SILSDEN travelled to Garforth Town for their first Toolstation Northern Counties East League Premier Division game of the season last night and despite giving their hosts a real battle, they let in a late goal to lose 1-0.

Cobbydalers boss Danny Forrest named an unchanged side after Saturday’s 3-1 FA Vase victory over Garstang, but they were soon on the back foot in windy conditions.

Garforth had an couple of early attacks.

Karl Fitzgerald fired over the bar after Myles Foley had failed to clear a through ball and this was followed by a superb cross from Jack Lazenby, which Fitzgerald headed wide.

Garforth skipper Lazenby then curled in a free-kick which bounced just wide of the far post.

Midway through the half, the Cobbydalers had their first clear chance. Antony Brown broke up the left and crossed to Leon Hurles-Brook, but Toby Wells denied him the opener with a low save to his right.

The Miners were then thwarted by a superb save from Silsden stopper Alfie Darke.

Khurram Shazad was next to go close, this time for the Sils, but his rising drive just cleared the bar.

Throughout the half, the Cobbydalers' defence was well marshalled by Shaun Airey.

His composure gradually spread to his fellow defenders and both Mark Everingham and Josh Kaine made telling breaks up the flanks, These amounted to little, however, against a strong home defence.

It looked like the defenders would ensure that the game would be goalless at the break and it was, but only after Garforth's Sam Barker fired wide from a great position, after stealing the ball from Josh McKiernon in a dangerous position.

The fortunate McKiernon had another escape early in the second half after his pass back to Airey was intercepted.

The ball was slid through and ended up in the net, but the assistant’s flag was raised for offside.

Silsden responded with Hurles-Brook sprinting up the wing before cutting across the penalty area. His shot was narrowly wide. Garforth countered but Barker’s shot was not good enough to beat Darke.

On 60 minutes, Silsden saw three efforts blocked in the goal area after a corner was whipped in by Shazad. McKiernon, Hurles-Brook and Brown all saw efforts scrambled off the goal line.

Mark Trueman came on in midfield and immediately began to find space, which enabled him to spread the ball around to expose the home defence. He sent a ball through to McKiernon, whose shot went just wide.

Half chances came at both ends, with Kaine and Foley blocking efforts at one end and substitute Dylan Drovi just off target at the other end.

The deadlock was finally broken seven minutes from time, when Lazenby netted after the home side finally managed to get behind Airey.

Silsden strove for the equaliser, but the home defence held their nerve.

The Miners almost got a second following a late breakaway, being denied by Darke, before Everingham went close to an equaliser in the dying seconds.

On Saturday, the Cobbydalers travel to Yorkshire Amateur. That fixture last season finished 1-1, with Silsden grabbing a surprise point against their high-flying opponents through Chris Wademan.