The Toolstation NCEL Premier Division 2021-2022
Tuesday, 10th August 2021
SILSDEN AFC 0 v 3 THACKLEY AFC
Attendance: 218
The Cobbydalers entertained Thackley for their first home league game of the new season. Unfortunately, in the third minute, Shaun Airey was injured when clearing Haigh’s cross into the Silsden box. Airey managed to continue but it was obvious he wasn’t fully recovered. Minutes later the visitors were soon on the attack but Sammy Lee managed to save Paul Whiteley’s low shot. Jake McEneaney blocked another effort on seven minutes from Ben Grech-Brooksbank.
Silsden were playing with a back three, with two wing-backs but might have been better with a flat back four, especially after Airey’s early knock. As it was, the visitors almost opened the scoring on twelve minutes when Grech-Brooksbank got the better of Lee but McEneaney cleared off the goal line.
Gradually Silsden began to create some chances with Matty Moses breaking up the right. He hit a superb cross into Thackley’s penalty area to Joe Jagger who, unfortunately, had strayed offside. Kyle Hancock then threaded a ball to Lewis Gardner but the Thackley keeper managed to beat him to the ball. On seventeen minutes Mo Qasim broke up the left but was upended by former Cobbydaler, Kristian Hargreaves. Khurram Shazad curled the ball into the visitor’s box but Hargreaves headed it clear. The ball was swiftly moved up the park, Lee dropped the initial shot and Chris LEVER slotted it home for Thackley on fifteen minutes.
The Cobbydalers’ response was quick with Gardner exchanging passes with Qasim. Gardner’s shot was blocked before Silsden were awarded a free kick on the edge of the penalty area, Shazad’s free-kick being saved by the keeper. Silsden continued to press with good interplay between Jagger and Qasim before Shazad’s shot was headed clear. Qasim then broke down the left and sent Shazad forwards but he delayed slightly and his curling shot went wide of the far post.
The game then swung from end to end, although Thackley remained dominant. Waddington shot over the Silsden bar before Lee saved a low shot. Moses broke up the right feeding Jagger whose low effort was saved at the near post. At the other end, Airey was put under pressure by Lever. He managed to pass the ball back to Lee who was lucky his miss-kick didn’t fall to a Thackley player.
Moses was playing as a wing-back and, latching onto a through ball from Hancock, volleyed wide. But, with a back three, Silsden was stretched. They still created chances with Gardner setting up Jagger but his shot was just off target. Immediately the visitors broke away and Lever rattled the Silsden crossbar.
At the other end, McEneaney was dispossessed. Grech-Brooksbank broke to the by-line and crossed for WADDINGTON to tap it home. 2-0.
Five minutes into the second half, the game was virtually over. Owen MURPHY broke between Airey and McEneaney on the halfway line and outpaced the defenders to make it three to the visitors. Immediately McEneaney was beaten for pace again but Airey cleared up.
Ten minutes into the half Thompson threaded a ball through the Thackley defence, only for Gardner to fire the ball over the bar. In sixty minutes Bradley Riley and Craig Billington replaced McEneaney and Airey. Barnes took over at the back and Moses dropped into his regular spot at right-back. Gardner pulled back too. Immediately the defence looked more secure. Qasim broke down the wing and crossed. Billington’s downward header bounced over the bar. Moses then curled over a glorious cross which Qasim headed over. Silsden looked a bit more lively in the last quarter of the game with a lot of good interplays, particularly between Barnes and Moses and between Hancock and Mitchell, serving good balls to Qasim and Jagger. They played with more speed and accuracy, but they needed to be more clinical in front of the goal.
The dilemma for Danny Forrest now is to get the balance right between attack and defence. The defence looks rather fragile at the moment with a back three and wing-backs. Moses looked good in both positions and Barnes was excellent at the back but a back four would give more stability to the team and protection for the keeper. Sadly, the manager is without Kaine for the season and Everingham for a month or two. Hopefully, Dan Illingworth will be fit sooner rather than later. On the other end, the forwards need to be sharper and more accurate when moving towards the goal.
On Saturday the Cobbydalers travel to Bottesford Town before entertaining Barton Town at home on Tuesday 17 August.
SILSDEN AFC. Lee, Moses, McEneaney (Billington 60), Hancock, Airey (Riley 60), Barnes(c), Qasim, Thompson (Mitchell 71), Jagger, Shazad, Garner. Subs not used. Drovi, Gartland.
THACKLEY AFC. Stevens-Neale, Haigh, Hunter, Whiteley, Hargreaves, Rothel, Waddington (King 75), Jones (Jackson 62), Lever, Grech-Brooksbank (Muller 67), Murphy. Subs not used. Khan, King.
Referee: Mr M.Trevethan | Assistants: Mr S.Bragg and Mr J.Barker.
