Silsden see the job through to claim victory

Silsden continued their good form in 2015 in a game they dominated for large periods but were left hanging on at the end.

Laura Ackroyd, Harriet Brewer and captain Victoria Ellis went close before the deadlock was broken. Dee Rutherford combined with Brewer before Ackroyd made no mistake from outside the six-yard box.

It was soon two when Ellis latched on to a through-ball and turned her marker inside out before sending a low shot past the keeper.

Silsden kept up the pressure, with Vicky Williamson and Stacey Wood dominating the midfield, and the impressive Christina Aston combining well with Ellis down the wing.

The hosts' third came when Brewer picked up a loose goal kick, ghosted past the defender and drilled past the stunned keeper.

Just before half-time, Silsden let their opponents back into the game when a break down the flank led to a ball into the box finding its way into the top corner.

In the second half, Hebden Royd put the Silsden defence under increasing pressure but player of the match Rebecca Brown, Katie Fawcett and Kate Perfect put in a number of well-timed tackles to keep them at bay. However, a series of corners culminated in a second goal from the visitors.

With 20 minutes to go and a defensive reshuffle (Sarah Petty replacing the injured Fawcett), a repeat of the draw at Tingley looked on the cards but more resolute defending and vocal marshalling of her defence by Brown, along with a brilliant goal-line save by keeper Meg Fawell, secured the victory.