In blustery conditions, Emley battled well to earn a deserved 2-0 win over Silsden.
Goals from Hayden Lindley and Chris Dawson proved to be the difference to get
the promotion push back on track after the weekends defeat to Bishop
Auckland.

At the third time of asking, Silsden and Emley finally locked horns at the Regal
Interiors Stadium. With both sides coming into the game with good form, this looked
to be a tricky test for the Pewits.

It was a scrappy start to the game that saw both sides struggle to muster any real chances in
the opening stages, Emley then managed to take a strong foothold in the game with
the Pewits starting to dominate possession, Emley started to apply good
pressure on the Silsden defence with Gabriel Johnson having a shot blocked from
close range and Ellis Farrar having a header saved comfortably.

The Pewits were
really on top now but still not really troubling the Silsden defence or goalkeeper.

The strong wind began to play its part in the game as a wind driven freekick tested
the Silsden goalkeeper however he dealt with it well under the high ball.

With Silsden
struggling to string any possession together, Emley looked to up the ante and looked
to be getting closer with two promising chances.

The first started with Emley playing
through midfield before finding Joe Stacey whose shot looked to be heading into the
top corner until it was blocked, the second a defence splitting pass played Farrar in
down the right-hand side before his low cross deflected safely into the keeper's
hands.

In the 33rd minute Emley’s possession eventually told as they found the breakthrough from a simply excellent strike from Hayden Lindley, a ball played into Lindley on the half turn and he unleashed a deadly curling strike into the top corner giving goalkeeper Tommy Brown no chance.

Emley now looked to build on their lead however it was The Cobbydalers with the
next and their first opportunity, clever play from the Silsden winger saw him spin
around Jack Cowgill to burst away down the left-hand side however an excellent
recovery run from Cowgill saw him get his body in front of the ball to block the shot.

Emley were now back on top as the half was coming to a close, a long ball over the top found Gabriel Johnson who held the ball up excellently before stroking the ball to the edge of the box where it found its way out to Harry Sheppeard, he had two bites at the cherry before his square ball found Chris Dawson who rifled an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net, this bringing the half to a close.

HT: Silsden 0-2 Emley

Emley probably didn't want to hear the half time whistle as they managed to gain lots of momentum going into the closing stages of the first half, however they managed to begin where they left off on the front foot, Joe Stacey received the ball just in front of the Emley box, running the length of the field, but his cross was too hard for Johnson resulting in the keeper collecting the ball.

The next opportunity of the game would fall to Sorhaindo, yet it would be Silsden's own doing, a lapse in concentration caused Laurence to pick up on a loose ball before going one on one with the keeper however his shot narrowly missed the top right-hand corner.

The Pewits would fashion themselves another opportunity, this time Hayden Lindley excellently winning the ball in midfield before playing in Gabriel Johnson who got caught in two minds causing his return through ball to be out of the reach of Sorhaindo.

The Pewits backline, lead by captain Jack Cowgill continued to marshal the Emley defence well limiting Silsden to a few half chances however non-troubling goalkeeper Alex Walpole.

With Emley looking comfortable they were happy to keep possession, and seemingly Silsden became more frustrated with that, almost two identical free kicks from the wide right in the space of 5 minutes were taken by Joe Stacey, the first created an excellent opportunity for Charlie Barks who found himself unmarked at the back post, but his low shot was saved well by the keeper. The second, Stacey used the strong wind again, finding Gabriel Johnson on the penalty spot with his shot on the turn going well over the bar.

The rain started to fall on a cold night in West Yorkshire, and it seemed to dampen the game, in the 80th minute, Richard Tracey made the first change of the evening taking off goal scorer Chris Dawson for Joe Clegg.

With the game dwindling in the last 15 minutes, it became scrappy with neither side able to create anything meaningful, Tracey made 2 more substitutions, replacing man of the match Laurence Sorhaindo after a gritty performance and the ever-lively Joe Stacey with Carlos Rodrigues and Jacob Hanson.

With no more chance for either side, the game would come to an end with Emley securing a 2-0 win on the road and securing the league double over Silsden.

The result meant we maintained our excellent unbeaten record at Silsden and we now look to maintain our excellent home record on Saturday when Heaton Stannington visit.

FT: Silsden 0-2 Emley

Attendance - 201

Emley - Walpole, Sheppeard , Farrar, Lindley, Cowgill [c], Barks, Turner, Dawson, Sorhaindo, Johnson, Stacey;
Subs used- Clegg, Rodrigues, Hanson
Unused - Hardaker, Thompson.

Goals- Lindley (33'), Dawson (39')

WM Sykes Man of the Match- Laurence Sorhaindo.