MATCH DETAILS
Emley AFC 1-2 Silsden AFC
NCEL Premier Division
Saturday 16th March 2024
Fantastic Media Welfare Ground
TEAM DETAILS
Rabone, Kilner, Stewart, Daly, Cassidy, Clayton, Connolly (Smith, 77′), Maltby, Price (Barnes, 90′), Cromack, Brooksbank.
Subs: Conteh, Hunt, Roper
MATCH REPORT
Silsden made it three wins in a row with a fantastic 2-1 victory away to NCEL Premier League leaders Emley yesterday afternoon.
Casey Stewart’s first half freekick opened the scoring before Luke Brooksbank doubled the Cobbydaler’s advantage in the second half.
Determined defending kept the Pewit’s out until Alex Metcalfe forced home on 89 minutes, but it wasn’t to be for the hosts as Silsden took home a well-deserved three points.
The first real opportunity of the game fell to Silsden’s Brooksbank on the quarter of an hour mark as he met Jake Maltby’s cross inside the penalty area but sent his effort over on the stretch.
Emley weren’t without chances of their own however as James Walshaw looked to add to his 27 goals for the campaign, only to be denied by an impressive diving save from Sils stopper Jay Rabone.
If that first save was good, what came next from the 19 year-old was even better.
A scramble from a corner looked to be heading into the net before Rabone brilliantly scrambled back to claw the ball off the line and ensure the score remained level.
The deadlock was broken just five minutes later as Stewart stepped up and curled an unstoppable 25-yard freekick around Emley’s five-man wall and into the back of the net.
With the hosts on the back foot, Nash Connolly would have an opportunity to double the lead just before the break, finding space inside the box and unleashing a powerful strike that was well tipped over by Alex Petrovic.
After the interval, the Cobbydalers survived a few scares, initially Adam Clayton was forced into a smart interception inside his own six yard area, the resulting corner being volleyed inches wide of the upright.
Don’t take your chances and you will be punished and that’s just what Silsden did to the hosts on 66 minutes.
Brooksbank picked up the ball on the left wing before driving inside and firing a fierce strike on goal that Petrovic could only get fingertips to before it ended up in the goal.
The danger was far from over for Sils as Emley continued to look for a way back in the game.
They thought they’d halved the deficit on just moments after the goal from a corner, but the skipper Ross Daly was there on the line to make a crucial clearance.
With the game clock ticking down, both sides would have chances, Emley’s Walshaw dragging a shot wide of the post while Brooksbank’s effort from close in was smothered well by Petrovic.
Metcalfe’s late strike for Emley did make for a nervy final few moments but Silsden were able to hold on and bring the three points, a good save from Petrovic to deny Kayle Price on 93 minutes the only thing standing between an even sweeter result for the visitors.
The result see’s Sils remain 10th in the table on 49 points, with a rearranged trip to Barton Town on Tuesday night followed by a Non-League Day Bradford Derby against Eccleshill this Saturday.
