Glossop North End 1 Silsden 1
North West Counties Premier Division
Match Report: Jonathan Haggart
The Hillmen’s 100% start to the season came to an end in their 7th game when a familiar problem from last season came back to haunt them – not taking your chances.
In general play and shots on goal they had bested their visitors, although the Cobblydalers showed plenty of determination and ball play to make them their toughest test of the season so far, but it was a failure to hit the net when presented with openings that allowed Silsden to level late on when taking their one clear chance of the game.
The complexion of the game would have been very different if the two chances created in the opening three minutes had been taken, but Aaron Moxam put a difficult chance from the edge of the box wide, and Silsden keeper Daniel Thorpe was quickly off the line to block Neil Chappell’s effort when he was clean through.
Silsden had made an excellent start to the season and were 4th prior to kick off and they played confidently and with energy, playing the ball around nicely when they had it and harrying GNE when they didn’t, and North End found it hard find a rhythm. Penalty box action was at a premium after that early flurry but prior to half time Kelvin Lugsden recovered from his own error to tackle Nicholls as he looked set to shoot on goal whilst at the other end twin brother Kieran headed over.
The North End breakthrough came 3 minutes into the second half. A throw-in from the left found Moxam in the box, and his lay off to Kieran Lugsden allowed the latter to shoot across the keeper and into the far corner.
From their Glossop tried and failed to add to the lead, partly to an excellent display by Thorpe in the Silsden net but partly by missing themselves. Moxam was set up by Chappell but shot over the bar from the penalty spot, Bailey tried a delicate chip that was over the bar, Thorpe pushed away a terrific overhead Chappell effort and then the keeper brilliantly clawed away Kelvin Lugsden’s header that looked as though it was hitting the net.
As pressure failed to produce goals, Glossop were again relying on a defence that had conceded 1 goal in 6 games to clinch them the game. This time though it was breached. As time ticked on a sucker punch was looking possible and with 7 minutes to go it came. A throw in from the left was blasted goalwards from distance, and a crucial Lugsden flick took it out of Greg Hall’s anticipation but saw it hit the bar. However, substitute Henderson was quickest to react and had time to control and finish from short range. They’d had one chance in the half, and took it.
There was still time to apply some more pressure, but in the anxiety the game became bad-tempered as the referee rather lost control. A touchline case of handbags saw Sam Hind booked, Silsden’s Ben Crabtree received a second yellow card and dismissed, along with North End assistant manager Lee Donafee.
There was still time for Hind to see a curling effort pushed away by Thorpe, who nailed his man-of-the-match nomination in the process. North End were left cursing a point that felt like a defeat, and will hope to take the hurt out on Congleton when they visit Surrey Street on Tuesday.