Silsden 2 St Helens Town 1

THE COBBYDALERS started the new year as they had finished the old one with a victory against a team below them in the table.

However, this was no stroll in the park as St Helens Town were looking to push up the league, having only just failed to reach the last 32 of this season's FA Vase.

They looked dangerous and, having taken an early lead, were only denied a second when keeper Danny Thorpe made a critical save on 35 minutes.

Boss Andy Geary made only one change following the derby victory over Barnoldswick, starting with Aaron Hollindrake up front instead of Tom Henderson.

The pattern for the opening period was set when Matty Moses failed to control a pass from Joe Mitchell and Marcus Perry broke down the left and cut inside Josh Brown before striking the near post.

Silsden responded when a neat turn by Josh McNulty allowed him to hit a defence-splitting pass to Hollindrake, who found the net but had strayed offside.

Perry and his strike partner Andrew Gillespie then broke through a square defence, the former netting the opener on 18 minutes.

A long ball over the back four then found Gillespie in the clear but Thorpe came off his line to keep the Cobbydalers in the game with a fine save. Gillespie and Perry were causing problems with their runs across the line but the hosts were level when talisman Craig Nicholls came to the fore again.

The frontman, who had made a goal-scoring return from injury against Barlick, had been subdued but made his mark after 33 minutes. Latching on to a flick from Hollindrake, he turned inside his marker and coolly slid home.

Silsden were lifted and McNulty curled in a dangerous ball which Aaron Morris managed to defend, although he was injured in the process.

The half ended with Perry getting the better of McNulty but Ben Crabtree halted the break with a superb tackle.

Two minutes into the second period, Silsden took the lead. Skipper Kevin Ryan drove the ball forwards, Chris Wademan flicked it on and Hollindrake touched it over the defence for Nicholls, who was on it in a flash and drew the keeper before finding the net.

The hosts suffered a setback when Mitchell, whose drive and closing-down ability have been an inspiration, was injured on 56 minutes and was replaced by Joe Jalil.

Nicholls was denied a hat-trick by keeper Rory Crowther with a low save to his left. Another Nicholls effort was cleared before the Cobbydalers thought they had scored a third. Brown headed home a corner but the referee deemed that Hollindrake had impeded the Town keeper.

Jack McKay shot wide at the other end as Silsden withstood further pressure. Nicholls just beat the keeper to a through ball and crossed to the far post but James Halpin cleared for a corner.

In the 90th minute the Cobbydalers had a chance to seal the game. Nicholls was brought down in the penalty area and the crowd were willing him to take the spot-kick. However, Henderson was given the task but the substitute's powerful shot rebounded off the bar. Town had one last chance but Gillespie hit his shot over the bar.

Silsden now have 40 points, only seven short of last season's final total. With another home game against Winsford United on Saturday, they will be hoping to climb the table further.

SILSDEN: Thorpe, Moses, Crabtree, Lamb, Brown, Ryan, Wademan (Henderson 80), Mitchell (Jalil 58), Hollindrake, Nicholls, McNulty (Deakin-Pickard 74).