MATCH DETAILS
Handsworth FC 0-1 Silsden AFC
NCEL Premier Division
Saturday 14th September 2014
Express Worktops Stadium
TEAM DETAILS
Bradbury, Kilner, Clark, Cromack, Coates, Billy, Hudson, Conteh (Stockdill, 70′), Price (Greaves, 78′), Brooksbank (Jeffrey, 86′), Stewart (Connolly, 60′).
MATCH REPORT
A second half penalty from Ellis Hudson proved to the the difference in Silsden’s 1-0 win over Handsworth at the Express Worktops Stadium yesterday afternoon.
In truth, the scoreline didn’t reflect the frantic nature of the game with both sides creating a number of clear-cut chances, but lacking the cutting edge to finish them off.
Handsworth came out quick at the start of the first half forcing a number of early blocks from the Silsden defence, then firing an effort wide of the target from inside the penalty area.
Silsden hit back though and thought they had taken the lead through Kayle Price’s close range effort only for the linesman’s flag to go up soon after.
The back and forth nature of the game continued, Luke Brooksbank and Hudson both seeing speculative efforts well saved by Michael Roxburgh before Sils defender Harry Coates was forced into a smart goaline clearance on the half-hour mark.
New Cobbydaler Corey Billy impressed on his debut against Eccleshill last weekend and was inches away from breaking the deadlock when his volleyed shot from a corner rattled the crossbar just before the interval.
The halftime break seemed to have little effect on the tempo of the game, Price was again proving a nuisance with two early efforts that went wide and were saved respectively.
Silsden were getting closer to the opener and when Casey Stewart’s strike was spilled by the keeper on 56 minutes there were huge claims that the ball had dropped over the line.
Despite protestations from both players and supporters, the ball was adjudged to have stayed out and the score remained level.
That would be until the 70th minute when Billy was brought down inside the box by the Amber’s keeper in what admittedly looked a very harsh call.
Hudson made no mistake from the spot however, stroking the ball low into the corner with Roxburgh diving the opposite direction.
Billy was once again involved in another Sils opportunity just a few minutes later, his driving run and pass picked out Brooksbank whose low strike was tipped behind.
With the game nearing its end, Handsworth would have one final chance to equalise as the ball dropped to Scott Ruthven on the edge of the 6-yard box but the striker looped his effort high over the crossbar.
The result see’s Sils climb to 4th in the NCEL Premier Division table.
There’s a midweek break from league action with the visit of Goole to the Regal Interiors Stadium this Tuesday in the League Cup second round.
Speaking after the game, Manager Matt Cavanagh was pleased with his sides performance:
“There were chances for both sides in the first half, we created plenty but we probably weren’t quite clinical enough and didn’t have that little bit of luck that you need but Handsworth we’re probably thinking the same.
“Overall I’m really pleased, we showed better character than last week, grinded through it and played good football in spells”.
There were also several mentions for some new faces including Corey Billy and Jack Stockdill:
“Corey got on really well, in our box he was throwing his body at the ball and making some great blocks but his distribution was also really good today and in the second half he was stepping in with the ball really well.
It’s not always easy coming into a new team and hopefully there’s more to come”.
“Stocky has been biting to play for a little bit but we’ve got to look after him and get him the right amount of minutes.
The squad isn’t the biggest at the minute and we needed him to play, he’s come through it well and hopefully we can get him some more minutes on Tuesday, he’s a great lad and a leader in the dressing room so we’ll see a lot more from him”.
