SILSDEN entertained Knaresborough Town last night hoping to bounce back after being knocked out of the FA Vase by Guisborough Town on Saturday.

They did, just about, letting a 3-0 lead slip before Leon Hurles-Brook's late goal saw them win it 4-3.

Cobbydalers boss Danny Forrest brought in Dan Illingworth for his first start of the season, surprisingly playing the defender as a target man.

Josh Kaine partnered Sean Airey at centre half and Arley Barnes moved to right-back.

Silsden dominated early on. Former Bradford City youngster Jake Maltby saw his shot blocked, Hurles-Brook cut in from the wing but his effort lacked venom, while Chris Wademan saw his screamer clear the crossbar.

But Knaresborough started to come back into the game, and when full-back Phil Milsom broke down the left, his deft backheel gave Callum Ward a great chance. His effort went agonisingly wide for the visitors.

The opening goal instead went Silsden's way on 26 minutes. Joe Mitchell managed to find some space and curled the ball into the Knaresborough box. Illingworth beat the keeper in the air and Hurles-Brook blasted the knockdown into the net.

Town responded immediately after the restart. A superb through ball was latched on to by Ward but Silsden goalkeeper Ben Higginson made a fine save with his feet.

A minute later, Illingworth hit a superb ball in behind the Knaresborough defence, which had pushed up to the halfway line. Wademan ran through to slide the ball under the advancing keeper and make it 2-0.

Maltby then put Khurram Shazad in but his left-footed effort was blocked.

It mattered little, as on 40 minutes, Shazad slid a corner to Maltby. He drilled the ball into the goal area and Airey made it three with a tap-in.

That meant Silsden went into the break with a comfortable lead, but early on in the second half, Knaresborough hit back.

A powerful run by Milsom saw him reach the byline and cross into the Silsden box for Brad Walker to fire home.

Three minutes later, a long ball from the back found Ward in acres of space and he buried the ball into the bottom corner.

The game then became frantic with several reckless challenges. Knaresborough's Gregg Anderson and Silsden's Mitchell were both cautioned for dangerous tackles.

Aiming to increase Silsden's now much narrower advantage, Maltby broke down the right and fed Wademan, whose shot went wide.

A similar move led to Shazad testing the Town keeper. Parrying the ball, he just managed to gather it as Wademan was about to pull the trigger on the rebound.

After some cool defending by Kaine, he was injured by Ward's dangerous challenge. Then Illingworth was clattered.

The game went on with the Silsden man lying in agony. Eventually the whistle went and Illingworth was carried off. Robbie Fox replaced him.

Kaine, who was now carrying a knock, was unable to chase down his man on 72 minutes.

Josh Wick broke down the left and slid the ball into the path of Jack Carr, who hit the equaliser home to make it 3-3.

Fox's pace and fresh legs began to cause Knaresborough problems though. He burst through a defence which was tiring in the heavy conditions, before sending a ball out to Barnes, who shot narrowly wide.

Youngster Fox was chasing down every ball, pressurising the visitors’ defence and eventually, with five minutes left, they crumbled.

Hurles-Brook ran forward and, with a great finish from the edge of the area, made it 4-3.

In the dying minutes, a free-kick was launched into the Silsden box and eventually found its way into the Cobbydalers' net.

Forrest and his men quickly breathed a huge sigh of relief though, as the flag was raised for offside.

At the last, Silsden broke away and Hurles-Brook almost netted a fifth, but that would have been tough on the visitors.

The win sees Silsden jump up to 11th in the table, with six points from their first four games.

On Saturday, the Cobbydalers travel to Maltby Main. That game will have to go some to match the drama of this one.