SILSDEN were playing their first home game since November 16, but failed to build on a spirited performance last time out at promotion hopefuls Hemsworth Miners Welfare, as they slumped to a 3-0 defeat against Barton Town.

In atrocious weather conditions, particularly after the break, they were hoping to cheer up the largest crowd of the day in the Toolstation Northern Counties East League Premier Division.

But they failed to fire, with a team that has seen plenty of changes in the last fortnight.

Manager Danny Forrest has lost right-back Jay Benn to Halifax AFC, while Aidan Kirby has joined Campion.

Mark Everingham and Dan Illingworth were both injured, while Myles Foley and former player Dan Hill have signed.

In the reverse fixture in September, Silsden lost 3-0 and after an early half-chance, they were quickly under the cosh here too.

Ellis Barkworth broke down the right flank and crossed into the Cobbydalers' box. Waide Fairhurst rose above the defence to head powerfully but Ben Higginson, in the Silsden goal, denied him with a superb save.

Then, following a Barton clearance upfield, Ben Hinchliffe broke down the left and crossed for Jack Richardson to head home the opener on nine minutes.

Silsden were fortunate not to concede a second when an in-swinging corner bounced on to the Silsden crossbar. The Barton skipper was then injured and had to be substituted, before Ben Hinchcliffe blasted over from eight yards out.

Silsden broke clear with Laurence Sorhaindo getting to the edge of the Barton box.

Keeper Sam Riches advanced but Sorhaindo slid the ball across to the unmarked Matthias Britton. The winger had time to kill the ball and slip it into the net but his shot cleared the crossbar of the unguarded goal.

As the wind increased, the pattern of play became fragmented. Sorhaindo sent Khurram Shazad through, but he had strayed a tad offside. The roles were then reversed, but Riches was swiftly off his line to block the striker’s effort.

In the dying minutes of the first half, Danny North fired over the Silsden bar having been set up by Barkworth.

It had been a golden opportunity, but the visitors did make it two, two minutes before the break.

Full back Neil Burdett broke down the left and squeezed past Josh Kaine on the goal line before driving home from a tight angle.

Sorhaindo did his best to pull a goal back before the break but was denied by Matty Plummer.

In the second-half, the wind strengthened, the rain came down horizontally and control was difficult for the attackers, who overhit too many passes or gave defenders too much time to get behind the ball.

Joe Mitchell worked tirelessly in midfield but the forwards could not master the conditions. Chris Wademan came on for the ineffective Shazzad and Joshua McKiernon replaced Jake Taylor.

Mitchell set up Sorhaindo, whose effort was blocked by the keeper, before Barton broke forward.

Chris Salt drove the ball forwards, no Silsden player spotted the danger and substitute Danny North slid in a third on 62 minutes.

Mitchell and Arley Barnes worked hard to set up attacks, but only Sorhaindo offered any kind of threat, the keeper denying him on two occasions.

Josh Brown then went close in the dying minutes and Riches tipped a Sorhaindo header over the bar.

Forrest was disappointed with the result but also with the lack of intensity of some of his players. Barton, it seems, managed the dreadful conditions much better than the Cobbydalers.