ATHERTON L.R. 1 v 0 SILSDEN AFC

Grant 89 Att 34

PROFLIGATE COBBYDALERS FALL TO SUCKER PUNCH

The Cobbydalers’ four match, undefeated run came to an abrupt end at Crilly Park, when they conceded a goal in the dying minutes to bottom of the league Atherton Laburnum Rovers. Although manager Reape was without Hird, McEneaney, Bryan and Lee, the Yorkshire team created enough chances to have won at a canter. It isn’t the first time the Cobbydalers have faltered on a visit to Crilly Park.

Although both teams played better up the slope, there were still chances created at the bottom end. Kristian Hargreaves headed Chris Wademan’s corner wide in the fifth minute and Joe Gaughan saw his powerful shot from forty yards out blocked by right back Ryan Taylor. The Rovers squandered a good chance when Simon Pendlebury failed to get enough power on a header, leaving Mann with a routine save. On twenty minutes Arley Barnes, Silsden’s best player by a country mile, drove a ball forward to Darren Thornton, who flicked it into the path of Gaughan. The Silsden marksman latched onto the ball only to shoot over the bar.

Silsden looked sluggish in midfield, with players taking two or three touches when one should have done. Inevitably the Rovers defenders were rarely troubled. The tracking back was poor with players failing to get goal side of their opponents.

`Despite this, the Cobbydalers still created chances. Hargreaves broke down the left but delayed his shot to give Taylor time to make a tackle. Thornton managed to get the ball over the line from the resulting corner but he was adjudged to have impeded the keeper. Barnes was twice involved down the left, freeing Wademan. The youngster cut in onto his left foot but his shot lacked power.

Max Haubus blasted a shot high over the bar on a rare break into the Silsden box on thirty-five minutes, before Bryan Cox dribbled into the Silsden area past a static Husband. Cox stumbled over the ball and the Silsden defender was able to recover. Nettleton made sure most of Atherton’s sorties failed to reach the penalty area.

Silsden had two more clear chances before the interval. Danny McNulty hit a free kick to the edge of the Rover’s penalty area, where John Douglas swivelled to hit a low volley, which Brobbin saved at his near post. Thornton then released Gaughan but the keeper was swiftly off his line to smother the ball. Barnes then produced a well-timed tackle to deny Cox a shooting opportunity.

Silsden continued to waste chances. Thornton, latching onto Gaughan’s ball up the left, was the first culprit of the second half. Andrew Griffiths broke away for Atherton but his volley from the edge of the box was wide.

Chances came and went. Danny Husband just failed to get a firm-enough contact a yard out, on a Douglas free kick, and Thornton failed to get any power on another header. The Lancastrians tried long range efforts but all were off target, before a poor defensive wall allowed Douglas to free Wademan from a free kick. The angle was narrow and Brobbin smothered the shot.

With all their substitutes used, the Cobbydalers failed to create any more chances until the final minute, when a Douglas free kick went marginally wide of the far post. By then it was too late. The Rovers had snatched a goal at the death and a route-one goal at that. Skipper Gary GRANT rose above the defence to head a speculative free kick between Mann and Husband, from close range, on eighty-nine minutes. The crowd was sparse but the roar will still haunt the Cobbydalers, who have surrendered four points to the league’s basement team. Needless to say the manager was not pleased.

On Saturday the Cobbydalers travel to St. Helens, hoping to bounce back immediately.

ATHERTON L.R. Brobbin, Taylor, Parkhouse, Gibson, Pendlebury, Boothby, Stoddern(Cumpper), Grant, Cox, Haubus, Griffiths. Subs not used. Monaghan, Cook.

SILSDEN AFC Mann, Barnes, McNulty, P.Hanson, Husband, Nettleton, Wademan(Geary 79), Gaughan (Lamb 87), Thornton, Hargreaves(Kershaw 63).