After a hat trick of postponements in games against Colne, AFC Blackpool, and AFC Darwen respectively, the NWCFL Premier Division was becoming a distant memory. Luckily, our home game against Silsden transferred the Colls back into welcomed league action with the fixtures beginning to pile up already! Weather? Wet and windy, hardly the best conditions to play a game of Football, but of course, this is Non-League the weather is something we have to deal with. The Collieries started this game like a house on fire as they took the lead with just two minutes on the clock. Brad Cooke scooped the ball over the Silsden back four for forward Jordan Cover to latch onto. The pacey striker collected the ball, advanced towards the edge of the box and fired into the back of the net. A fine start for the men in black and white. That lead was doubled on seven minutes. The ball was threaded through to Mark Truffas; the lively winger collected the ball and headed towards to near post, on his favoured left side. Truffas then slipped the ball under Silsden stopper Sam Arrowsmith. Cover then had a goal disallowed for offside. The jury is still out on whether it was a correct waft of the flag by the assistant referee. The Colls’ defence was called upon as the clock signalled 14 minutes. Nicholas McNally received the ball and twisted and turned his way into Atherton’s danger zone. McNally managed to get his shot at goal away. However, captain Mark Ayres blocked well to divert the ball away from danger. On 15 minutes, the third goal of the game was scored as Silsden pulled a goal back. An unstoppable volley from the boot of William Storrie sailed into the top right hand corner of goal. Danny Taberner was left helpless as complacency had set in amongst the Collieries’ ranks. Three minutes later and the game was level. In the difficult conditions, a back pass was played back to Taberner, in an attempt to switch the ball to his opposite foot, McNally intersected. As a result, Taberner slipped and McNally had free range at which to tap in and draw both sides level. The home support was stunned in contrast to the Yorkshire outfit's celebrations. On 20 minutes, Silsden wasted an opportunity to take the lead. McNally had the ball played over to him on the edge of the area. But the tricky forward volleyed well over both the bar and scaffolding behind. Five minutes deeper into the half and the Colls retook the lead through an unfortunate own goal. The Silsden defence played a 20 yard back pass to Arrowsmith. The same conditions that affected Taberner earlier affected Arrowsmith then, as the ball tickled into the back of the net as the keeper failed to get over to the other side of goal. Colls minds were now refocused. With eleven minutes of the half remaining Atherton found themselves with two chances within quick succession of each other. The ball was played diagonally across to Ben Hardcastle who connected well first time with a shot directed at goal. Arrowsmith did well to get down and save the initial shot. Seconds later, the ball was played across the face of the Silsden goal. However, no Collieries’ foot could complete the job. Half Time – Atherton Collieries 3-2 Silsden The second half was a tale of five goals as Silsden tired and the Colls took control. Two minutes after the interval Hardcastle made it four for Atherton. After a solo run into the Silsden area, the right midfielder fired into the bottom right hand corner, Arrowsmith with no chance. On 57 minutes it was five. Cooke played the ball through to Dave Sherlock from midfield. Sherlock, with both time and space in his favour, simply lobbed the ball over Arrowsmith and observed as it bounced over the line and into the back of the net. Cooke had earlier had a finely placed headed goal chalked out in another narrow offside decision. With 20 minutes to go Callum Jones made it six. Truffas, who had already got his goal, drilled the ball into the area. Jones leapt highest and headed the ball into the back of the net. A few shots from both sides flew both wide and over before Jordan Cover completed the rout with seconds. He finished well through a crowded penalty. Full Time – Atherton Collieries 7-2 Silsden A fantastic win to mark a return to Premier Division action. The Collieries controlled the game second half and bossed possession in unbelievably difficult conditions. Team – Coming soon Attendance – 124 Match Report by Zach Pierce
Match Preview: Morpeth (A)
December 1, 2023
Atherton Collieries head to Morpeth on Saturday 2nd December, aiming to break a duck which has led to the Colls so far never recording a
