Obiter Fabs 4 1-2 Silsden
The FA Carlsberg Sunday Cup
Second Round
Sunday 16 October 2008
Winning clubs will receive £250 from The FA
This weekend saw a disappointing exit for Obiter Fabs in The FA Sunday Cup, as they were beaten at home by a side who had a little more vigour and made better use of their options.
A goal in each half for the Yorkshire team was enough to see off the Liverpool Business Houses side, while a red card obviously didn’t help matters.
It could have been all so different had James McNeilis not fired over the crossbar, when clean through after six minutes. Chris Doyle’s great reverse pass gave McNeilis a clear run on goal, but in going for power, he missed the target from an excellent position.
Silsden’s first real attack came nine minutes later, when captain Damien Whiteoak played in Simpson, but he dragged his right-footed effort wide of the far post.
On 22 minutes, Simpson tested the hands of home goalkeeper Jonathan Smith after taking a great pass from Harry Thompson in his stride, with Smith coming off his line to parry Simpson’s clipped effort out for a corner.
Thompson then beat his marker and pulled a cross back from the by-line. James Gill dummied the ball for Whiteoak to score the opener, with the aid of a deflection.
Only good goalkeeping and an inexplicable miss from Thompson prevented the visitors from adding to their tally before the break. Obiter were then reduced to ten men, when Michael Tallon was dismissed for a second bookable offence, making their uphill task seem even greater.
However, Chris Doyle ended the first half with a great effort from distance, which Martin Foulger in the Silsden goal, had to watch all the way before it flew over the angle of crossbar and post.
Obiter came out determined to make a game of it after half-time and they got their reward with an equaliser from Doyle after 49 minutes. His free-kick took a nick off the Silsden wall and wrong-footed the goalkeeper as the ball spun into the opposite corner of the goal.
This galvanised the ten men and they could have gone in front two minutes later, when Paul Doyle turned in the penalty area and shot powerfully, but unfortunately for him, Foulger was well placed and gathered comfortably.
Silsden weren’t pushing home their numerical advantage and chances went as quick as they came. First Simpson cut in from the left flank and drove wide of Smith’s far post from an acute angle, then Gill chose to shoot when a pass may have been better but his right-footed effort was blocked.
At the other end, Liam Currie was deprived of service and was making the best of what he had but just after the hour mark, he surged forward without support and only a desperate block by the vistors’ defence kept their goal intact.
But Silsden were not to be denied and the eventual winner was to come with less than 15 minutes to play, when another great run from Thompson down the right flank, ended with a pass infield to Gill. He made no mistake from 14 yards, sweeping the ball past Smith and fired the Bradford-side into the last 16 of the competition.
Having gone out in the Quarter-Finals last season, Silsden will be looking to go at least one step further this campaign and vie for a place amongst the Sunday League elite.
