Match Details
Toolstation Northern Counties East Football League
Maltby Main 1-1 Silsden AFC
Saturday 19th March
Muglet Lane
Match Report
Silsden and Maltby Main played out an entertaining 1-1 at Muglet Lane on Saturday with both sides creating plenty but just lacking a cutting edge.
A fine finish from Maltby midfielder Connor Cutts on 14 minutes was quickly cancelled out by an own goal just 15 minutes later. The other key event would see Silsden striker Ant Brown sent off in the dying seconds after retaliating to an off the ball incident.
Whilst the draw means both sides put an end to their three game losing streaks, the Cobbydalers are still without a win in six and a midweek trip to the leagues in-form side Winterton Rangers in their next game will certainly prove to be a tough task.
It would be the visitors who started the brightest on a sunny day in South Yorkshire, Finn Donovan forcing an early save from Miners’ keeper Hugo Warhurst before midfielder Joe Mitchell sent a speculative effort high and wide.
Despite the pitch being a little bobbly, Silsden were playing some decent football, fashioning chances for Brown who was looking a threat up top, but his shots were blocked and saved on two separate occasions.
At the other end, Maltby were also taking advantage of a disorganised Sils defence. A warning sign came when Rieves Boocock flashed an effort just wide. The warning wasn’t heeded and the visitors found themselves behind on 14 minutes when Connor Cutts smashed home a half volley following a hopeful ball over the top.
The goal changed the flow of the game, with the defence still in disarray, Maltby pushed for a second and forced a number of saves from Darke including an excellent double stop, first parrying a low drive before sticking out a leg to deny the rebound.
Whilst the hosts looked to have begun controlling the game, the Cobbydalers would snatch an equaliser. Brad Riley and Lewis Gardner linked up well on the left allowing the young full back to unleash a fierce shot towards goal. The ball may have been travelling wide until Maltby captain Joe Austin threw his body to block the shot but inadvertently turned the ball beyond his own goalkeeper.
Just moments later Silsden would come mightily close to taking the lead. Brown again wreaking havoc in the hosts penalty area and forcing a save from Warhurst before the ball dropped to Riley who smashed a deflected effort narrowly over.
But the visitors wouldn’t be out of the woods just yet, Darke was called into action yet again just before the turn of the half and he responded making a good low save, it would then be Dan Illingworth’s turn to become a hero, his brilliantly-timed sliding challenge dispossessing the attacker just as it looked he would be in on goal.
With the first half being such an end to end encounter, the stage was set for the second half as both sides looked to push for a second goal. The Miners hit the front first, Darke producing a rather unorthodox diving save to force a low shot over his crossbar, before Sils came back through Brown whose looping effort fell into the keepers arms.
As the second half continued, the chances seemed to slow down slightly, Silsden fired a few shots straight at the keeper and Donovan looked to have been baring down one on one before a heavy touch took the ball away from him.
The Cobbydalers would survive a late scare when a powerful header rebounded of the inside of the post before the ever-dependable Illingworth got back on the line to clear the danger.
With the game coming into its final moments there would be an altercation between Brown and Maltby’s Morgan James. James tripped the Silsden man and he retaliated, pushing his head towards the Miners player. With the referee having only seen Brown’s offence, he was sent off and will be suspended for three games following Wednesday’s fixture with Winterton.
Despite the man advantage, there was no time for any other action in the game and the spoils were shared. The result sees Silsden climb to 13th in the table whilst Maltby drop to 9th.
Silsden Lineup: Darke, Pownall (Parsons,80), Gardner, Thompson, Illingworth, Barnes, Donovan, Mitchell (Hancock,60), Bradshaw, Brown, Riley (Normanton,70)
Unused Subs: Gartland, Hudson
Maltby Lineup: Warhurst, Thwaites, Whitfield, Hough, Austin, Hill, Boocock, Williams, Hardwick, Cutts, Chipps
Subs: James, Swaine, Algar, Clark, Jordan
