MATCH DETAILS
Silsden AFC 4-2 Bottesford Town
NCEL Premier Division
Tuesday 2nd April 2024
Office Interiors Stadium – Att:101
TEAM DETAILS
Rabone, Cromack, Barnes, Daly, Cassidy, Clayton (Harris, 85′), Connolly (Gardner, 71′), Maltby, Price, Thompson (Hudson, 60′), Stewart (Roper, 85′)
Subs: Smith
MATCH REPORT
Silsden ended their home league campaign on a high with an exciting 4-2 win over a youthful Bottesford Town side at the Office Interiors Stadium yesterday night.
A lightning fast start to the game saw three goals in the opening 10 minutes; Sils leading 2-0 through Casey Stewart and Kayle Price before Donovan Day hit back for the visitors.
Price restored the two goal advantage on 17 minutes but Town once again hit back through Day to bring an end to an exciting first 45.
For the second time in just three days, Price would find himself taking home the matchball as he grabbed his hat trick late in the second half, bringing his goal tally to 24 for the campaign.
After just five minutes, we would take the lead courtesy of a Stewart strike, picking up the ball on the left wing, cutting inside and unleashing a low shot the beat the keeper at the near post.
That lead was doubled just two minutes later.
Nash Connolly raced onto a throughball and unselfishly squared to Price who had the simple job of tapping into the empty net.
The exciting action continued just a minute later but this time at the other end, 17 year-old Day raced 1v1 with Jay Rabone before lifting a composed finish into the roof of the net.
There was plenty of time for both sides to grab goals before half time.
On 17 minutes Price grabbed his second, reacting quickest after the keeper spilt a routine shot to poke home from close range.
A mistake at the back allowed the visitors back into the game, with Day again able to latch onto a loose pass before rounding Rabone and finishing into an open goal.
The second half began in stark contrast to the first as it took until 65 minutes for the first real chance of note for either side.
Stewart looked to add his second of the game from a 25-yard set piece but the keeper got down well to make a smart save.
He again went close on 74 minutes, his volleyed effort was again well saved by the feet of the keeper.
Price would eventually secure the three points with his second consecutive hat trick, Stewart cut the ball back to the in-form man who made no mistake from close range.
The win sees us break our record NCEL Premier Division points total and shows the progress we are making as a club.
Speaking after the game, Matt Cavanagh said:
“We’re pleased to come away with three points against a side who have picked up some positive results against good sides recently. It was a great start with two early goals but then we let ourselves down by not doing the basics well enough in our defensive third or in and out of possession. Overall however, we saw some great movement and combinations which caused plenty of problems for Bottesford.”
