North West Counties League Premier Division: West Didsbury & Chorlton 2 Silsden 1

SILSDEN’S relegation woes worsened as they ended with nine men and a single-goal defeat at West Didsbury & Chorlton in James Gill’s first game in charge.

Gill returned to the club the previous weekend after Ryan Haigh resigned, and was due to open his tenure in midweek at Harrogate Town in a West Riding County Cup semi-final but when that was washed out he began instead with a league clash in Cheshire.

Nic Evangelinos opened the scoring for the home side just before the half-hour, and Josh McNulty was the first Silsden player to be dismissed after picking up a second yellow card just minutes later.

Danny Thorpe made some good saves to keep the score down but Silsden also had some chances before Chris Wademan halved the home side’s lead.

But, just as McNulty had done, Thorpe picked up two yellow cards in quick time and was also sent off.

Cobbydalers’ spokesman Jim Rosser said: “Even with ten men, we had them rattled in the second half but the sending offs cost us, and they were both stupid and unnecessary.

“It was a battling display. Gilly has certainly got them playing with passion but perhaps they were just a little too wound up for this one.

"We had loads of passion but Aaron Hollindrake was playing up front for us, and after he got an early injury we had no one to hold the ball up.

“He was substituted at half-time and we got back into it but you can’t show that much indiscipline and hope to win games.”