Ashton Athletic 1

Silsden 0

SILSDEN suffered travel sickness in their sixth away game in a row in the Hallmark League Premier Division.

The surface was greasy and the pitch was one of the division’s smaller ones. Athletic were soon on the attack moving the ball swiftly to willing runners, Adam Gilchrist shooting over the bar.

For 10 minutes it was one-way traffic and only Silsden's Dan Illingworth seemed to stand in the way of an opener. Firstly, the centre-back denied Gilchrist then he headed Declan Gallagher’s free-kick clear. The centre-back even went close at the other end, but his header from a corner went wide.

Silsden's first attack of note should have led to a shot at least. Joe Mitchell won the ball and slid it to Niall Sultan. The winger fed Mark Everingham who was in the clear but, instead of shooting, he cut inside and was closed down. Matt Reid cut in at the other end and shot over before Illingworth again cleared Gallagher’s through ball. Arley Barnes managed to clear a corner before Luke Rhodes wasted a free-kick.

When Barnes fed Kirby, the striker drove the ball across the goal beyond the home keeper, Guffogg cleared and Everingham shot wide.

With both sides finding it hard to get a shot on target, it was no surprise that the opener was an own goal, Matty Moses being the unlucky scorer when trying to block a shot.

The pattern of play didn’t alter, with players failing to hit the target. Kirby volleyed over after good work by Barnes and Mitchell, then Callum Wilson went close for Athletic.

Rhodes headed Barnes’ free-kick wide then Nicholson fired over at the other end. Marcus Cusani shot over for Athletic. Team-mate Reid shot over and Cusani shot weakly at Jakovlevs when in the clear.

Maybe the conditions had a hand in proceedings particularly as the pitch got greasier. It certainly wasn’t 'The Beautiful Game'.

At the start of the second half Rhodes and Sultan created efforts for each other but there was no end product.

Both sides were profligate. Cobbydalers boss Danny Forrest brought on Joe Gaughan and new signing, Laurance Sorhaindo. Immediately Gaughan was in the action but his header from a Barnes cross was wide. Barnes denied Cusani at one end before hitting a weak shot into the arms of Pearson.

Silsden pressed with Sultan having a powerful shot saved.

Gaps were left at the back where Josh Kaine was outstanding, breaking up several threatening attacks.

Gaughan headed wide at the other end before the game went into stoppage time. Sultan took a deep corner, Illingworth headed it back into the box, Barnes shot wide. It summed up the game.

On Saturday Silsden travel to Litherland (1pm kick-off).

Ashton Athletic: Pearson, Guffogg (Munro 70), Matthews, Gallagher, Cringle, Wilson, Reid, Webster, Gilchrist, Cusani, Nicholson. Subs not used. Watson, McLoughlin, Middlemore, Foulds.

Silsden: Jakovlevs, Barnes, Moses, Kaine, Illingworth, Bentham, Rhodes (Gaughan 61), Mitchell, Everingham (Storrie 79), Kirby (Sorhaindo 61), Sultan. Subs not used. Lyndon, Lee.