North West Counties League, Premier Division

Alsager Town 3 Silsden 4

SILSDEN extended their winning run to five matches as they preserved third place in the table thanks to a late Zack Dale strike.

It was not a classic performance by the Cobbydalers, with defensive errors responsible for all three of the Bullets' goals.

But fortunately the team have acquired a winning mentality and snatched a winner with only three minutes left on the watch.

Next up is a home game against table-toppers Runcorn Linnets and maybe there was some complacency about meeting a team in the lower half of the table. But a lesson was learned here: There are no easy games in this league.

Although Alsager had only amassed 11 points from ten games, their goal difference was only minus four, an indication that their defeats had been by narrow margins.

Silsden were nearly off to a flier, with Dale hitting the post from distance in the second minute having been set up by Craig Nicholls. Craig Dove, joint-manager of the Bullets and playing at the back, cleared another effort before Matty Moses failed to control a pass near the halfway line. Former Stockport County youngster Reiss Lee, normally a centre-back but forced into leading the attack, volleyed home from 40 yards out with Silsden keeper Phil Rishton left helpless.

A minute later Moses was to atone with a deep cross into the Alsager area. Neither Dove nor Nicholls could get a clean contact on the ball but right back Jordan Elcock turned it into his own net to give the Cobbydalers the equaliser.

Nicky McNally then tried a speculative volley from 30 yards but could not keep it down, before Reiss lost his marker in the Silsden area only to head over.

Michael Blundell then slid a ball through to Danny Griggs but, with Rishton closing him down, the Bullets man curled his effort wide of the far post.

Silsden took the lead on 22 minutes when Ryan drove the ball upfield. It looked easy for Elcock to clear the ball but Nicholls harassed the defender, won the ball and shot from a narrow angle. Dominic Kurasic saved the initial shot but Nicholls followed up to guide the ball home.

At 2-1up, Silsden again gave the ball away cheaply. This time it was Andy Hill who saw his pass intercepted by Shane Reaney. The Bullets forward broke to the edge of the box and opened up his body before shooting but his right-foot effort was wide of the far post.

A superb cross from left back Ben Crabtree again caught Elcock ball-watching but this time Kurasic was able to save Nicholls' shot.

After Hill had seen an effort saved, Moses was alert to break up a dangerous attack down the Bullets' left flank.

Dove edged the hosts back level after 37 minutes and then, with only a minute left until the interval, Silsden conceded a third goal. Joe Jalil was outpaced down the right, Griggs pulled the ball back to the edge of the box to Blundell and he side-stepped Ryan before driving low into Rishton's far corner.

Thoughts went back to nearby Congleton, where Silsden had lost their only league game of the season to date. Leading 2-0 there they had allowed the Bears to equalise in the third minute after the restart and eventually to win 4-2.

Tea cups, or even bullets, might have whizzed in the Cobbydalers changing room at half-time and some reorganisation took place. Jalil was moved to right back and new signing Ryan Brereton came into the midfield for the unfortunate Moses. Boss Andy Geary might have thought about replacing several players who were below par!

Brereton made an impact early on, sliding Jalil's pass into the path of Dale but Kurasic was swiftly off his line to smother the ball.

Dale then fed Nicholls down the right. Nicholls beat two men before crossing into the box. Brereton had managed to break forward but his volley was deflected over the bar by the outstretched leg of Elcock.

Kevin Ryan, at the near post, came close to notching the equaliser before Silsden were awarded a penalty. Dale was brought down by Dove just inside the area and Hill drove the spot-kick home.

With25 minutes left the Cobbydalers had no intention of settling for a draw and Brereton cleared the bar with a volley, while Dale also went close.

But at the other end Lee still posed a threat, heading over at the far post after some neat build-up play down the right. Rishton saved another effort from Lee before Reaney was inches wide of giving the Bullets a decisive lead.

Tom Henderson then came on for McNally and the substitute, who had come on late to score the vital equaliser at Glossop, was soon in the action.

Joe Mitchell, who had worked tirelessly throughout in midfield, won the ball and hit it wide to Dale, who cut in and shot low. The shot was blocked but Henderson gathered it and slid it back to the unmarked Dale, who hammered it home from close range for what proved the decisive goal.

Geary said: "We weren't at our best but we needed to keep the momentum going. What matters is the three points in a run which gives us confidence to tackle the league leaders on Saturday."

SILSDEN: Rishton, Moses (Brereton 45), Crabtree, Gleave, Ryan, Hill, Jalil, Mitchell, McNally (Henderson75), Dale, Nicholls (Geary 88).