They often say the measure of a great team is that they can play badly and still win. If that is true there can only be one destination for the UniBond Premier Division title - Throstle Nest.

The Celts were unconvincing against Radcliffe Borough on Saturday, even poor in the first half. But they claimed all three points.

Their secret was not clinical finishing, though that was a factor, but pure spirit and hard work.

It was a frustrating afternoon for the management team of Lee Sinnott, John Deacey and Gary Stokes going through agonies on the bench. However, in the end it was their input that proved crucial.

Sinnott said: "I feel like a jockey on a thoroughbred but I'm having to use the whip," he said.

"I know that the horse is good enough to win the race, arguably the best in the field but for some reason it is not pulling away. The only thing I can do is dig my heels in and give it a whack with the crop.

"I'm sure it's just a little phase that the players are going through and once they get over it everything will start to click again. It's important to pick up as many points as we can because there will be some twists and turns before the end of the season."

The Celts appeared fortunate to get away with a penalty shout by the visitors in the fifth minute. A diagonal through ball seemed to have struck the outstretched arm of centre back Ryan Crossley. It was just the first of a series of perplexing decisions by the referee.

Borough had their share of luck in the game because the officials were, at least, consistently dreadful. Sinnott's problems began halfway through the first half when he had to make the first of four or five changes to the system.

Left back Martin Pemberton went down minutes after taking a knock on the ankle in a late tackle.

Skipper Chris Stabb moved from right to left back, Dominic Kreif dropped back from midfield to right back and James Knowles came off the bench to fill in for him.

It was that kind of afternoon at The Nest. The game was goalless at the break, the Celts' best chance coming when Mark Bett had a header from a Roy Stamer cross tipped over by the visitors' keeper. The referee gave a goal kick.

The manager shuffled the deck again after a turgid ten-minute opening to the second half.

Krief was sacrificed to allow new signing Damian Reeves to make his debut. The forward was joined in a three- pronged attack by Bett and Stamer as part of an unusual 3-4-3 formation.

Two minutes later Farsley were a goal up, Stamer meeting a Knowles cross with a stooping header.

Celts keeper Paul Cuss then made a save from Steve Foster before the home side doubled their lead in the 65th minute.

Stamer was again involved, sending in the corner that fooled Borough keeper Andy Johnson in flight. It was converted from the corner of the six-yard box by Reeves to open his account.

Stamer was replaced by Simeon Bambrook with 11 minutes to go - and in the final minute he made his mark.

With the ball once again in Borough's penalty area, Bambrook netted a low angled drive across Johnson.