AFC Liverpool 2 Silsden 3

A SECOND-HALF brace from assistant player manager Danny Forrest earned Silsden a crucial maximum from a five-goal thriller at AFC Liverpool that gave the Cobbydalers a fighting chance of staving off relegation on the final day of the season.

The North West Counties League extended their season by a week after all of the severe weather problems that the entire north of the country endured, so Silsden’s final Premier Division game of this term will be at home to Bootle on Saturday.

Their win on Merseyside at the weekend lifted them out of the relegation places and even though the clubs in and around them have midweek fixtures, the Cobbydalers will still be with a chance of escaping the drop.

Saturday’s game began with a relevant and very poignant laying of a wreath in the centre circle as Silsden marked the 96 lives lost in the Hillsborough tragedy in the week that the law courts found that they had been unlawfully killed 27 years ago.

It was a sombre pre-cursor to a fittingly entertaining game of football. Liverpool opened the scoring deep into the first half when Marvin Molyneux stroked home from the penalty spot after Jack Brooks had handled in the area.

The Cobbydalers were on terms at the interval thanks to a sumptuous volley from Nicky McNally five minuets before the break. Forrest had set that equaliser up and he put Silsden in front with a composed finish ten minutes into the second half.

Liverpool were still creating chances and they levelled midway through the second period after Hall could only parry a shot and Brandon Gaskill tucked in the rebound.

The visitors responded immediately as Forrest struck the goal that won the game a minute later with a neat finish after good move. The home side pressed but a determined Silsden held on for the three points.