Silsden smashed by Matlock Town to slip closer to danger

They suffered a grim start to 2026, getting hammered 4-0 away to promotion-hunting Matlock Town.

It was a poor day for keeper Tommy Brown and captain Harry Coates, the normally dependable duo both making mistakes that led to goals.

Silsden are now on a nine-day break between games, so they will be working hard to fix up ahead of their next match, which is at home to high-flying Emley next Saturday.

If the Cobbydalers play anything like they did yesterday, it is hard to see them getting anything from that encounter either.

Matlock went in front early on, former Northern Ireland international Conor Washington setting Cameron Wilson free to score after only five minutes.

The hosts were buoyant and a long-range strike by Declan Errat-Thompson narrowly cleared the crossbar moments later, before Silsden blew a chance of their own.

Luke Brooksbank pounced on a misplaced pass and played the ball across the face of goal, but somehow no visiting attacker was able to turn it home and equalise.

Instead, Matlock went 2-0 up when Jake Thompson got a touch on Jeremie Milambo’s cross.

That flummoxed Brown, who sloppily bundled the ball into his own net.

Washington and Wilson almost combined again for the third goal, but the latter stuck his effort just wide.

Conor Washington (11) played for Northern Ireland as they reached the knockout stages at Euro 2016, and a decade later, he is one of Matlock Town's biggest attacking threats in their promotion hunt. (Image: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire)

And Wilson then turned provider, with his low corner finding Thompson, who forced Brown into a good save.

Cody Cromack almost responded for Silsden just before the interval, only to curl an effort narrowly past the post.

Thompson was determined to get his second goal, going close at the start of the second half, flashing an effort just wide from the edge of the area.

Silsden hit back with a chance at the other end, Dylan Wharton tipping a good strike from Brooksbank over the crossbar.

Washington then shot wildly off target for Matlock, before Cole Hyde’s effort produced a decent save out of Brown.

Dylan Wilkinson blew a brilliant opportunity to halve the deficit when he got in one-on-one, only to chip his effort wide.

And Matlock put the game to bed midway through the second half, after capitalising on a mistake at the back from Coates.

From that, Washington struck a shot that was deflected into the path of Thompson, who gleefully put the ball into the back of the net for his second goal of the day.

Cobbydalers striker Kayle Price just failed to turn home a ball across goal, while at the other end, Washington had a goal ruled out for offside.

Silsden substitute Toby Jeffrey almost caught Wharton out from long-range after spotting the keeper off his line.

And Brown was almost embarrassed soon afterwards, Matlock coming close to a fourth after he fumbled the ball once again.

But the keeper could not do a thing about the final goal of the afternoon with a minute of the game left to go.

Alfie Atherton, on loan from Sheffield United, was making his debut for Matlock, and he opened his account for the club in sensational style, curled home an outrageous strike from 25 yards out to round off the scoring.