A second half capitulation saw Bradford (Park Avenue) hammered at near neighbours Farsley Celtic.
Avenue were on top for the first period, missing a handful of chances before two penalties and three set-pieces gifted play-off chasing Farsley a victory.
Mark Bower’s visitors had some early danger to deal with as Tom Nicholson failed to gather a Farsley free-kick, and as Tom Allen looked set to prod the loose ball home, somehow Ryan Toulson got back to deny a certain goal.
The pitch was proving problematic for both sides as home goalkeeper Kyle Trenerry saw a miscued effort cannon dangerously off Lewis Knight, who saw a shot blocked away before he was forced off injured after just 19 minutes.
Avenue were well on top of their opponents as Isiah Bazeley, one of two changes to Bower’s starting 11, saw a low effort blocked away before Alex Hurst stung Trennery’s palms after cutting inside.
That preceeded a frantic last five minutes of the half, which saw both sides have their eyes on opening the scoring.
First, Hurst burst forward on the left, finding Johnson who couldn’t work room for a strike, Isaac Marriott’s eventual effort flying just wide.
Johnson then worked space in the area for a powerful strike which Trenerry again held at the second attempt, before Avenue’s biggest chance of the half.
A ricochet in midfield put Hurst through on goal but he couldn’t beat an onrushing Trenerry as the ball just wouldn’t settle for a strike.
And straight up the other end, Nicholson had to be at his best as a fortuotous bounce saw the loose ball fall Will Hayhurst’s way, but his low effort was well saved by the legs of Avenue’s number one.
Nicky Clee then saw an effort blocked by former Avenue man Adam Clayton, before Tom Allen flashed a dangerous cross across the face of Nicholson’s goal moments before the half-time whistle.
But immediately after the break, Avenue capitulated as Cartman opened the scoring little over two minutes into the half.
Bradford failed to defend a deep free-kick which Clayton volleyed across goal, Cartman there to bundle the ball over the line at the back post.
And less than two minutes later, Farsley were gifted the chance to double their lead as Marriott appeared to have prevent the danger from Tyler Walton’s burst into the box, but the Huddersfield loanee attempted a slide tackle, and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.
Hayhurst, who had been wrongly announced as the scorer of the first, stepped up and found the bottom corner giving Farsley a two-goal lead after just five minutes of the second period.
It was a complete turnaround from the first half as Avenue couldn’t get out of their half, and their inability to defend set-pieces was their downfall once more.
A corner came in from the left on 63 minutes and fell perfectly for Dave Syers, who lashed home on the half-volley.
The pick of the goals came moments later, again as Avenue failed to clear a corner, the ball was headed around and found its way to centre-back Jack Higgins, who acrobatically volleyed the ball into the top corner, wheeling away in wild celebration.
Nicholson was still alert, keeping out a Hayhurst header which looked bound for the top corner, before Reece Staunton did brilliantly to get back as Syers was in on goal, the number one then unconventionally saving Luke Parkin’s follow-up with his feet.
There was time late in the day for Farsley to add a fifth as another ridiculous slide tackle came in in the area, and the referee had no hesitation pointing to the spot again. Hayhurst picked himself up and converted once more to round off the scoring.
There was a moment to celebrate for Avenue in the second period, as Jamie Lyons came off the bench for his league debut, the first time an Avenue Academy graduate has appeared for the first team.
Farsley Celtic: Trenerry, Richards, Allen, C.Atkinson, Higgins, Clayton (c), Walton (B.Atkinson 79), Syers, Cartman (Parkin 71), Hayhurst, Francis
Subs not used: Wynne, Ellis, Regan
Goals: Cartman (48), Hayhurst (50P), Syers (63), Higgins (65)
Booked: Higgins (66), Allen (74)
Bradford (Park Avenue): Nicholson, Toulson, Staunton, Lowe (c), Priestley, Bazeley (Lyons 73), Knight (O.Johnson 19), Marriott, Clare, Hurst, Clee (Hughes 73)
Subs not used: Lund, Dickinson
Referee: Dean Hulme
Attendance: 784
