Dave Syers restored the Celts’ two-goal cushion.

Guiseley slumped to a 4-1 loss at AFC Telford United but many of their nearest challengers also lost so they held on to seventh place, just inside the play-off zone.

Joint Lions boss Marcus Bignot said: “It is a very disappointed dressing room but there is a lot to be learned from days like this.

“It was only 1-0 at half-time but the goal, from a restart, was very disappointing to concede. There was a lot we did right in the first half but in terms of understanding what it takes to win games, we could have been better.

“The goal was against the run of play and in the second half the second goal was from a penalty so it was a bit of a catalogue of errors. We got back into the game at 2-1 but we conceded shortly after that.

“Players like Scott Garner (captain) and Hamza Bencharif are looking round and there are a lot of young players around them. They are good players but they still need to learn so we will be a good team but we’ve just got to find our way.”

The Bucks win was built on an Aaron Williams hat-trick. The Telford forward broke the deadlock following a 21st-minute free-kick and he doubled the home side’s lead from the spot after a shot from Darryl Knights was judged to have been handled.

A header from Bencharif halved the arrears but the Bucks’ Matty Stenson scored an excellent solo goal and Williams wrapped up the scoring when he grabbed his treble from a neat through ball by Brendan Daniels after a free-kick.