Ryan hits target on return as Silsden sparkle (From Keighley News)

Ryan hits target on return as Silsden sparkle

2:45pm Thursday 23rd August 2012 in Sport

Squires Gate 1 Silsden 1 The Cobbydalers may have returned from the Lancashire coast with only a point on Tuesday but this was by far their best performance of the season.

The only change from Saturday’s game against Norton was the inclusion of striker Kevin Ryan, who was making his first start for almost a year after recovering from a serious knee injury.

Ryan scored the Silsden goal and might well have had another had he been totally match fit.

Both teams tried to play the ball on the floor with some swift, short passing. It was much more effective and attractive than the long ball that the Cobbydalers had been using to date, despite the efforts of the coaches to encourage possession football.

Silsden should have taken the lead in the second minute when Elliott Holmes broke free down the right but the striker dragged his shot wide of the far post.

On seven minutes, Danny Bryan slid the ball though for Ryan but the striker’s first touch was a tad too heavy and Beesley saved at the expense of a corner.

At the other end, Andrew Harvie’s cross was headed goalwards by Chris Bennett but Edward Hall flicked it over the bar. Harvie then tested the young Silsden keeper with a drive heading for the top corner, but Hall again tipped the ball over the bar.

Chances kept coming at both ends as Gate took the lead on 27 minutes.

An underhit pass from Peter Hanson was intercepted deep in the hosts’ half. The ball was moved swiftly up the right where Bennett slid it into the path of Russ McKenna, who drove home.

Silsden were level within three minutes when Ryan broke through with a well-timed run to chip the ball over the advancing keeper.

With the break imminent, Ryan again found himself with a one-on-one with Beesley but this time he fired over the bar.

It continued to be end-to-end after the break as a five-man passing move concluded with Danny Bryan slicing his shot wide.

Holmes was just off target with another effort before Ryan, at full stretch, just failed to make contact with a cross from the right.

Next it was Gate who applied the pressure. Hall made a double save from Seydou Bamba, blocking both a downwards header and then a shot from point-blank range.

Sub Joe Gaughan had a shot charged down as both sides searched for a winner.

Silsden nearly snatched it at the death when Matthew Moses broke up the right and crossed low into the box. Both Beesley and centre back Stuart Howson came for the ball, which broke loose. It hit Ryan on the knee and went agonisingly wide of the post.

On Saturday, Silsden host Stone Dominoes before Wigan Robin Park are the visitors to the Angel Telecom Stadium on Wednesday.

SILSDEN: Hall, Moses, McEneaney, Hanson, Nettleton, Husband, Bryan, Douglas (D McNulty 62), Garrod, Holmes, Holmes (Gaughan 71), Ryan.