Ashton Athletic 2 Silsden 2

THE Cobbydalers had veteran defender James Nettleton to thank as they came back from their trip to Ashton Athletic in the North West Counties top tier with a hard-earned point.

Nettleton came on as a second half substitute and his goal deep into time added on levelled the game and gave Silsden a deserved draw.

Nettleton’s strike from the edge of the area, after a corner was only half cleared, came in the fifth minute of stoppage time.

After a goalless first half, Ashton had taken the lead through Luke Holden just six minutes into the second period. Josh McNulty equalised with a superb curling shot in the 61st minute but the home side’s substitute Mathew Blakeley put them back in front soon after.

Silsden’s secretary Jim Rosser said: “It was a good draw for us because we usually lose at Ashton.

“I don’t even know where all the extra time came from either. There were six substitutions in the second half but not too many injury stoppages, I’m certainly not complaining about it anyway.

“It was a good passing game on a greasy pitch with the ball zipping about and the general consensus seemed to be that a draw was a fair result.

"We had a few changes and a small side in comparison but the low centre of gravity worked in our favour on that surface.”