North West Counties League Premier Division: Silsden 2 Congleton Town 2

ANOTHER draw banked Silsden another point towards their fight to retain their top-flight status but they could have done so much better against a Congleton Town side that played the second half with ten men.

Towards the end of the goalless first half, the visitors’ Michael Koral conceded a free-kick in a promising position for the Cobbydalers.

Out of frustration, Koral kicked the ball away and was yellow carded, and his verbal reaction to the referee led to a second booking and the obligatory red card.

Silsden broke the deadlock eight minutes after the interval when Kyle Hancock curled in a shot, but Congleton responded by bringing Declan Fletcher on from the bench, and he bagged a brace.

Fletcher levelled after sprinting through from his own half.

Cobbydalers’ keeper Ed Hall parried his first effort but the substitute tucked the rebound in.

The home side were back in front after Andy Hill drilled in a low free-kick from the edge of the area but Fletcher volleyed in his second equaliser two minutes from time.

Silsden have three games left to save themselves and are three points below the trapdoor.

It has been a challenging end of the season for the Cobbydalers, and Saturday’s was their fourth game in a gruelling eight-day spell.

Spokesman Jim Rosser said: “To concede in the 88th minute against ten men is naive in the extreme.

“The lad who got their two goals came on as a sub and just ran at our defence and they couldn’t handle him.

"When he got the last goal, we had ten men looking for a third goal that we didn’t need.”