Barnoldswick Town 0 v Silsden 4

After Saturday’s home defeat Town brought in new signing Liam Hoyle, and Harry Thompson made a surprise return to the team after dropping out 20 minutes before kick off last Saturday.

Also still out was Mark Threlfall who now has one more match to serve after being suspended for the first three games.

The match started with Town on the front foot, a well-worked move after three minutes between Tom Marshall and Aaron Hollindrake ended up with Liam Blades shooting over from a good position.

Two minutes later a free kick given just outside the Silsden penalty area was taken by Thompson and found the head of Bill Williams whose header was tipped round the post by Silsden keeper Daniel Thorpe.

Silsden’s first chance came after ten minutes when a quick break found Nicholas McNally who burst into the Town penalty area, he scuffed his shot allowing Town keeper Edward Hall to make the save.

Joel Melia placed a great chip over the Silsden defence to Hollindrake, he turned the defender and chipped back to the far post beating Thorpe but drifted wide of the post.

After Town being in charge for the first half hour Dale Feather fired in a shot from outside the Town penalty area which flew across Halls goal missing the far post.

Disaster for Town five minutes later as Williams the Town skipper decided to dribble his way out of trouble, he was robbed by two Silsden players and in chasing them back towards goal brought one down just inside the penalty area. Silsden skipper Andrew Hill scoring from the spot.

Silsden increased their lead right on half-time, a great through ball over the Town defence found Dale Feather who scored with a great shot past Hall.

Town started the second half off well Chris Simpson putting a cross in right onto the head of Williams but his header was straight at Thorpe who saved.

Straight down to the other end saw Joseph Jalil hit the Town crossbar with a rasping shot after with Hall beaten. It wasn’t long before Silsden increased their lead when Nicholas McNulty fired a fierce shot across Hall into the far corner after 55 minutes.

Town then took Marshall off and replaced him with Carl Ellerton (56). Town made a further substitution after 66 minutes when Martin Broderick came on to replace Harry Thompson.

He was only on the field two minutes before he received a straight red card, Silsden player Joseph Mitchell was over the touchline at the Town dugout, he had the ball between his legs and Broderick kicked it from between them, Mitchell went down and Broderick went off!

Silsden completed the scoring after 80 minutes, McNulty chipped Hall at the near post to Zac Dale unmarked at the far post, from almost on the line hehit the Town post, the ball was half cleared but only to Feather who cracked a fierce shot across Hall into the far corner.

Town hit the woodwork twice in the last three minutes, Melia glanced a shot off the top of the Silsden bar, and Blades hitting the near post from a corner, the ball rebounding for a goal kick.

A better performance from Town but another heavy defeat, which doesn’t bode well for the rest of the season.