Shay clash is journey into the unknown

9:17am Friday 22nd August 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

Cobbydalers’ boss Paul Schofield missed the club’s first league win of the campaign and he will also be absent for tomorrow's trip to Glossop North End but he did oversee the derby win.

Silsden broke their duck in the FA Cup at Cougar Park when they beat near-neighbours Eccleshill United in the extra preliminary round.

Following that win a fortnight ago, Schofield took his family to the Devon coast for a deserved holiday.

Speaking from his retreat this week, he said: “It’s not nice to start the season with two defeats.

"The game against Runcorn was turned by the ‘phantom’ goal and against Bacup we just didn’t take our chances.

“We played badly against Eccleshill in the first 20 minutes but thankfully it all went right after that.

"We have won away in the FA Cup and drawn at home but that was our first victory at Cougar Park in the competition.

"It must have been the first FA Cup win in the history of the stadium given its rugby background.

“That earned us a tie in the next round at The Shay against AFC Halifax Town and we don’t really know what to expect. The resurrected club lost their first game in the UniBond but had a crowd of 1,500 odd.

“It would be good financially for both us and them if there is an attendance in that region for the cup game, but it will only be a good day for us if we win.”

In his playing days, Schofield was on the books of Halifax Town as a youth and is looking forward to returning to The Shay.

Three of his current squad - Andy King, Mark Bentham and Craig Smith - were also players with the Halifax of old.