SILSDEN AFC 0 v 2 COLNE FC

Coyne 55,

Threlfall 86. Att. 204

CHRISTMAS GIFTS UNOPENED BY THE COBBYDALERS

In a game dominated by the capricious wind, the Cobbydalers should have been at least three goals ahead by the break, but a combination of the woodwork, poor finishing, desperate defending and some fine saves from former Silsden keeper, Chris Thompson, meant that the scores were level at the break. The Lancastrians took their chance to take the points back over the Moss, in front of a bumper Boxing Day crowd.

After a period of heavy rain, the Cobbydalers had worked hard on the morning of the game to make sure it went ahead. Inevitably the pitch cut up as the game took its course, but there was enough action to provide the fans with rich entertainment. With McEneany recovering from injury, Reape was able to name an unchanged team.

Silsden dominated the opening half, although Colne did manage to create several chances midway through the half. Andy Lee had the Cobbydalers first effort, a shot across the face of goal, which was cleared by Daniel Greave. When Joe Gaughan headed Lee’s cross down towards the far post, only the woodwork saved the visitors. The combined efforts of Thompson and Neil Harries denied Danny Bryan scoring with the follow up. A minute later McEneaney threaded the ball through to Gaughan who, timing his run to perfection, bore down on goal. Thompson got a strong hand on the shot. Gaughan then hit a super crossfield pass out to Lee on the left but resulting cross was cleared.

Midway through the half, James Crorken had Colne’s first effort, shooting wide following a corner. A clearance by Thomson held up on the wind and John Douglas, seeing the keeper on the edge of his area, volleyed goalwards carried on the wind. Thompson managed to scramble back to just gather the ball at full stretch. Gaughan was then put through by Bryan, but his shot, though powerful, was wide of the target.

Colne then began to build with some neat interplay. A cross-field passing move ended with Peter Hanson denying Dominic Craig. James Mann saved Mark Threlfall’s low drive and Greave rifled a low shot across the face of the Silsden goal.

Lee, always a threat on the left, got behind the defence on the right. Thompson somehow got a hand on Lee’s low shot to deflect it for a corner. The half ended with Danny Husband reaching the byline to cross into the box. Gaughan headed powerfully downwards but inches wide. On another day, the striker might have had a first half hat-trick.

Colne were soon on the attack in the second half. Threlfall cut in from the left to hit a powerful shot, which Arley Barnes managed to block. Silsden did have another good opportunity from a Lee corner. Gaughan, running in, headed over with Husband behind him, just about to nod home. Ben Lamb conceded an unnecessary corner, which was driven into the Silsden box. Lamb and Husband both blocked shots but no-one could stop Mark COYNE from hitting the back of the net from close range.

Greave was wide with a header, two more shots were blocked and Mann saved with his feet as Craig burst past Lamb on the turn. Craig was turning the screw with some deft footwork but he was denied, firstly by Husband and then by McEneany. A neat turn and deft flick by Threlfall released Crorken but Mann managed to push the ball for a corner.

Kershaw came on for Hanson as Reape hoped to threaten the Colne defence with more pace. The game became a battle in midfield with Tim Hird in the thick of things but the Cobbydalers couldn’t create another chance. Colne settled the issue four minutes from time with a classic striker’s goal. Craig reached the byline on the right and crossed. THRELFALL headed powerfully past Mann to secure all three points.

It could have been oh so different, had the Cobbydalers taken even half of the chances which they created in the opening half. Reapy will be hoping for a better start to 2012. The Cobbydalers visit Padiham on January 2^nd. 3.00pm

SILSDEN AFC Mann, Barnes, McEneaney, Hird, Husband, Lamb, Bryan, P. Hanson(Kershaw 70),Gaughan(Wademan 84), Douglas, Lee. Subs. not used Nettleton, Geary, J. McNulty,

COLNE FC Thompson, Hayes, Morris, Greave, Pickup, Harries, Craig, Young, Threlfall, Coyne(Boyce 88), Crorken, Subs not used. Higgins, Bridson, Johnson.