Hallmark Security League Division One: Silsden 1 Nelson 0

THE COBBYDALERS returned to winning ways on Friday night against bottom-of-the-table Nelson.

An impressive crowd of 247 saw Silsden get back on track after their 17-game winning streak had been ended a week earlier at Holker Old Boys.

Playing their third game in seven days on another heavy pitch, they had to work hard against visitors, who were spurred on by the appointment of new manager Steve Cunningham.

The 47-year-old is no stranger to Silsden, having been involved with neighbours Colne for many years. With his local knowledge, expect the Lancashire side to move up the table.

Maybe Silsden were lucky to play them before Cunningham can make the changes he wants but the Admirals still provided a tough challenge in a game decided by Chris Wademan's 22nd minute strike.

Before the match, a minute’s applause took place to celebrate the life of 'Mr Steeton' David Baxter, who died recently having held many posts at the club he joined in 1948.

Nelson’s Tony McLoughlin had the first attempt deflected over before Silsden responded with a superb run and cross from Niall Sultan. The ball was cleared and a mazy run by Dalton Hutchinson was finally halted by Dan Illingworth.

Silsden responded immediately with Kyle Hancock bursting through to shoot. Dean Hardy parried it and Sultan hit the loose ball over the bar.

Joe Gaughan headed Sultan’s cross wide against a Nelson side looked nothing like a team with only one victory. Desperate defending on the goal-line denied both Chris Wademan and Arley Barnes the opener and Nelson might have taken the lead themselves but, after a poor clearance from keeper Callum Jakovlevs, McLoughlin’s deft chip cleared the Silsden bar.

Matty Moses shot wide before the Cobbydalers took the lead. Sultan outpaced the defence again and slid the ball to Mark Trueman, whose shot was parried before Wademan followed up to score from close range.

Nelson responded when Joe Rodriguez cut between two defenders but his 25-yard effort was deflected wide. At the other end Gaughan and Barnes had shots blocked and Hancock hit an effort over.

The second half began with Gaughan shooting wide after neat interplay between Trueman and Hancock. Ten minutes in, Dean Hardy made a great save to prevent Barnes putting the Cobbydalers two up.

The visitors were really up against it five minutes later when they were reduced to ten men as McLoughlin was given a second yellow card.

Wademan and Mark Everingham were replaced by Charlie Holt and Luke Rhodes as Danny Forrest brought on fresh legs with the heavy pitch taking its toll.

Rodriguez went close for Nelson and Sultan hit the side-netting with a shot from close range at the other end.

Fifteen minutes from time the visitors were down to nine men after Sam Holt was dismissed. The Admirals were stretched as McNally replaced Trueman to exploit the space left at the back.

Gaughan had two more chances and McNally one but all three were wide of the target as a tired Silsden won by the narrowest of margins.

Forrest said: “Nelson made us work hard, as did the pitch, but we got the points and now have no cups to worry about and no backlog, thanks to none of our games being postponed.

"The lads have done really well to bounce back. We now face four Saturday games away but we have time to plan carefully for them but it is still one game at a time.”

Silsden visit Bacup Borough on Saturday.

SILSDEN: Jakovlevs, Moses, Everingham (Holt 71), Kaine, Illingworth, Trueman (McNally 80), Barnes, Hancock, Wademan, (Rhodes 71), Gaughan, Sultan.