Lee Boylan's goal fifth goal in three games was cancelled out by two from relegation-battling Farsley to end United's four match winning run and put a dent in the hopes for automatic promotion.

Jimmy Quinn made two changes to the side that won 2-1 at Oxford on Tuesday, calling up Ben Farrell and Mark Peters in place of Mark Beesley and Wayne Hatswell (ankle). Thursday loan signing Magno Vieira was named among the substitutes.

Farsley manager John Deacey also made two changes, but his were both enforced and Downes and Starmer came in for the suspended Georges Santos and Rory Prendergast who were both sent of in their home defeat on Tuesday.

United had the wind at their backs in the first half and a neat passing move in the second minute culminated in Ben Farrell's wind-assisted volley being tipped smartly over the bar by Curtis Aspden.

Both sides had problems with the swirling wind and drizzle as the half continued, but United looked dangerous when they played the ball along the ground and Rob Wolleaston capped a good move with a 25-yard drive in the 11th minute that was collected by Aspden.

A minute later Farsley skipper Amjad Iqbal headed wide at a free kick, but the ball spent more time out of play than in for the next ten minutes as the wind and increasingly heavy rain and hail created problems, not least when a sliced Farsley defensive clearance caught on the wind and out of play for a corner.

Lee McEvilly had clearly been singled out as a danger and the big striker was always closely marked, but Paul Carden was an inspiring presence in midfield as he patrolled in front of the back three and broke up numerous Farsley moves, and on 23 when Dan Gleeson was brought down Carden lifted a 30-yard free kick over the bar.

Farsley worked their way down the left with a couple of throw-ins four minutes later and Reeves got past Peters but flicked a shot at Potter with the outside of his foot, and on 28 a Farsley counterattack saw United momentarily short at the back and the resulting corner was headed away by Mark Albrighton.

United made concerted penalty appeals in the 33rd minute when Dan Gleeson chased a long through ball into the area and was caught and sent sprawling by the diving goalkeeper, who missed the ball, but referee Mr Mohareb waved play on and United's appeals were ignored.

The U's counterattacked and Gleeson and Wolleaston broke away at pace, Wolleaston cutting inside to fire across the face of goal from 18 yards, and then there was further controversy as Lee Boylan and Scott McNiven tangled. Boylan appeared to be hit in the face as the ball moved away, but although Mr Mohareb stopped play and spoke to his assistant and the fourth official the incident was missed and no action was taken.

A scrappy game was growing increasing tetchy and Boylan went down again with an elbow to his head but again the incident was missed, and Farsley's lively midfielder Dominic Krief showed good skill as he tricked his way through the defence without ultimately testing Potter.

The final five minutes of the half were interrupted by a series of fouls in increasingly slippery and difficult conditions and the half-time whistle came as something of a relief to all concerned.

Half-time summary from match commentator Mark Johnson:
"Atrocious conditions and a half to match as United fail to get to grips with the strong wind at their backs."

Second half:
Both sides emerged unchanged for the second half and United took the lead in the 51st minute. Rob Wolleaston sent Pitt scampering away with a curling pass off the outside of his boot and the ball was cleared behind for a corner.

Pitt's delivery dropped into the area and Lee Boylan's shot hit the keeper, rebounded off him back to the little striker and then bounced off his legs and into the net for his fifth goal in three games.

Farsley attacked immediately from the restart and as Reeves raced through on goal Mark Peters made an important challenge at the cost of a corner. Two minutes later the home side earned another corner that Potter punched to safety, and soon afterwards Reeves clearly handled the ball as he advanced into the area but play continued and Potter was forced to turn the ball round the post.

There was a huge melee in the 58th minute when McEvilly was brought down from behind in full stride and almost every player on the pitch got involved. e Lee McEvilly had to be pulled away by his team-mates before Mark Jackson was called to the referee to be shown a yellow card.

The home side had the wind at their backs in this half and they looked the side most likely to score at this stage, and they equalised at a 64th minute corner when Craig Bentham's shot was blocked by Peters and spun behind. A short corner routine was partially cleared but Downes' cross split the defence and the ball was headed in by leading scorer Damien Reeves.

A Farsley substitution followed within two minutes as Roy Stamer was replaced by Simeon Bambrook, and with United plotting a further change the home side went ahead direct from a 70th minute free kick. Farrell fouled Bambrook out on the left near the corner flag and Krief's free kick drifted over Danny Potter's head and dipped and swerved into the far corner.

Jimmy Quinn immediately completed the substitution to send on Mark Convery for Farrell, who had twisted his ankle in an earlier challenge with Iqbal, but the home side continued to look the most likely as they had a corner headed away by Wolleaston and Reeves headed McNiven's cross wide in the 74th minute.

Quinn sent on Magno Vieira for his debut in place of McEvilly, who had seen little of the ball all afternoon, and four minutes later introduced Mark Beesley for Pitt, but the momentum was with the home side and on 81 Krief spotted Potter off his line and lifted an ambitious shot over from long-range.

With four minutes remaining Wolleaston released Boylan into the area and the striker was pulled back by his shirt, but again the officials gave nothing, and a minute later the impressive Krief again tried his luck from distance, flashing the ball wide of the far post from 25 yards.

The referee infuriated both sets of fans with incorrect decisions either way in the final moments, and as play entered the three minutes of stoppage time United were awarded a free kick for a foul on Albrighton but Convery's free kick was charged down by the wall.

Farsley made a further late change, sending on James Knowles for Torpey, before the final whistle brought the game to a close and ended United's run of four straight wins.

Farsley Celtic:
Curtis Aspden, Stephen Downes, Mark Jackson, Amjad Iqbal (c), Scott McNiven; Andy Watson, Craig Bentham, Dominic Krief, Roy Starmer (Simeon Bambrook 67'); Stephen Torpey (James Knowles 90'), Damien Reeves.
Subs not used: David McNiven, Colin Heath, Chris Backhouse.

Booked: Jackson foul 58'

Cambridge United:
Danny Potter, Josh Coulson, Mark Peters, Mark Albrighton (c); Dan Gleeson, Rob Wolleaston, Paul Carden, Ben Farrell (Mark Convery 70'), Courtney Pitt (Mark Beesley 79'); Lee Boylan, Lee McEvilly (Magno Vieira 75').
Subs not used: Michael Morrison, Jack Jeffery.

Referee: Mr D. Mohareb

Att: 868 (away 473)

Mark Johnson's Match Summary:
"United's hopes of automatic promotion took a severe dent as they were blown away at wind-swept Farsley. Having failed to make the most of the gale at their backs before the break, Lee Boylan gave the U's a fortunate lead five minutes after the restart, stumbling a rebound over the line after seeing his initial effort saved. But relegation-threatened Farsley levelled when United failed to clear a short corner and Damien Reeves headed home, while Dominic Krief won it with a wind-assisted free kick from close to a corner flag. United's title ambitions may not be over but they will need some outside intervention."

Mark's Man of the Match:
"Paul Carden - a terrier in the middle of the part who covered every blade of grass and won challenge after challenge. Honourable mentions for Dan Gleeson who got forward particularly well in the first half, Mark Albrighton worked hard at the back and Josh Coulson provided an outlet at the back as well. It wasn't a day for forwards."

Ref: Mr Mohareb - missed so much on both sides; pushes, handballs, penalty appeals, he missed them all. 1/10."

Now talk about the match with fellow U's on our lively and friendly message board!