MATCH DETAILS
Bottesford Town 1-2 Silsden AFC
NCEL Premier Division
Saturday 16th September 2023
Barrett Steel Stadium
MATCH REPORT
Silsden continued their winning form with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Bottesford Town at the Barrett Steel Stadium on Saturday.
Despite creating a number of chances, it would take until the 90th minute for Casey Stewart to grab the winner after Isaac Baldwin’s first half strike was cancelled out by a stunning Reece Moody strike.
The result sees us continue to top the NCEL Premier Division table with 21 points from our opening 10 fixtures.
As in previous weeks, we started quickly and looked to take the game to our opposition, Arley Barnes seeing a shot blocked before Luke Brooksbank sent an effort wide within the opening 10 minutes.
Bottesford’s keeper looked to be in good form, tipping a Cody Cromack strike wide on 18 minutes.
Brooksbank could have then opened the scoring just moments later, Jake Maltby’s through ball sent him 1v1 but the keeper made himself big to make the stop.
We would have the ball in the net on 32 minutes, Kayle Price racing in behind and finishing well only to be controversially called offside.
Having looked so dangerous, it was only a matter of time before the opening goal came.
It would be Baldwin grabbing his second goal in as many games as he arrived late into the box and smashed home at the back post following a small scramble.
After the interval our control of the game continued, Maltby going close to our second with a decent curling effort.
But as so often happens in football, don’t take your chances and you will be punished.
Kyle Trennery’s clearance fell only as far as Moody who hit a stunning 30-yard strike over everyone and into the empty net.
Chance after chance continued to fall for Sils, Clayton and Baldwin both seeing headed efforts tipped behind well.
The organised defence of the hosts continued to frustrate us, Ellis Hudson going closest late on as he shot over from close range.
It would be a huge sense of relief when into added time Stewart popped up with his most important goal so far, picking up the ball inside the box, keeping his composure to round the keeper before rifling low beyond the outstreched legs on the Bottesford goalline.
Not the finest performance from Sils, but it’s always important to win when your not at your best.
There’s just under a week to go before our next game; a break from league action as we welcome Northern League side Billingham Sythonia to The Office Interiors Stadium for the FA Vase Second Qualifying Round.
