St Helens Town 1 Silsden 1

A STOPPAGE-TIME header from Kevin Ryan salvaged a point for Silsden on Tuesday and relegated their hosts in the process.

With the referee adding on five minutes there was still time for the home side to snatch a winner and, in the dying seconds, Aaron Morris had a golden chance but his header went beyond the far post.

The draw ended an unbroken spell in the top flight for St Helens stretching back to the formation of league in 1982.

It also boosted Silsden neighbours Barnoldswick Town's hopes of beating the drop, though Bacup – who play Bootle tonight – are hoping to scupper their survival hopes by winning their last two games and improving their goal difference sufficiently.

Silsden were without nine players and joint-manager Ryan Haigh started in a team lacking leading scorer Craig Nicholls, who was ill.

They dominated the first 30 minutes without testing Rory Crowther in the home goal.

Town finally broke into the Silsden half and Jack Golding went down in the box under a challenge from Josh Brown but was booked for diving.

The feeling of injustice galvanised the hosts and they took the lead on 36 minutes when Brown played three St Helens' forwards onside. The back line was stretched and, although team-mates got back, Morris weaved his way between three defenders to score.

Saints went close to doubling their lead when Marcus Perry shot over and Morris dribbled his way into the area before Danny Thorpe made a great save.

The Cobbydalers came alive midway through the second half. Tom Sowerbutts broke down the left and slid the ball to Bradley Fay but the substitute shot weakly. The St. Helens defence, which had looked comfortable in the first half were starting to feel the pressure as Joe Mitchell pushed his men forwards.

At the other end, Town skipper Hamish Falconer headed onto the bar. A dreadful back pass by Brown sent Morris free but Thorpe gathered the winger's cross as the game went into stoppage-time and Silsden struck the killer blow.

Mitchell got his delivery right from a corner. Hollindrake headed goalwards and Ryan burst through to flick the ball over the helpless Crowther.

Silsden joint-manager Danny Bolton said: “We were far from our best but we kept on going until the last minute. The lads had to dig deep and after a tough fortnight were rewarded for their efforts.”

SILSDEN: Thorpe, Jalil, Moses, Mitchell, Brown, Lamb, Sowerbutts (Metcalfe78), Ryan, Hollindrake, Storrie, Haigh (Fay 45).