The Toolstation Northern Counties East F. L. Premier Division 2019-2020
Wednesday, 26th February 2020
STAVELEY MWFC 1 v 3 SILSDEN AFC
Burke 68 Shazad 28, 74, Sorhaindo 32.
Att. 132.
COBBYDALERS STUN THE LEAGUE LEADERS
The Cobbydalers travelled to table-topping Staveley on Wednesday with an unchanged side, following the last (pre-flooding) game, a draw at Yorkshire Amateurs. The “Trojans” lost their last game at Barton one-nil. They still top the table but with teams below them having games in hand, the title is still up for grabs.
The Trojans were on the attack from the kick-off with leading-scorer Michael Burke crossing from the right. Josh Kaine managed to clear for a corner which was headed out by Dan Illingworth. The initial pressure was intense, Connor Thompson clearing up Staveley’s next sortie forwards.
Silsden broke out of defence after five minutes but Myles Wright, in the Trojans’ goal, managed to save Jake Taylor’s shot, after the winger had cut across the Staveley penalty area. Illingworth was then forced to concede a corner which was cleared. The Trojans were forcing the play with long balls up the flanks but the Cobbydalers were tight at the back.
In contrast Silsden were trying to move the ball swiftly on the floor. A foul on Lawrence Sorhaindo led to a free kick. Myles Wright managed to parry Khurram Shazad’s effort for a corner. Back came Staveley, Doolan Robson’s pace creating space for him to get in a shot which was cleared, as was Burke’s follow-up.
Gradually the Cobbydalers began to take some control with the forwards slick control and short passing creating chances. Sorhaindo and Taylor both had headers cleared before the two combined to release Shazad. Unfortunately his shot was wide. After Thomson had broken up another attack, Taylor set up Shazad again. He cut inside his marker but his effort was wide of the far post.
Again Burke was the main threat at the other end, flicking a cross just over the bar. Shazad and Taylor combined to open the path for Hudson, who burst through the defence but left the angle too tight to beat the keeper.
Kaine was injured after Burke had set up another chance but the skipper recovered, encapsulating Silsden’s resolve, to deny both Robson and Froggatt. It looked certain that the latter would open the scoring but there was Mitchell, on the goal line, to block the shot.
With the defence holding the league leaders at bay, Silsden gained in confidence. Sorhaindo hit a left-footer from twenty-five yards out which Wright parried, before Mitchell, on the half-way line, spotted the Trojan’s keeper off his line and hit a speculative volley, which was narrowly wide.
The home crowd began became uneasy, urging their players to be more accurate but it was the Cobbydalers who took the lead with a superb goal. SHAZAD ran onto the defence-splitting pass from Sorhaindo. Although tracked by a defender, he cut across the goal, dragged the ball back, cut inside and slid the ball home.
Four minutes later the Cobbydalers made it two. Taylor and Shazad combined to open up the defence again and SORHAINDO capitalised on some confusion between Staveley’s goalkeeper and defenders to roll the ball in to an empty net. The Cobbydalers managed to withstand an onslaught from the Trojans, clearing three efforts before Shazad had a shot blocked at the other end and Luke Foley went close after a strong run from the back. Phew!
With the wind in their favour, Staveley put pressure on the Cobbydalers defence from the restart. Kaine eventually cleared upfield where Taylor’s pace was posing a threat. Illingworth conceded a corner and Adam Lund rose above everyone else, but his header was wide.
The Cobbydalers’ exchanges with the Trojan were like heavy-weights slugging it out, albeit with more finesse. Once again Mitchell, as the last line of defence, cleared up before Froggatt’s effort was comfortably saved by Higginson. Wright did just as well at the other end, saving Barnes’s shot. Minutes later he was at full stretch to parry Barnes’s screamer.
Chances came at both ends. Kaine blocked one effort and Wright denied Taylor in a one-on-one situation. On sixty-eight minutes BURKE pulled one back from a narrow angle. A minute later Burke fired over the bar as the pressure intensified.
Superb defending from Connor denied an equaliser before Silsden broke away. Encapsulating all that was good, Taylor and Sorhaindo broke forwards to set up SHAZAD, to make it three. Burke did his best to rally the Trojans but the Cobbydalers were not to be denied.
Kaine and Illingworth were superb at the back. Mitchell, the midfield dynamo, was outstanding and the touch, pace and inter-action of the front three was a joy to watch. But in reality this was a fantastic team effort.
On Saturday, Silsden travel to fourth-place Bridlington Town.
STAVELEY M. W. Wright, Parkin, Dudley (Jones 61), Finlaw (Mundy 61), Emery, Lund, Lindley (Kay 86), Doolan, Frogatt, Burke, Worral. Subs. not used. Pugh, Claxton.
SILSDEN AFC. Higginson, Foley, Thompson, Kaine, Illingworth, Liam Hudson, Barnes, Mitchell, Sorhaindo (Wademan 82), Taylor (Britton 82). Subs not used. Everingham, Mckiernon, Fox.
Referee. Mr. D. Constable. Assistants. Mr. D. Chambers and Mr. M. Atherton.
