Record crowd witness eight-minute goal blitz

Source: Telegraph and Argus

By Ian Whiting

Silsden 0, FC United 3

Silsden bowed out of the North West Counties League Cup quarter-final in front of a record crowd for a football match at Cougar Park of 1,564.

The goals from the team set up by Manchester United supporters were condensed into an explosive eight-minute first-half spell.

That followed a contentious decision in the fifth minute when the FC keeper was given a yellow card for taking Andy Holden down outside the area.

Josh Howard opened the scoring on the counter-attack with a shot from the corner of the area. Two minutes later Silsden keeper Phil Rishton was beaten again. He did well to parry a shot but Andy Carden followed up.

Once again Silsden were caught on the counter-attack when a swift ball out of defence, an overlapping run that beat the offside trap and an unhurried ball across the area saw Rory Patterson make it 3-0 after just 32 minutes.

"We have seen it before, they score in clusters," said Silsden boss Paul Schofield.

"Once they feel they have got you on the back foot they go for the jugular." "I thought our lads did exceptionally well and I have to compliment the fans of FC United. They are fantastic and behaved impeccably.

"My only regret is that in the league game at their place our keeper got sent off early and here theirs didn't. Don't get me wrong, I didn't think he deserved a red card but its funny how these things don't even themselves out."