Match Details
Silsden AFC v Ilkley Town
Friendly
Thursday 21st July
The Office Interiors Stadium – 78
Match Report
There were goals galore at The Office Interiors Stadium on Thursday night as Silsden ran riot over local rivals Ilkley with a highly impressive 7-2 victory.
Despite going behind early on, the Cobbydalers would be 3-1 up by half time with goals from Arale Mohamed and a brace from Jos Bradshaw.
In the second half, Bradshaw would complete his hat-trick and further goals would be added by skipper Kyle Hancock, Finn Donovan and Trialist D.
As often the case this pre-season, Silsden would find themselves behind early on. An Ilkley corner was missed by everyone in a red shirt leaving Blake Wood to head home at the far post.
The hosts would quickly pull themselves together and press for an equaliser. It would be new man Mohamed who grabbed his first Sils goal on 26 minutes when an error from the visiting defence left him a simple tap in to level the scores.
Bradshaw then turned the game on its head just 5 minutes later, good work down the right allowing him space on the edge of the area where he beat his man and poked a low finish beyond Wade in the Ilkley goal.
He would add his second on 38 minutes. A dinked through pass sent the towering number 9 one on one and he kept his composure to bury the chance on the half-volley. Last season’s Player of the Season proving why he’s valued so highly at The Office Interiors Stadium.
Halftime did little to halt Silsden’s momentum and on 53 minutes when captain Hancock stepped up to curl a 30-yard free kick into the bottom corner, the game looked all but over.
Sils fans had barley finished celebrating that goal when Bradshaw grabbed the fifth and his third just a minute later. A goalmouth scramble saw the ball drop at the number 9’s feet half a yard out; possibly his easiest goal in a Silsden shirt.
The Baht’atters players might be forgiven for giving up at this point but would hit back almost instantly through a James Hudson strike. For those who might have lost count, the score stood at 5-2 at this point, with 35 minutes still to play!
Any hopes of a miraculous Ilkley comeback were quickly squashed by Sils winger Donovan. His neat footwork allowed him space in the area and his cool finish summed up a ruthless afternoon for the hosts.
There was even time to add a seventh goal. Two trialists combining well, with B crossing for D to tap home and complete the rout.
All in all an impressive result for Silsden and manager Matt Cavanagh was keen to praise his players following the result:
“After 20 minutes they got their head around the shape I’ve been looking for. It’s something we worked on in training Tuesday and we’ve been developing a structure of how we want to go about things and the lads did really well in that regard and dominated the remainder of the game”
The Cobbydaler’s head to Stockport Town on Saturday for their final friendly before the season kicks off on 30th July. Silsden’s first league game sees them make the away trip to Bottesford Town and a positive pre-season can give fans plenty to be hopeful of come next Saturday.
