Match Details

Silsden 1-2 Albion

NCEL Premier Division

Friday 28th July 2023

The Office Interiors Stadium – Att: 520

Match Report

Silsden got off to a disappointing start on opening day in the NCEL Premier Division as a bumper crowd of 520 watched them fall to a 2-1 defeat to Bradford rivals Albion Sports.

In an end-to-end game at the Office Interiors Stadium last night, Jake Maltby opened the scoring for the hosts before Hass Gorji levelled on the stroke of half time.

Former Cobbydaler Robbie Fox grabbed the winner with a 30-yard strike just 13 minutes from time giving the visiting Lions a perfect start to the campaign.

The early exchanges saw very little in the way of action, Luke Brooksbank had a half chance early on but flashed a low effort wide of the left-hand post.

With the game starting to descend into a serious of fouls and free kicks, it took a moment of quality from Maltby to provide the opener.

Good play down the right gave the midfielder space inside the box and he curled a first-time strike into the far corner.

Gorji would level the game for the visitors just five minutes later, finding space inside the Silsden penalty area to turn before poking a low effort beyond Kyle Trenerry.

After the break Fox would have a chance to give Albion the lead, racing through on goal but a big save from Trenerry denied him.

Cobbydaler’s substitute Jack Normanton looked to make an impact of the bench as he drove forward and sent a shot on goal that stung the palms of the Albion keeper.

The game would be won on 77 minutes when Fox picked up the ball 30-yards from goal and hit an unstoppable strike into the top corner.

Joe Snowden, a graduate of Silsden’s WYL side came close to a late equaliser when his long-range effort flew just beyond the post, much to the dismay of the home supporters.

With that, Albion held on to claim the points. Not an ideal start for Silsden but plenty still to play for this season for a Cobbydaler’s side with lofty ambitions for the 23/24 NCEL campaign.