SILSDEN AFC 2 v 5 ASKERN VILLA

Turner (pen)18, McLaughlin 19, 32,

Nettleton 47. Vickerage 56,90, Rollins 65. Att.68

SLUGGISH SILSDEN SUCCUMB TOO EASILY

If a week is a long time in politics, it certainly doesn’t ring true for the Cobbydalers, in a week which saw them rise to heights and sink to the depths. A week ago, the Silsden outfit went within a minute of knocking Harrogate Railway out of the FA Cup. On Tuesday they lost two-nil in the replay in a game which was more of a battle, than the classic of four days earlier. On Saturday they went out of the FA Vase with barely a whimper, conceding five goals in the process.

For the third year running, the Cobbydalers were out of the Vase at the first attempt. It was strange to see a team who had played so well a week before, succumb so easily to a Villa team who were languishing near the bottom of Division One of the Northern Counties East League. The only explanation that the spectators could come up with was fatigue. Having raised their game twice in a week against the Railwaymen, the Cobbydalers looked totally drained, with even the most experienced players making basic errors.

This is not to be disrespectful to the visitors who created more chances and played the better football in the game. The Villa had the two best players on the pitch in the experienced Tom McLaughlin and the sixteen year old Jay Rollins.

Andy Lee went close in the second minute, before the visitors created a sequence of good openings. McLaughlin shot wide before Ben Lamb turned Michael Evan’s dangerous cross for a corner. New boy Robert Turner had a half chance for the Cobbydalers, before the Villa went close with further efforts from Lee Wilkinson and Mark Vickerage.

Silsden were handed a lifeline when Lee crossed into the box and Alex Ralph was bundled off the ball. TURNER blasted the spot kick down the middle of the goal. Within a minute the visitors were level. McLAUGHLIN broke through a static defence to slide the ball home past the helpless Mann. Silsden midfielders could neither break forwards to support the attack nor, more importantly, track back to aid a defence, which was being opened up by some slick passing.

Jay Rollins had a shot deflected for a corner before McLAUGHLIN sped past McEneaney to notch his second with an angled drive. Mann denied McLaughlin a hat-trick with a fine save, after the striker had again cut in between two defenders. Wilkinson shot wide, before a combination of Lamb and Mann denied McLaughlin again. Andy Lee, largely peripheral on the right, had a cross shot late as the half came to an end.

One expected tea-cups to be flying in the Silsden dressing room at half time. There was an initial input of energy and James NETTLETON put Silsden level in the forty-seventh minute, flicking in a corner at the near post but the team still lacked drive and passion.

The Cobbydalers produced a move down the left, which saw Ralph crossing into the box. Turner had a shot blocked before Lee shot over the bar. However, once again, the visitors were soon back in front. McEneaney, excellent to date for the Cobbydalers, was left without cover, and Rollins sped past him to cross from the by-line for the unmarked VICKERAGE to head home.

The game might have swung the other way had Matthew Kershaw, on for Peter Hanson, netted either of two excellent chances. Breaking through, Kershaw first shot over the bar with his first chance and then headed wide, after John Douglas had sent over an inch-perfect cross. McEneany was denied a goal by Stephen Hernandez in the Villa goal after a swift one-two with Ralph.

Barnes and Jalil replaced Lee and Husband but it made little difference. The visitors scored two further gaols as the Cobbydalers capitulated. Silsden’s two best players so far this season, Mann and Nettleton, were both guilty of making mistakes. When ROLLINS broke through the middle, Mann appeared to gather the ball only to spill it. The speedy winger made it four. In the final minute, Mann hit a goal kick to McEneany. Put under pressure he passed back to Nettleton. The skipper, himself being closed down, tried to play the ball out through the midfield. VICKERAGE intercepted it and, although Mann saved the initial effort, he couldn’t prevent the Villa man from netting a fifth.

Disappointing? Yes, but not the end of the world. The manager will have to lift the players who need to focus on the positive performances against the Railway. On Saturday it’s back to league business with a home game against AFC Blackpool.

SILSDEN AFC Mann, Husband(Barnes 66), McEneaney, Hird, Nettleton, Lamb, Douglas, Hanson(Kershaw 40), Turner, Ralph, Lee(Jalil 66). Sub dnp Rishton.

ASKERN VILLA Hernandez, Gibbons, Lapianka, Wilkinson, Knifton, Staniforth, Rollins, Pugh, McLaughlin, Vickerage, Evans. Subs not used. Irwin, Johnson, Starkie, Copley, Standing.

Referee. Mr. S. Meridith