Until this season, this would have been an improbable derby match with both teams being in different leagues. However, with Silsden’s acceptance into the eastern side of the northern pyramid an impatiently awaited, welcome fixture will now be a bi-annual event.

After a defeat on Saturday, Thackley’s Manager, Pat McGuire once again rang the changes. Luke Wilson returned from his involuntary absence, Paul Whiteley returned to midfield and there were seasonal debuts for Mark Trueman and Andy Wood. Silsden included former Thackley favourites Craig Bentham, Liam Hudson and Ben Higginson in their squad.

The game began in a hectic flurry of activity with both sides wanting to make their early mark on the proceedings. This gave little time to settle on the ball and although there were spasmodic bursts of accurate passing much of the play resulted in wasted passes and long, hopeful punts into opposition territory. Illingworth, the Silsden defender picked up an early booking for a crude foul on Whiteley which set the pattern for some of the challenges. So, it went with either side failing to seriously examine the goalkeepers. Following a thrust forward on the right-hand side Silsden took the lead. A high attempted cross bounced on the crossbar and looked to be going out of play but it was retrieved on the edge of the area by Surhaindo who appeared to be going nowhere towards the touchline. Basi who was shepherding him took an impetuous kick to clear the ball and connected with the player instead. From the resultant penalty Adam Kirby put the home side into the lead. This setback spurred Thackley into a more cohesive attacking approach and they began to put more pressure on the Silsden defence. Muller worked hard to win the ball, Thompson and Hunter were advancing down the flanks and Wood was using his physical presence to unsettle the Silsden rear-guard with the lurking Normanton ready to pounce. So, it proved after forty-one minutes Wood rose to win a glancing header into the path of Normanton whose pace left him in the clear to flick the ball beyond the reach of Darke and equalise.

Half time: Silsden 1 Thackley 1.

After the break it was Silsden’s turn to exert pressure on the Thackley defence. Whiteley was more to the fore in thwarting attacks and Basi and Hargreaves were called upon to deal with potential danger. In particular, Silsden were looking dangerous from set pieces but Thackley managed to deal with these, often with last ditch clearances. McGuire chose to refresh the forward line by replacing Wood with Hines and the midfield with Grech-Brooksbank taking the place of Trueman. There was still the ever-present danger of Muller and Normanton up front. After more concerted effort from the visitors they took the lead on sixty-five minutes. Normanton did well to wriggle his way past three Silsden defenders and lay it out to the right. The ball into the box, was partially cleared to Flaherty who struck it cleanly into the bottom corner of the Silsden goal. This spurred the hosts, once more, to action and again they exerted pressure to try and equalise. Many of their chances were coming from set pieces with the referee instrumental in providing them with a series of soft decisions. The last change for Thackley was made when Boote replaced the flagging Flaherty who was short of competitive football. Now it was nail biting time for the Thackley followers as Forrest and Waddington came on to boost the tiring Silsden legs. Normanton could have put a more comfortable gloss on things. He picked up the ball in the inside left spot, out-paced the central defenders and with the goal gaping could only put it over the crossbar. From a corner Wilson was called into action by brilliantly thwarting a point-blank header. This effectively ended Silsden threat and Thackley prevailed as close but deserved winners.

Final Score: Silsden 1 Thackley 2.

Thackley team: Wilson, Thompson, Hunter, Whiteley, Basi, Hargreaves, Muller, Flaherty (Boote), Wood (Hines), Trueman (Grech-Brooksbank), Normanton. Subs not used: Rothel, Mitchell.

Silsden team: Darke, Kaine (Hudson), Everingham, Bentham (Waddington), Illingworth, Brown, Barnes, Mitchell, Kirby (Forrest), Hardisty-Blackwell, Surhaindo. Subs not used: Higginson, McKiernon.

Attendance: 234.

Referee: Callum Gough.

Report by Richard Paley.