Farsley Celtic 0, Lincoln Utd 0; by Ian Whiting.

In a match which became tense because of the conditions, these two sides - ninth and tenth in UniBond Division One - proved that little separated them.

Having home advantage, Celtic would have been slight favourites had they not been without more than half their regulars.

But perennial promotion chasers Lincoln are in the middle of major changes and were in no shape to capitalise on Celtic's misfortune.

After trying to engineer a win with a late reshuffle of personnel, Celtic boss Martin Haresign was pleased at the outcome.

"I would have settled for a draw before the game knowing how many we had out," he said. "But as the game went on I thought we could have won it."

Haresign had been forced to sign Simon Oliver from rivals Ossett Town and had striker Damien Henderson playing in the centre of defence for injured skipper Steve Learoyd.

Matt Surtees was recalled from his season-long exile in the reserves and sat alongside Martin Regan - not even 50 per cent fit - on the bench with Ally Long, who did get an eight-minute run-out.

"With Oliver playing his first game and players out of position because so many were injured, it was as much as we could have expected," added Haresign.

"I am just glad we didn't lose. These games, when you are trying to break sides down, are difficult and they are always likely to get the odd goal to win it.

"We made loads of chances in the second half and if we had got one they would have had to come at us a bit more. That would have made it more of a game - we might have won it by a few."

That was not to be though as the teams looked for a non-existent spark to light up proceedings.

Rather than a negative attitude from either team, it was the almost unplay-able conditions to which the status quo could be attributed.

Celtic's Wes Freeman squandered the game's most inviting opening, firing over from a prime position midway through the first half, but Lee Connor and Ian Blackstone both went close for the home side before the break.

Lincoln's Ryan Porter shot inches wide just before the interval and Celtic keeper Wayne Baker twice made good saves from Dean Dye in the second half.

Long replaced Paul Wharton to release Henderson as a third striker in the 82nd minute, but to no avail.

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