The North West Counties Football League Premier Division 2018-19
Saturday, 17 November 2018.
SILSDEN AFC 2 v. Hanley Town 1
Kirby 56, Lyndon 76 Keates 70
Att. 175
SILSDEN SECURE WELCOME WIN
Following last week’s home defeat to Irlam, a good weeks training, including match analysis saw Danny Forrest bring experienced Craig Bentham back into midfield, drop Will Storrie back in to a right back berth, along with skipper Josh Kaine replacing the injured Dan Illingworth and bringing the fit again Chris Wademan into midfield.
Initially both teams struggled to settle into their stride but the locals looked the most likely, and after 5 minutes Wademan went close when he collected the ball on the left hand side of the box and his cross-shot flashed across the 6 yard box but went narrowly wide.
Although Silsden probably had the better of the early possession, neither side created any clear-cut goal-scoring opportunities causing either ‘keeper to get their gloves dirty, and although the locals again came close with playmaker Joe Gaughan’s shot, again from the left hand side of the box, a visiting defender managed to block to avert the danger.
As Silsden gained the upper hand, the visitors had to revert to repeated fouling all over the park which was eventually punished by referee Walsh giving Stanyer a yellow card. From the resulting free kick out on the right, Niall Sultan played short to Gaughan but his shot was closed down and blocked.
Another free kick from Sultan found Bentham’s angled run, but his cross from the right bye-line was blocked and cleared by Hanley skipper Josh Thorpe. But then things started to get scrappy and Sultan was booked for dissent following his foul, swiftly followed by Hanley’s Lees for another foul as the game started to deteriorate.
In the 42nd minute Hanley broke down the left courtesy of Callum Feeney’s sliced ball. Stanyer crossed dangerously finding the diminutive Lewis Salmon, who fluffed the chance under pressure from the vigilant Kaine and Lyndon. As the game went from end to end, Gaughan broke free on the left and played a great ball across the 6 yard box with nobody there to get that vital touch. And just before the half-time whistle Salmon’s header drifted wide of Lee’s right hand post.
Five minutes into the second half Aidan Kirby’s attempt to break the visitors back line was halted by the assistant’s flag, but he wasn’t to be denied in the 56th minute when he pursued a bouncing high ball in the Hanley half. He won the challenge before getting the ball down and dribbling from the left into a central position and striking at goal. His shot taking a wicked deflection, looping up and over Mellor to open the scoring for the Cobbydalers.
Then at the other end Michael Keates stung Lee’s fingertips with a fierce drive cutting in from the right as he broke clear of the Silsden defence after possession was lost in midfield, the Cobbydalers custodian diverting away for a corner. The resulting corner was played over dangerously, but there was no Hanley player on hand to convert and the chance went begging.
As Silsden settled into the game in the second period, Storrie had a great run on the right, cut in and fired a low shot which appeared to take a deflection before Mellor collapsed low to his right to smother at his near post on 63 minutes. However, minutes later Lee dropped on the ball following a great defensive block after Keates’ shot threatened the home goal.
Lee then had to be alert minutes later to tip away Feeney’s goal-bound effort, but from the resulting corner Conor’s flag kick evaded the Silsden defence and Keates tapped in from close range to level the scores at 1-1.
The visitors looked visibly lifted by the goal and sensed an opportunity, but Silsden held firm to weather the storm, looking for a more direct route to get their noses back in front again. And they got their just rewards when, following yet another free kick conceded on the right, Sultan’s long ball out left in the visitors box found Gaughan’s header which was diverted back into the path of Lyndon, who swept the ball into the roof of the net to make it 2-1.
Although Silsden pushed hard to find a third goal to kill the game off, Hanley’s direct approach was always a threat, and the locals had to keep their concentration and composure. Lyndon was like a warrior surging forwards and his beautiful right footed cross on one of his sorties into enemy lines found no teammates in the danger area. At the other end Storrie and Kaine combined well to snuff out Salmon’s dangerous break down the left, with 5 minutes remaining. Then Wademan fired his shot narrowly wide with the game stretched in the dying minutes. But right at the death in added time, another Hanley break saw the ball land at Keates’ feet invitingly, but he scooped his shot over to miss a glorious chance to level the scores for the visitors, as the Cobbydalers held on to register their first league win in seven games to the delight of the Silsden faithful.
Silsden AFC:
Lee, Storrie, Everingham, Kaine ©, Lyndon, Rhodes, Wademan, Bentham, Kirby, Gaughan, Sultan (Baldwin 83) Subs not used: Moses, Hardisty-Blackwell, Mitchell & Forrest.
Hanley Town:
Mellor (J), Faulkner, Mealey, Conor, Thorpe ©, White, Feeney, Lees, Keates, Salmon, Sanyer. Subs: Higinbotham, Mellor (O), Nwachukwa, Skellern & Hamlet.
Referee: Mr I Walsh
Assistant: Mr M Gupta
Assistant: Mr Z Bamber
