Cobbydalers pay dearly for missed chances

1:15pm Thursday 20th March 2008

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Squires Gate 1 Silsden 0

Silsden visited the Fylde coast on Saturday, only to come home empty handed. In a game which lacked the quality of the previous fixture, Squires Gate snatched the winner five minutes from time.

Silsden created a number of chances in the first half, most falling to leading scorer Lee Reilly, but it just wasn't his day. Danny Moriarty did hit the bar but the Cobbydalers were to rue their missed opportunities.

Silsden were prominent in the opening minutes with Mark Bentham and Tim Hird winning the ball in midfield and Martin Packer rampaging down the flanks. A weak header from Will Exton was easily saved by Matthew Everard who was deputising for the unavailable Martin Foulger.

The Gate' should have taken the lead when Seydou Bamba dribbled in from the left but he shot into the side netting. Everard was called on to make a fine save from Stuart Horn after a through ball had escaped the outstretched leg of Martin Bland. Steve Hibbert was wide with a header before Silsden created several chances. Reilly latched on to Andy King's through ball but he took a touch too many, allowing Nigel Taylor to steal the ball.

An astute pass from Packer saw Reilly through again. This time he outfoxed Taylor but fired high over the bar as keeper Ryan Yeomans came off his line. Yeomans and Kevan Ford both went for another Packer cross and the ball fell again to Reilly. Ford managed to block the striker's shot but Moriarty closed in only to hit the bar with the follow-up.

Squires Gate had much the better of the second half. In a rare sortie upfield for Silsden the home keeper mispunched a cross from Rhodes into the path of King who saw his shot blocked.

A shot, well wide, from Moriarty and a weak effort from King were the best the Cobbydalers could muster. Finally the stalemate was broken. A flowing move across the pitch ended with a fierce shot from Bamba. Everard got a firm hand to it but the ball fell to Ryan, who blasted the ball home at the back post.

Tomorrow the Cobbydalers visit Abbey Hey before entertaining Nelson on Bank Holiday Monday. Kick off is at noon.