Silsden 2 Runcorn Linnets 3

The Cobbydalers finally succumbed to the league leaders in the dying minutes minutes after a pulsating game.

At the break Silsden led 2-0 but a second-half fightback saw Runcorn pull two goals back soon after the restart and get the winner two minutes from time.

Silsden, who gave full debuts to Tom Henderson and Ryan Brereton, took the lead after just four minutes. Spotting Zack Dale on the right, Brereton drove the ball behind a square defence for Dale to run on to. The Linnets had no answer to his pace and he slotted home from ten yards.

Two minutes later the visitors were almost level. Mark Houghton broke into a crowded area with only Phil Rishton to beat but the keeper somehow twisted his body to tip the ball over the bar.

The game flowed first one way then the other. Immediately after Kevin Ryan had been shown a yellow card for a late challenge, the Linnets had a golden chance to equalise. An overlapping run by Duffy caught Crabtree off-guard. Cutting in along the by-line, the full back pulled the ball back to Hamid, who wastefully shot over the bar from close range.

The Linnets were punished for their profligacy. Mitchell drove another superb pass to Henderson, who sped to the edge of the goal area. Spotting Dale in the clear, he crossed and Dale pushed the ball back across the face of goal for Silsden's second after 36 minutes.

Nicky McNally came on for Nicholls after the break, the Silsden striker suffering from a suspected broken nose. After a curling free kick from Dale was saved, the Linnets scored. Danny Gleave was adjudged to have tripped an opponent on the edge of the Silsden box. Crowder drove in a low free-kick which struck a boot in the defensive wall and looped over Rishton to give the visitors a lifeline.

Silsden were still dangerous on the counter attack but Linnets levelled after 54 minutes when Ryan turned into an opponent just inside the Silsden area and Towey blastedt home from the spot.

Despite their territorial advantage, the Linnets failed to test Rishton, Hamid wasting the best chance.

With Henderson tiring and Nicky McNally largely peripheral, the Cobbydalers had lost their venom.

With two minutes left the Linnets managed to get free on the left. A move involving six passes ended with Smith driving the ball into the bottom corner of Rishton's net for the winner.

Silsden boss Andy Geary said: “It was disappointing to concede the late goal but I can't fault the players. This is a team still in the making with a lot of young lads. I thought we played to our plan but the injury to Nicholls was a major blow. We never really settled in the second half. However there were plenty of pluses notably the form of Jalil and Deakin-Pickard.”

SILSDEN: Rishton, Deakin-Pickard, Crabtree, Gleave, Ryan, Brereton, Jalil (Feather 81), Mitchell, Henderson (Hill 71), Dale, Nicholls (McNally). Subs not used. McNulty, Thorpe.