Match Details

Toolstation Northern East Counties Football League

Silsden AFC 1-3 Sherwood Colliery

Tuesday 15th March

The Office Interiors Stadium – Att: 117

Match Report

Silsden were unfortunate to lose 3-1 against a quality Sherwood Colliery side at The Office Interiors Stadium on Tuesday night.

Sherwood took a first half lead and despite the Cobbydalers equalising through Brad Riley, they couldn’t hold on and two late goals snatched the win for the visitors.

This result means Silsden have now lost three games on the bounce and It was their second defeat to the Wood in just over a week.

Silsden started the game well with some good passing interplay in promising areas but many of the final passes ended up in the  Sherwood keeper Joe McCormack’s gloves.

The visitors would miss a guilt-edge chance after just 12 minutes, a slip up from Dan Illingworth allowed winger Tim Gregory to break through, but his cutback evaded the men in the centre before finding its way to the back post. Somehow the finish would be blazed over, much to the relief of the Sils defence.

Minutes later, a lucky break would see Jack Normanton with space on the right-hand side, but the bobble on the pitch meant his shot flew wide of the target.

As with the last weeks fixture against Sherwood, it would be the Nottinghamshire side who took a first half lead, a tight call for offside but the defence switched off. This allowed Lewis Weaver to bear down on Alfie Darke and despite getting a toe to it, the Silsden shot stopper couldn’t prevent the ball finding the back of the net.

There would be plenty of chances as the half came towards to its conclusion, a cross-shot fizzed across Darke’s goal but came to nothing. He would then be forced into action in quick succession, first pushing away a free kick before making a fine diving save following a half volley.

Whilst the Cobbydalers still pushed, it would be the Wood who continued to threaten on the counter, Weaver took the ball around Darke but Illingworth recovered spectacularly to make the block on the line.

Silsden would begin the second half the brighter, finding space and playing some nice passes. The final ball just couldn’t find its way through however and the visitors looked happy to sit back and absorb some of the pressure.

The positive start to the half then continued as Josi Bradshaw almost nicked in behind, only to be thwarted by a great challenge from Sherwood centre half Ewan Robson. This was then followed up with a Silsden penalty shout after Normanton went down in the box but the referee quickly waved away the protests.

An equaliser would come on 66 minutes, neat passing in the final third and an innovative flick from Bradshaw found Brad Riley. The winger kept his composure and slotted his shot low beyond McCormack.

With their tails up, The Cobbydalers kept pressing and came close just a minute later, Finn Donovan firing his snapshot just wide. Not long after, Normanton then also tested the keeper with a low drive following some good footwork on the right.

Sherwood almost retook the lead when a scramble in the 6-yard box saw the ball slid towards goal but into the hands of the grateful Darke. More brilliant defending from Silsden would prevent the visitors scoring again, Harry Thompson this time making the crucial block from a corner.

But the Cobbydalers couldn’t hold on to the draw. In the dying moments the ball was worked out to Liam West on the left and his measured shot nestled in the corner to give Sherwood the lead.

The visitors would add a third goal just a minute later, the ball dropped out to the edge of the box for Jamie York to rifle past Darke, all but confirming that the 3 points would return to Mansfield.

A disappointing result for Silsden but they have the chance to put things right as they make the trip to South Yorkshire to take on Maltby Main on Saturday, with the hope that they can put an end to their six game winless run.

Silsden Lineup – Darke, Pownall, Gardner, Thompson, Illingworth, Barnes (c), Normanton, Mitchell, Bradshaw, Donovan, Riley

Unused Subs – Gartland, Parsons, Hudson, Forrest, Stein

Sherwood Colliery Lineup – McCormack, Shaw (c), Starbuck, Robson, Taylor, Belgrave, York, Norcross, Gregory, Curtis, Weaver.

Subs – Ingram, Newby, West, Homer, Savage