THE BUILDBASE FA VASE FIRST QUALIFYING ROUND 2018-19
Saturday 1st September 2018
HARROGATE RAILWAY ATHLETIC 3 v 4 SILSDEN AFC
Lancaster 16, Barker 20, Hunter 55. Spires 11, 68, 80 (pen), Kirby 44.
Att. 100.
SPIRES HAT-TRICK SEES COBBYDALERS HOME
The Cobbydalers made hard work of reaching the next round of the Buildbase FA Vase on Saturday against a plucky Harrogate Railway, eventually winning by the odd goal in seven. With Railway having a league record of one win and five defeats and the Cobbydalers winning four and drawing two, it looked like the odds were in favour of the visitors. Nothing could have been further from the truth.
Railway attacked from the kick-off, with left-back Andy Sunley whipping in two deep crosses. Reece Kendall rose to head both clear before Dan Illingworth went close at the other end. Craig Bentham fed the ball to Jack Turnbull. The winger cut inside from the right, before crossing to SPIRES, who curled the ball into the bottom corner of Athletic’s net.
Silsden were dominant. Will Storrie shot wide and Kyle Hancock’s effort cleared the bar, before Storrie cut in on the byline but the angle was too tight. Railway, with three players below five foot six, began to move the ball swiftly on the floor and the Cobbydalers defence was struggling. Frazer LANCASTER swivelled past Dan Illingworth and slid in the equaliser. Sam BARKER burst through a static back line to make it 2-1 after only twenty minutes. Hancock then gave the ball away and Michael Thomson chipped the advancing Lee, but his effort landed on the roof of the net.
Harrogate worked hard to preserve their lead as the visitors began to gain the initiative. Both Storrie and Spires made forays into the penalty area but both were closed down. Luke Rhodes shot over and two efforts from Spires lacked power. Storrie then cut in from the right, weaving through the home defence. He was upended in the penalty area. KIRBY levelled the scores with the spot kick.
Silsden started the second half with greater intensity, and there was some slick passing which led to openings for Hancock, Storrie, Kirby and Spires but Athletic managed to deny the visitors the lead.
Ten minutes into the half Railway broke down the left. Kendall was out of position and Sean HUNTER cut in from the wing to make it 3-2. Silsden responded and chances came and went, before Matty Tomas slid the ball to Turnbull who fed SPIRES to make it 3-3
The game swung this way and that before, ten minutes from time, Sean Hunter sped past Craig Bentham down the left and had only Sammy Lee to beat. The Silsden keeper came off his line and Hunter chipped him. It looked to be going in but, such is the sideways slope of the Station View ground, that it hit the far post.
The ball was immediately moved up the pitch to the other end where Aidan Kirby twisted between two defenders before being brought down in the penalty area. Penalty! Kirby, the normal spot kick taker, picked up the ball and handed it to Lee Spires, who had already netted twice. SPIRES blasted it home for his eighth goal of the season.
The game wasn’t quite over. Railway always looked dangerous against the Silsden rearguard, where Kaine, Illingworth and Bentham were far from their best. Arley Barnes came on for Spires and Silsden looked more balanced. Arron Davis came on for Turnbull. Immediately the substitute was injured in a two-footed lunge by Lewis Riley, who was dismissed. Davis went on to thread two balls through to Hancock, who was denied by two superb saves from Jacob Collier.
A win is a win and Silsden march on to play Albion Sports away in the next round. Danny Forrest, although pleased with the result, reacted to conceding three goals with “It wasn’t good enough. I have rotated the players with two matches a week at present but several players were not at their best today”.
The Cobbydaler entertain Chorlton and West Didsbury on Tuesday evening before travelling to Whitchurch Alport on Saturday.
HARROGATE RAILWAY. Collier, Sunley, Riley, Morris, Swales, Tonkinson, Smith, Thompson, Lancaster (Edmondson 81), Barker, Hunter. Subs not used. Whitehead, McCrum, Thompson, Nelson
SILSDEN AFC. Lee, Bentham, Kendall, Kaine, Illingworth, Rhodes, Turnbull (Davis 71), Hancock, Spires (Barnes 82), Kirby, Storrie (Tomas 56). Subs not used. Everingham, Lyndon.
Referee. Mr. J. Rhodes. Assistants. Mr. B. Przewiezlikowski & Mr J. Price.
