MATCH DETAILS
Handsworth 1-4 Silsden AFC
NCEL Premier Division
Saturday 6th April 2024
Express Worktops Stadium
TEAM NEWS
Rabone, Cromack, Gardner (Hunt, 83′), Daly, Cassidy, Clayton, Connolly (Roper, 68), Maltby, Stewart, Hudson, Brooksbank.
Subs: Thompson, Harris, Barnes
MATCH REPORT
Silsden recorded a ‘Priceless’ victory away to Handsworth yesterday as despite the absence of in-form striker Kayle Price, the Cobbydalers still ran away comfortable 4-1 winners.
Luke Brooksbank looked to fill in the number 9 role and did so well, opening the scoring on 27 minutes following some sustained Sils pressure, however we we’re pegged back before the break with Mitch Dunne levelling the scores for the Ambers.
Despite having the wind against us in the second half, we pushed on and secured the win courtesy of Jake Maltby, Brooksbank and Casey Stewart’s fine finishes, making it 3 wins from 3 this past week and solidifying 8th in the NCEL Prem table.
It was a warm yet windy day in South Yorkshire, with Sils making good use of the weather in the early exchanges.
Cody Cromack’s effort from outside the box was parried out by Amber’s keeper Tom Crosby before he was forced to recover and save from Ellis Hudson’s follow up strike.
Crosby was called into action again on 24 minutes, Stewart having started the game upfront, moved out wide early in the first half and hit a low strike that had to be tipped behind.
The pressure eventually told for the visitors.
Left back Lewis Gardner, making his first start since recovering from injury, found himself with space inside the box and he squared to Brooksbank who picked his spot well to find possibly the only vacancy on a crowded goaline.
Brookbank should have perhaps doubled his and Silsden’s tally on 41 minutes, once again combining with Gardner, the ball sat up nicely just inside the penalty area but his shot flew well over the crossbar.
With the half coming to a close, the hosts began to grab a foothold into the game, Cobbydaler’s stopper Jay Rabone forced into a stunning double save to preserve the lead.
Unfortunately for Silsden, they were unable to hold on as a smart flick on picked out Dunne who hit a clinical finish into the roof of the net.
You could have forgiven the visitors for letting there heads go down but straight from the start of the second half they pushed to retake the lead.
Nash Connolly thought he’d grabbed his third goal in the red and black after he headed home a rebounded effort, only to see the flag go up against Stewart moments beforehand.
The frustration of the disallowed goal was short lived however, on 58 minutes a loose ball dropped out to Maltby who finessed a lovely, curled strike into the bottom corner as Crosby could only watch on.
Silsden continued to press for a third, Connolly and Jake Cassidy both going close just moments apart, Crosby again to the rescue for the home side.
Rabone did have some work to do of his own too, getting up quickly to tip over a well taken Dunne freekick.
Brooksbank did put the game to bed on 79 minutes, a neat through ball from the skipper Ross Daly found him with space in the box and he rifled a wonderful shot beyond the admittedly impressive Crosby.
There was more time for Crosby to pull of some more saves late on but there was little he could do about Stewart’s wonderful effort in stoppage time.
A long ball forward picked out the former Liversedge man, who delicately lofted the ball over the keepers head and into the back of the net.
That’s 12 goals in 3 games for the Cobbydaler’s who make it 3 wins from 3 now as the season begins to draw to a close.
Just two league games to go and next up is another South Yorkshire away day this Wednesday, as we head down to Penistone Church for a 7:45pm kickoff.
