Hallmark Security League Division One: Silsden 3 Carlisle City 2

A GOAL three minutes into stoppage time from Joe Gaughan sparked jubilant scenes at Silsden as the Cobbydalers came from behind to extend their 100 per cent record to 13 games.

With nine minutes to go, it looked like their fantastic run was finally coming to an end with in-form Carlisle winning 2-1.

But sub Nicky McNally grabbed an equaliser before Gaughan grabbed his 13th goal of the season to at the death to keep their run going and remain eight points clear at the top.

Storm Brian scuppered a number of games in the North-West but the heavy rain didn’t arrive at Silsden until the break, by which time they were 2-1 down after a poor opening half.

It had started well for the Cobbydalers when keeper Michael Ballantyne fumbled a Gaughan shot and Division One's September player of the month Kyle Hancock was in on it like a flash to rifle home in the seventh minute.

By then, the keeper had held a powerful shot from Gaughan and cleared a curling Hancock corner but four minutes after Silsden’s opener, the ball was stolen from Mark Trueman and Josh Kaine committed a foul in the area. Ryan Errington drove the ball down the middle of the goal to equalise as Callum Jakovlevs dived to his right.

Ballantyne then denied Everingham and Niall Sultan but Carlisle took the lead after 22 minutes when Tim Lucock cut in from the right to curl in a low shot beyond Jakovlevs.

Ballantyne thwarted Trueman and Hancock and, after Gaughan was inches wide, the City keeper tipped Matty Moses’ drive over the bar.

But it hadn’t been vintage Silsden and they looked to improve after the break.

They duly upped their game as Mateusz Tomas forced a save after being set up by Sultan before the keeper got down to a long-range effort from Hancock.

Reece Kendal replaced the ineffective Trueman and McNally came on for Tomas. As the Cobbydalers pushed men forwards, the visitors had a ten-minute spell when they hit the Silsden post on two occasions through Michael Slack and Errington, while Arley Barnes blocked an effort from Rob McCartney.

Silsden rode their luck and a minute later were level when Barnes fed Moses. The ball was driven across to Gaughan who slid it into the path of McNally to slot home.

Carlisle were denied another goal when Moses blocked Lucock’s close range effort.

Then came Silsden's winner deep-into stoppage time, which was mainly for time-wasting. McNally crossed the ball to the far post, where Sultan headed into the goal area and Gaughan fired into the back of the net to the delight of the home fans.

The Cobbydalers hadn’t been at their best but their never-say-die attitude maintained their perfect record.

Silsden host FC Oswestry Town in the league on Saturday.

SILSDEN: Jakovlevs, Moses, Everingham, Kaine, Bentham, Trueman (Kendall 62), Barnes, Hancock, Tomas (McNally 62), Gaughan, Sultan.