North West Counties League Premier Divison: Colne 2 Silsden 1

A BATTLING fightback by Silsden at second-placed Colne proved in vain as James Gill's side dropped to bottom of the table.

After two first-half goals in seven minutes had put their Lancashire neighbours in control, the Cobbydalers' hopes were raised when Nicky McNally pulled a goal back with ten minutes to go.

But they couldn't find an equaliser and basement side AFC Blackpool compounded their misery by winning 1-0 at Squires Gate to leapfrog Silsden.

The visitors started brightly playing down the slope with the wind at their backs, Kyle Hancock stinging keeper Tony Aghayere's palms from 25 yards.

But in the 13th minute Colne should have been in front after Ben Wharton found top marksman Jason Hart but he missed the target with the goal gaping.

At the other end Tom Henderson was bundled over just outside the box but Danny Forrest’s free-kick lacked venom.

Colne took the lead on 25 minutes when Joel Melia worked the ball across to Hart, who cut in from the left before his low shot found the far corner.

The Reds soon added a second. Jack Brooks did well to get back to halt Hart but uncharacteristically misplaced his pass to Chris Anderson on the edge of the box and he smashed his shot past a helpless Danny Thorpe.

Silsden thought they had pulled one back when Chris Wademan's fierce right-foot shot was finger-tipped by Aghayere on to the foot of the upright and Tom Henderson slid home the rebound, only for the assistant referee to belatedly rule it out for offside.

The Cobbydalers came out with more purpose in the second half, shortening the game up and playing much quicker, with Wademan’s shot drifting wide following good approach play by skipper Joe Mitchell.

That said, Colne were always a threat and Thorpe saved well from Hart before making further blocks as gaps started to appear.

Jamie Longley worked tirelessly to feed Forrest and Wademan and, with half-time substitute Andy Hill spraying some lovely passes all over the park, the visitors continued to cause Colne problems.

However, it was almost 3-0 when Anderson latched on to Kyle Harrison’s attempted clearance and rounded Thorpe but Josh Kaine cleared his goal-bound effort off the line.

On 80 minutes Silsden’s endeavour was rewarded when a superb diagonal through ball bisected Colne's back-line and found McNally’s clever run, the substitute controlling before firing left-footed into the far bottom corner to pull a deserved goal back.

The Cobbydalers' eyed a point but it was Colne who nearly added to their tally.

Kaine did well to block a stinging strike from Wharton and put his body on the line to block another shot which ricocheted off the post.

Silsden head to Maine Road on Saturday before entertaining West Didsbury & Chorlton on Tuesday.