Match Details
Toolstation Northern Counties East League
Silsden 4-2 Athersley Recreation
Saturday 26th February
The Office Interiors Stadium – Attendance: 127
Match Report
An action packed encounter in the NCEL saw Silsden run out 4-2 winners against a resilient Athersley Recreation side.
A brace from Finn Donovan alongside goals from Jack Normanton and Kyle Hancock were enough to see off the visitors who despite hitting back twice, couldn’t prevent The Sils picking up the 3 points.
This win means we have now lost just once in nine games, and the boys will look to carry this momentum into the remaining 11 fixtures of the season; all of which are to be played over a hectic 6 week period.
With our opponents having not won since October, Silsden were quickly on the front foot, finding gaps in the middle of the park and looking to exploit them. After 5 minutes the ball found its way to the in-form Jack Normanton on the edge of the penalty area and his fierce drive forced a fine diving save from the Athersley keeper.
The breakthrough came for Silsden not long after. Following an Athersley freekick, the ball was headed clear and the counterattack was on. Normanton found Brad Riley overlapping on the right and his perfectly weighted through ball allowed Finn Donovan to poke the ball beyond the onrushing keeper.
The Penguins would equalise just moments later, a looping cross caused all kinds of confusion in the Silsden penalty area before eventually dropping to midfielder Mark Stuart to rifle the ball in off the post.
Although unfortunate to concede, Sils quickly got back on the front foot and over the next 15 minutes created a number of chances including a curling effort from Normanton which dipped just over the crossbar.
The lead was regained on 40 minutes when a driving run from Donovan dragged in the defence, allowing him to slip in top-scorer Jack Normanton, who kept his composure to shift the ball onto his right boot and fire a deflected strike beyond the helpless goalkeeper.
It would be three just before half-time when more good work down the left found Kyle Hancock on the edge of the penalty area, his low curling effort placed to perfection and nestling in the bottom right corner of the goal.
Silsden started the second half as they finished the first, applying the early pressure and working the ball up to the frontmen. Initially testing the keeper with a low shot from Normanton before eventually grabbing their fourth when Donovan lined up a powerful shot on the edge of the area which found the back of net for his second of the game.
With only an hour gone, Silsden begin to slow the game down and slightly ease of the gas. Although they still fashioned some good chances with Donovan being denied brilliantly in a 1v1 situation, and then firing over the bar just a few minutes afterwards.
Despite The Sils still being in control, it would be the opposition who struck back when a long throw was flicked on to the back post leaving their winger to tap home.
With just a two goal lead, Silsden looked to put the game out of sight of Athersley, a run forward from the skipper Arley Barnes saw him get in behind but his low shot was held by the keeper, followed closely by Normanton firing a shot just wide of the post after some great footwork inside the penalty area.
The game would end 4-2 however, a solid performance from the lads makes it two wins on the bounce heading into Tuesday’s away fixture at Knaresborough and manager Danny Forrest had this to say following the game:
“I thought it was a performance worthy enough of winning the game, but I don’t think we quite got to our best which was a little frustrating but we did play some effective football and got the job done which is what today was about really”
Ahead of the next few weeks, the gaffer also spoke on making use of the squad as best as possible and the aims for the rest of the campaign:
“It’s a hectic schedule, we’ll look after the squad, probably rotate a little. As I said before the game, we want to be picking up points, gathering some momentum and taking things a game at a time to see where it takes us.”
Silsden Lineup – Welsh, Pownell (Everingham,68), Gardner, Hancock (Hudson,68) Illingworth, Barnes(c), Normanton, Mitchell (Thompson,75), Bradshaw, Donovan, Riley.
Unused Subs – Moses, Mceneaney.
