ABBEY HEY FC 3 v 1 SILSDEN AFC

Cocks 2, Jones 4, Simpson 7(pen)

Hardy 39, Att. 34

SHELL-SHOCKED SILSDEN SURRENDER TO BOTTOM SIDE

The Cobbydalers, after a lack-lustre performance against Bacup Borough in midweek, hit rock bottom in the opening half of their visit to bottom-of- the-league, Abbey Hey. The Silsden defence was opened up in the second minute when left winger, Daniel COCKS, cut inside Peter Hanson and Liam Blacka to rifle a shot across the goal and in at the far post. Two minutes later the Mancunians were two up. Harry Thompson was easily dispossessed on the half way and Doherty hit a long ball towards the Silsden goal. Scott Hanson failed to deal with a routine ball and Sam JONES was left with the easy task of slipping the ball under the body of Joshua Ollerenshaw.

Silsden were shell-shocked. Fortunately they were given a lifeline in the shape of a penalty. Blacka had lifted a ball over a square defence for Simpson to run onto. Chris Simpson held off the initial challenge of Doherty before he was pushed, in the act of shooting. SIMPSON dispatched the penalty into the bottom corner. Simpson then set Jamie Longley through but the striker at present is lacking the cutting edge he had earlier in the season and he was easily closed down.

The Silsden defence in particular were very unsettled and only a good save from Ollerenshaw prevented Jones notching a third after he had latched onto a simple through ball. Peter Hanson, in particular, looked uncomfortable at right back. He was beaten by a through ball which Lee Knowles picked up. The striker found himself in a one-on-one situation with the Silsden keeper but he shot hopelessly wide.

Simpson then slid a ball through to Liam Dawson, whose shot was easily saved by Lewis. When Simpson flicked on a throw in, Thompson volleyed over the bar. Chris Reape must have been hoping that the Cobbydalers could hold out until half time... but they couldn’t. The unfortunate Peter Hanson failed to clear the ball a yard to the left of his keeper’s left hand post. Ollerenshaw called and dived for the ball but Hanson turned and hit the ball back across goal where John HARDY tapped it into the empty net. Once again you could see the confidence ooze from the Silsden players.

The second half saw Silsden much more as an attacking force. A free kick from Dawson reached Thompson who had a shot saved. The Abbey defence, despite their lowly position, kept tight on their men and denied the Cobbydalers the space, which their own forwards had enjoyed. Doherty halted a run from Simpson. A header from Ryan at the back post was headed off the line.

When Bland was replaced by McNulty, Barraclough moved into the middle and McNulty pushed forwards. Finally the fans were treated to some quality football from Longley who skipped through the defence before setting up Thomson. Thompson did everything right but Lewis was off his line in a flash to block the shot, albeit with his chin. Kershaw came on for Blacka and had an immediate impact. Chasing down a back pass, he reached the byline, only to shoot into the side netting from a narrow angle, when both Thompson and Longley were free.

Bradley came on for Ryan and beat the defence down the left but his cross was too high for Thomson. The Abbey held out without further trouble.

When Reape took over, he immediately tightened up the defence. Obviously he will be looking again at this, both from a personnel and a tactics point of view. Basically, its up to the team to defend as a unit and for players to help each other. Too often here, one defender was left isolated. The marking was poor, the awareness was poor and the communication between players was none existent. Some of these can be sorted by the manager, others require the players to “roll their sleeves up”.

At least there is some light amongst the gloom. Long term injured players Adam and Damien Whiteoak and Lewis Barker are back in training.

Next Saturday the Cobbydalers travel to Formby and on Tuesday, February 23^rd they are over the border at Colne.

ABBEY HEY FC Lewis, Lavendis, Kemp, Doherty, Wager, Cheetham, Hardy, McElroy, Knowles, Jones(Evans)Cocks. Subs. dnp. Gale, Lomax, Braithwaite, Brooke.

SILSDEN AFC Ollerenshaw, P.Hanson, Barraclough, S. Hanson, Martin Bland(McNulty), Blacka(Kershaw), Longley, Hird, Thompson(Kershaw), Simpson, Dawson(Bradley).