Winsford United 2 Silsden 3

BLUES looked good value for a first league win of the season when they led unbeaten table toppers Silsden 2-1 after 67 minutes.

Two strikes in six minutes from Scott Taylor and Peter Watling, both coming from goalkeeping errors, overhauled a fifth-minute lead for the West Yorkshire visitors courtesy of Reece Lyndon.

Instead of pushing forward to add to the score, Winsford lost the initiative and it allowed the Hallmark Security League Premier Division leaders to hit back and secure their seventh win in 10 games.

An equaliser came from Joseph Mitchell after 83 minutes and the crowd was left stunned by an 89th-minute winner from Kyle Hancock.

Lee Duckworth's side, buoyed by the 5-0 walloping of Worksop Town in the FA Vase the previous weekend, made early inroads and Ryan Hopper’s shot was saved low down by goalkeeper Sam Lee in the first minute.

But the visitors took an early lead from an unnecessarily conceded fifth-minute free kick.

The ball was played into the box by Joseph Mitchell and a deflection found the head of unmarked Lyndon, who planted the ball into the bottom right corner.

Silsden tested the Blues back four with a series of raids but keeper Jack Cookson was not unduly troubled until the half-hour mark when Lyndon had the ball in the net again. However, referee Neil Evans spotted a push and ruled the goal out.

By this stage Winsford were coming more into the game and it took a fine interception by Josh Caine to prevent Dave Short scoring what looked like a certain goal.

And then a sharp cross was met by Watling standing on the goalline but somehow the ball flew over the bar.

Winsford survived a scare early in the second half when the ball was given away to Aiden Kirby but with only Cookson to beat he missed the target. Cookson was in action again on 54 minutes, hurling himself full length to tip Kyle Hancock’s effort round the post.

Three minutes later, at the other end, Lee spilled a shot from Taylor but although Watling collected the rebound the visitors' number one recovered sufficiently to intercept the goal-bound effort.

Blues then got the equaliser their play warranted.

Lee went to punch a high ball into the box and when he missed it Taylor was on hand to lash the ball high into the net.

Six minutes later Lee's nightmare worsened as the ball flew through both his hands and dropped to Watling, who had the simple task of tapping it over the line.

Silsden were not about to throw in the towel though.

Efforts from Kirby and Hancock threatened the Winsford goal and on 83 minutes the equaliser came when the hosts failed to clear their lines.

Mitchell pounced on a loose ball and lobbed it over Cookson and into the net.

With a minute left on the clock Hancock was afforded enough time and space on the edge of the area to send a curling right-foot shot out of Cookson’s reach and into the top-right corner of the net.

Winsford, who host Northwic Victoria tonight, came close to snatching an equaliser in injury time but Short’s close-range effort was saved by Lee.

Blues: Cookson (GK), Fowles, Clarke, Hopper, Lee Duckworth, Henson, Taylor (Byrnes 69), Kerr (Howell 80), Watling, Short. Subs not used: Fisher, Joe Duckworth, Osborne.

Attendance: 150