The Toolstation Northern Counties East F. L. Premier Division 2021-2022
Tuesday. 31st August 2021
GOOLE AFC 0 v 2 SILSDEN AFC.
Att. 161. Jagger 19, 39.
COBBYDALERS SMASH AND GRAB RAID IN GOOLE
The Cobbydalers travelled to Goole on Tuesday evening hoping to maintain their good run in the League. Danny Forrest was forced to make one change, Harry Thompson replacing the unavailable Kyle Hancock.
The first real action was on five minutes. Jack Normanton hit a cross field ball to Harry Thompson on the right. Thomson immediately curled the ball into the Vikings’ penalty area where Normanton hit a fierce drive which was cleared by the home defence. Thomson broke up the next Goole attack before right-back Lewis Gardner was forced to concede a corner as Luke Williams was bearing down on the Silsden goal. The corner was driven in but, fortunately for the Cobbydalers, James Arnold’s powerful header rattled Sammy Lee’s crossbar.
Whilst the Silsden outfit were moving the ball swiftly along the ground, the Vikings were using the long-ball, hoping to capitalise on the height of their strikers. A one-two between Joe Jagger and Normanton saw the former go close with a curling effort. Barnes managed to thwart the Vikings again with a superb tackle but, minutes later, Goole were awarded a free-kick outside the penalty area. Skipper, Josh Dacre, hit a screamer but Silsden’s defensive wall blocked the effort.
Silsden took the lead on nineteen minutes. Working their way up the flanks the ball was fed to Khurram Shazad who curled into the Viking’s penalty area. Mo Qasim saw his low shot parried by Watson but JAGGER followed-up to give the Cobbydalers the lead.
The goal rocked the home side and Silsden began to dominate. Airey hit a cross-field ball to Jake McEneaney and he sent it into the path of Normanton who broke up the left and crossed to Jagger 12 yards out. The striker hit the ball sweetly but his volley just cleared the bar. Normanton, on the half way line, then chased a long ball. The Vikings’ keeper hesitated but just managed to clear the danger.
The second goal wasn’t long in coming. Normanton sent the ball over to Khurram Shazad who curled the ball to JAGGER to slot home his second, a well worked counter-attacking goal. Shazad then set up Qasim whose shot was cleared for a corner. The Vikings had one attempt before the half-time whistle went, Arnold’s effort being blocked by one of his team mates.
Goole started the second half with greater intent, pushing forward quickly, playing more in Silsden’s half, snapping into challenges and forcing the Cobbydalers to defend. However Silsden were always a threat on the break. Indeed Jagger almost completed his hat-trick five minutes after the restart when he chipped Watson from a tight angle, the keeper just managing to clear the ball off the goal line. The confidence was oozing from Jagger, who cheekily flicked the ball up four times before volleying the ball into the Vikings area. Goole intensified the pressure on the Silsden defence. A goal looked inevitable for the home side.
With thirty minutes left Lee saved Luke Williams follow-up after substitute Joe Fella had tested the Silsden keeper. Regan Fish missed a glorious chance before the Vikings found the net. Unfortunately the “goal” was ruled out for offside. Williams managed to weave his way into the Silsden box but the ball was cleared by Barnes. Silsden struggled to keep possession and lost their close control of the first half. They found themselves defending more and more, whilst using their pace to counter attack.
The home side had several more chances to score especially with Fish sending over crosses into the box from the right. Substitute Shaun Heselwood headed wide at the far post as did Valladolid and Lee got down well to deny Fish. Simpkins fired over the bar and in injury time Heselwood saw his header saved. Goole, for all their possession and effort, could not score.
Both sets of fans cheered the teams off when the final whistle went. It had been a thrilling game but the Cobbydalers took the points.
GOOLE AFC. Watson, Greasley(Heselwood 46), Arnold, Spence, Pattinson, Dacre, Fish, Walker, Parker(Fella 56), Williams(Valladolid 77), Simpkins. Subs not used. McEwan, Pearce.
SILSDEN AFC. Lee, Gardner, McEneaney, H. Thompson(Riley 71), Airey, Barnes(c), Qasim(Billington 89), Mitchell, Jagger(Gartland 89), Shazad, Normanton. Subs. not used. C. Thompson, Illingworth, .
Referee. Mr. J. Drake. Assistants. Mr. M. Rose and Mr .C. Pepper
