SILSDEN AFC 1 v 2 RUNCORN LINNETS

Blacka 56. Case1, Blundell 70.

BLACKA GOAL NOT QUITE ENOUGH FOR PLUCKY COBBYDALERS

Silsden manager, Chris Reape, was forced to change his team minutes before the kick off when Damien Whiteoak pulled up with a muscle injury. Matthew Kershaw took his place and Robert Bradley took over from Harry Thompson who was unavailable. Facing a more experienced side, Reape opted to strengthen the midfield, pulling back leading scorer Chris Simpson. Kershaw and Bradley were given the striker’s roles but facing muscular centre backs, they were unable give Silsden the edge.

At half time Reape made a significant change, replacing Aqeeb Khalif with Liam Blacka. Peter Hanson was moved to right back and Simpson pushed forwards with Jamie Longley. Kershaw and Roberts were moved wide and both were more involved and significantly more effective. Blacka capped an excellent performance with the Cobbydalers equaliser.

Silsden only created one clear opening in the first half and that was straight from the kick off. Kershaw’s long throw-in was flicked on by Bradley to Simpson, who just failed to connect from close range. The Linnets cleared the ball to the left wing where Michael CASE turned Khalif outside then inside, before slotting the ball home at Rishton’s near post.

Myrescough then went close with a header, before Whyte took advantage of a mistake by Scott Hanson. Whyte was pushed to the right by Rishton and wastefully tried to cut back onto his right foot. Webb headed over the bar in the thirtieth minute and Blundell rifled over the bar, following Webb’s header. Myrescough was always a threat in the air,but only one header was on target and Rob Barraclough headed the ball off the line. Bland thwarted many of the Runcorn attacks and despite their territorial dominance, the Linnets failed to add to their slender lead.

If Runcorn had dominated the first half, it was the Cobbydalers who dominated the second. Simpson set the tone in the opening minute, with a snap shot which Priestly held at the second attempt. Longley swung over two testing corners. Barraclough challenged Priestly for the second one but the keeper managed to smother the ball on the line.

A weak shot from Whyte was easily saved by Rishton. The keeper threw the ball wide to Simpson. The ball was moved across via Peter Hanson to Bradley. Bradley curled in a dangerous cross. Barraclough, who had run from his own penalty area, was inches from notching the equaliser. When Kershaw and Bradley opened the Linnets defence on the right, another tempting cross was flicked on by Longley, but Priestly pushed it for a corner. Finally the equaliser came. BLACKA, who had been spreading the ball with some aplomb in midfield, rose like the proverbial salmon to head Longley’s cross past the helpless Priestly. Simpson, spotting Priestly off his line, nearly added a second with a perceptive lob. The keeper managed to recover and flick it over the bar.

With only twenty minutes left, Runcorn managed to exert some pressure. Hampson broke free on the right but his shot hit the post. Another cross was sliced over his own bar but BLUNDELL netted Runcorn’s second with a firm header. When Case’s cross was flicked up, Hampson hit a clean volley marginally too high. Simpson went even closer with a near-post header at the other end from another Bradley cross.

Silsden were at full stretch in search of the equaliser and although Bland managed to dispossess Case, he was indebted to Rishton, who managed to finger tip the ball wide of the Silsden goal. Rishton kept the Cobbydalers in the game with another one-on-one save from Barazs, before Silsden created their last chance. Longley created space with a great turn, but he delayed shooting and was closed down.

Silsden had gone close without reward but there were lots of positives for Reape. Blacka gave him another option in midfield and several of the youngsters gained valuable experience. Barraclough, now fully established, was outstanding, whilst the running of Kershaw and Bradley on the flanks gave the team a lift in the second half.

On Saturday the Cobbydalers visit Abbey Hey and on Tuesday16th the Cobbydalers visit local rivals Colne.

SILSDEN AFC Rishton, Khalif(Blacka), Barraclough, S. Hanson, Martin Bland, P.Hanson, Longley, Hird, Bradley(McNulty), Simpson, Kershaw, Subs. dnp Whiteoak, Finn.

RUNCORN LINNETS FC Priestly, Wood, Ashcroft, Balazs, Bain, Myrescough, Hampson, Blundell, Webb(Ellis), Whyte, Case. Subs.dnp. Atherton, Howard, Clarkson, Hunter.