Slow-starting Cobbydalers go out (From Craven Herald)

Slow-starting Cobbydalers go out

4:16pm Thursday 1st November 2012 in Sport

Cheadle Town 3 Silsden 2

The Cobbydalers failed to negotiate another cup game at the first attempt, having already lost at home in both the FA Cup and FA Vase.

This time it was at in the North West Counties League Challenge Cup at the hands of Division One Cheadle Town, who had won six and drawn one of their seven games in September.

Silsden – given a first-round bye as a Premier Division club – were under pressure from the off and left themselves too much to do following a poor first half.

With Kevin Sanasy and Jake McEneaney unavailable, Danny McNulty was switched to left back, Stephen Throup came into the centre of defence and James Nettleton was pushed into midfield.

The hosts were fired-up from the kick-off as two inswinging corners from Matthew German were headed wide by Warren Gaskin.

A bad misunderstanding between Throup and Danny Husband almost let Cheadle in but they took the lead after ten minutes when another German corner drifted in at the far post.

Silsden responded when Kevin Ryan headed goalwards but keeper Stephen Piggott and right back Scott Clarke kept the ball out.

The visitors’ best move of the half, involving Matthew Moses, Danny Bryan and James Nanje-Ngoe, ended with Ryan blasting over from just inside the area.

Cheadle doubled their lead when Ben Brooks skipped past Husband. His shot under keeper Edward Hall was heading wide but he chased it and slotted home.

Husband denied Cheadle a third with a block on another close-range effort from Gas- kin.

Silsden were then awarded a rather fortuitous free-kick just outside the Cheadle area. Lee drove it in and Mike Garrod cut in at the near post to reduce the deficit after 34 minutes.

It looked like it was game on but, just two minutes later, Silsden were guilty of not closing down their opponents and Hall was left with another one-on-one. He appeared to get a touch on the ball but his opponent went down and the referee pointed to the spot, Arran Carroll converting.

Silsden came out fighting in the second half and, for virtually 35 minutes, they camped out in their opponents’ half, creating numerous chances.

Andy Lee went close twice, McNulty had a shot charged down and a throw-in from Throup was headed agonisingly wide by Garrod.

Lee had another effort deflected before Moses, after a one-two with Nanje-Ngoe, saw his shot zip wide.

Silsden missed a golden chance when Bryan was tripped in the area but Garrod’s penalty lacked power and Piggott saved.

Another flowing move ended with Nettleton firing over from the edge of the box before Ryan got the second, flicking home a cross from Moses with 17 minutes left.

McNulty had a penalty claim waved away before Bryan dribbled into the box, only to see his shot hit the far post. It bounced back to Nanje-Ngoe whose shot hit Pearson’s chest and fell into the arms of Piggott.

Cheadle had two late breakaways, from which they should have finished off the contest, before Throup out-jumped the home defence but his header was just too high.

However well Cheadle played in the opening hour, the Cobbydalers paid for their lacklustre start.

On Saturday Silsden entertain Runcorn Linnets looking for a welcome win.