Toolstation NCEL Premier Division
Garforth Town 1-0 Silsden
New captain marvel Jack Lazenby pounced with seven minutes to go to secure a brilliant start to the league campaign for Garforth Town.
The moment of magic was a rare glimpse of quality in a fairly dull encounter – but it was a harsh on Silsden as a draw would have been a very fair result.
Garforth enjoyed the best chance of a lacklustre first half. The Miners broke away down the right and teasing ball was met by Alex Burton whose close range net-buster was turned over the crossbar by goalkeeper Alfie Darke.
How Garforth escaped not falling behind in the opening 20 minutes of the second half remains a mystery. Sam Leach was the initial hero in an almighty goal-mouth scramble when he blocked Leon Hurles-Brook’s shot from literally inside the six-yard-box. There were two more last-ditch blocks before Garforth cleared their lines.
Hurles-Brook also had Silsden’s second chance. A ball over the top sent him scuttling away and only brave goalkeeping from Toby Wells prevented him scoring.
Silsden substitute Dylan Drovi then blazed wide from a good position and the missed chances came back to haunt Danny Forrest’s men.
With time running out, Lazenby sent a low drive into the bottom corner from inside the penalty area and that was the deathly blow.
The Teams
Garforth Town: Wells, Leach, McGahan, Lazenby (captain), Denton, Fitzgerald, Marshall, Coupland, Burton, Turner, Barker. Subs: Smith, Mayall, Davison, Silva, Colley.
Silsden: Darke, Kaine (captain), Everingham, Barnes, Airey, Foley, McKiernon, Morgan, Brown, Shazad, Hurles-Brook. Subs: Wademan, Higginson, Trueman, Hudson, Drovi.
Who Was In Charge
David Holbrook (7/10)
How Many Were There
118
Man of the Match
Leon Hurles-Brook (Silsden)