Silsden 3 Barnoldswick Town 1

Town manager Stewart Airdrie was forced to don the gloves again as his side were hit by another goalkeeping problem hours before Monday’s Premier Division derby clash.

It was the second time he has been pressed into action between the sticks in recent weeks and he could not be blamed for any of the goals which Silsden scored to secure the three points.

The early exchanges had been fairly even, but it was Silsden who struck the first blow after 15 minutes.

A long ball caught the Town defence out, and it became a race to the edge of the penalty area between Airdrie and Nick McNally.

The Silsden player just got there first and toe poked the ball past Airdrie who could only turn and watch as it bounced slowly into the net.

Town responded well and Matt Cavanagh headed just over the Silsden bar after 25 minutes.

The visitors should have equalised a minute later. Harry Thompson forced Ed Hall in the Silsden goal to parry his shot into the path of Aaron Hollindrake who saw Kristian Hargreaves clear his goal-bound effort off the line.

Thompson rattled the bar after 38 minutes with a shot from the edge of the six-yard box which ricocheted to safety.

The pressure told at the end of the first half. Silsden defender Daniel Cleave was adjudged to have handled in the penalty area trying to clear a Town attack.

Referee James Mainwaring booked the defender before Sam Howell stepped up and sent Hall the wrong way to equalise at half-time.

Silsden seized the initiative at the start of the second half and re-took the lead after 53 minutes.

The lively Zack Dale hit a shot from the edge of the penalty area which took a wicked deflection.

Airdrie could only look on as the ball went into the other corner of his goal.

Town looked to have a great chance to get back into the game when Cleave received his second caution for hauling back Joel Melia and was sent off.

The visitors started to exert some pressure on the home defence as the wind strengthened and provided them with some assistance.

A cross from the Silsden right found Carl Ellerton at the far post. He opted to head across goal and the chance was wasted.

Town had two shots cleared from the line before Silsden scored again after 65 minutes.

Dale picked up the ball and ran at the defence before shooting from the corner of Airdrie’s penalty area and finding the net off the inside of a post.

Town were now chasing the game. Threlfall had a near-post header saved at the near post by Hall from a long throw by Bill Williams.

Despite having a one-man advantage, Town could not breakdown the defence.

The frustration told in the third minute of injury time when Threlfall was sent off for a challenge on a Silsden defender.