By Liam Price, photos by Jonathan White
Silsden subjected Nantwich Town to their worst defeat of the season with a 3-0 win over the Dabbers in the FA Trophy Second Qualifying Round.
Alex Panter got a start after his excellent recent form in one of two changes from the win over Trafford.
Kelvin Mellor started the first attack of the game and may have finished it with the opening goal, trading passes with Aidy Roxburgh he stumbled over the ball in the box as he tried to get a shot away.
In horrendous conditions that only got worse as the game went on, Joel Connolly decided to try his luck from an early free kick but Tommy Brown was up to it and held well.
Another set piece provided another flash of an opportunity, Josh Williams whipped in a free kick that Mellor glanced on towards goal but it zipped wide.
Isaac Robinson had the home side’s only effort of note in the first half, curling straight at Ben Garratt.
The second half, where the rain had changed from what Peter Kay would describe as ‘that fine rain that soaks you through’ to full on sideways torrential rain, also saw the Cobbydalers come to life.
Number 9 Kayle Price, a prolific scorer at Step 5, has been continuing that form after Silsden got promoted, and at times in that second 45 there was a Kai Evans feeling about him, in that he appears to be a step above the rest of that team and should be playing higher. He left Mellor, with all his experience and quality, with twisted blood.
Garratt came off his line to make a save from Price on the hour mark.
The home side did take the lead half way through the second half. A corner was knocked back to the taker Tobias Jeffrey, who crossed again and saw Ben Hockenhull leap and send the ball looping off his head and into the far corner, leaving Garratt with no chance.
3 minutes later they doubled their lead. Nanwich’s defensive shape had deserted them and a ball from the right was rolled in by an unmarked Alhassane Keita.
Price tested Garratt a couple more times as Silsden repeatedly picked off the Dabbers either with simple balls over the top or well worked counter attacks.
Josh Williams saw a free kick pushed away by Brown as Nantwich tried in vain to get back into the tie.
Insult was added to injury in the last minute of stoppage time. Panter has been in terrific form but got involved in a couple of scuffles and was given no help by the referee’s decisions in the game. After one of these resulted in him getting booked, Silsden took a quick throw in that caught the Nantwich backline out and Price was able to finish low and get what for him was a deserved goal.
Jon Moran said afterwards that he felt Nantwich controlled a large majority of the game, which is something Silsden would surely question. He did say they were good value for the win, and made sure to praise the travelling supporters, the real heroes of the day for braving the hideous weather in a stadium with not much cover.
There were other factors in there, heavily delayed travel meant a truncated warm up and delayed kick off. But take nothing away from Silsden who are proving themselves a great cup team this season, having now played 3 NPL West teams at home in the cups and not lost any of them nor conceded a single goal.
Teams
Silsden AFC: Tommy Brown, Danny Hunt, Cammy Clark, Cody Cromack, Harry Coates (C), Jake Cassidy (Harry Thompson, 90+6), Isaac Robinson (Tobias Jeffrey, 58), Jake Maltby (Muhamet Gashi, 28), Kayle Price, Jordan Carroll (Corey Billy, 90+1), Luke Brooksbank (Alhassane Keita, 32)
Goals: Jeffrey (67), Keita (70), Price (90+6)
Nantwich Town: Ben Garratt, Aidy Roxburgh, Perry Bircumshaw (Paddy Jarrett, 78), Kelvin Mellor (C), Paddy Kennedy (Ben Hockenhull, 63), Josh Williams, Callum Saunders (Byron Moore, 67), Joe Robbins, Byron Harrison, Joel Connolly, Alex Panter
Subs not used: Junior Brown, Fenton Green
Attendance: 144