SILSDEN AFC 0 v 1 BACUP BOROUGH FC

C. Ogunyode 11. Att. 86

COBBYDALERS FAIL TO TURN UP!

“It was just one of those days”, ”We weren’t at the races”, “We started poorly and deteriorated”. Football is full of clichés when things don’t go to plan. Managers are bemused, players are confused and fans are frustrated. For the Cobbydalers this was one of those games.

The fact that even the best teams have off days makes the game more interesting. The present Premiership is a case in point where the likes of Hull, Wolves and Burnley are able to gain points at the expense of the League’s big spenders.

Despite his frustration at the performance, Chris Reape has accepted the defeat and moved on. “It’s over now, so we have to focus on Saturday’s game. It’s up to the players to put this result behind them and pull together to try to get back onto winning ways again” he said. “Some of the players were very despondent after the game. It’s up to the management team and senior players to restore the confidence in the team.”

If the team needs motivation they need look no further back than the promotion season under Andy Geary. By April 2005 Silsden and Winsford were fighting for the second promotion spot to join league leaders, Camell Laird. Winsford were above Silsden in the table, having played more games. “One of the worst performances of the season in our most vital match” said Geary after a four-nil defeat. The Cobbydalers won their remaining seven games to snatch second place from Winsford.

What of the actual game? Reape, knowing he will be without several players in the near future, brought in Josh Ollershaw in goal and Liam Dawson on the left as he strengthens a very thin squad for the remainder of the season, where there is a backlog of fixtures. Keeper Phil Rishton must count himself very unlucky having performed particularly well in the previous two games. Although Bacup dominated territory and possession, Ollershaw had little to do, save a routine push over the bar in the second half.

The pitch was quite soft at kick-off but hardened late on as the temperature dropped. Bacup had the speedy Ogunyodes up front, Chris and Lance, who, had they taken all their chances, might have had a hat trick each. Skipper Davey Luker was pulling the strings in midfield setting up the two strikers with perceptive through balls. Lance Ogunyode was especially quick, turning the square defence, as he received the ball, although it was Chris OGUNYODE who opened the scoring in the eleventh minute, striking home Oldham’s pull back from the byline.

Silsden’s first attack followed a long ball up the left from Pete Hanson. Rob Barraclough got the better of his man and hit a curling cross to the far post, where Bellemy almost flicked it into his own net. At the other end, a slip by Bland allowed Chris Ogunyode to advance on goal. Skipping past Pete Hanson, he put in a great cross but there was no end product. Like Barraclough, Dawson put in another threatening cross from the left, which Stanley blasted towards his own net from short range. Dryden made his only save of the game from his own defender. Chris Ogunyode again wasted two more chances and Bland made amends after he had put his keeper under pressure. Bacup continued to dominate but wasted further chances before Simpson and Longley set up Hird. The midfield reached the goal area but couldn’t control his volley.

The pattern in the second half was similar. Bacup were quicker to the ball and quicker to move it. Lance Ogunyode shot wide before Ollershaw tipped Kershaw’s effort over the bar. Reape replaced Rosser in midfield with Liam Blacka, who had been very effective in the game against Runcorn but the substitute was to have no impact this time. After seventy minutes Silsden had a half chance. Longley, who was well short of his best, managed to flick the ball across the edge of the box. Thompson looked to have the edge in the chase for the ball but he didn’t react with enough haste and the half-chance went begging. Scott Hanson denied Lance Ogunyode before substitute Cosgrave wasted a golden chance to make the points safe. He shot wide from three yards out.

When Lance Ogunyode was substituted late in the game he received a wonderful ovation from both sets of fans. Bacup saw the game out, leaving Silsden to regroup for the next game.

SILSDEN AFC Ollershaw, P.Hanson(Blacka), Barraclough, S. Hanson, Martin Bland, Rosser(Blacka), Longley(Bradley), Hird, Thompson(Kershaw), Simpson, Dawson, Subs. dnp Rishton, Khalif.

BACUP BOROUGH FC Dryden, Prescott, Bellemy, Shaw, Stockdale, Kershaw(Cosgrave), Oldham, C.Ogunyode, L. Ogunyode(Brando), Luker, Stanley(Falco). Sub. dnp. Costa Soares.