Silsden (H)
Isuzu FA Vase
Third Round
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Preview
At the second time of asking, West are back in FA Vase action at Brookburn Road this weekend as Silsden return to M21 with a place in the last 32 up for grabs.
The two sides are no strangers, with this tie being a repeat of August's FA Cup meeting in which West prevailed 4-2 to reach the 2nd Qualifying Round for the first time.
While West are still a way off matching their best ever Vase campaign - the run to the Quarter Finals in 2023 remains the benchmark - a win on Saturday would see the club reach the Fourth Round for only the second time. If this does happen, a mid-January trip to the winners of Redcar Athletic v North Shields will await.
It would be an understatement to say that Saturday's visitors have kicked on since that FA Cup tie. Silsden have won 17 of the 20 matches they have played since, including an run of 14 consecutive victories which only came to an end on Tuesday night when they were held at home by Tadcaster Town. That stunning form has elevated them to the top the NCEL Premier Division, and they sit three points clear at time of press. West fans could be forgiven for drawing parallels between this fixture and the club's elimination at the hands of Emley in last season's Third Round. Emley also led the NCEL when the sides met at the second time of asking last December, and they won that match 4-0 on their route to the Quarter-Finals.
It's difficult to pick holes in the run that Silsden have put together and West are unlikely to come up against another team with this kind of momentum for some time. That said, Silsden have not been steamrolling teams in the manner that the form guide might suggest, and the Cobbydalers have won by more than a single goal only twice in those 20 games. Curiously, they have registered a 3-2 scoreline on seven different occasions, suggesting we're in for another entertaining and close game.
West can expect to have opportunities against one of the favourites to lift the Vase in May and, in front of another bumper crowd at Brookburn Road, it'll come down to taking chances. Our home support has the potential to make the difference!
West did lose 3-1 at Burscough on Tuesday night, and manager Paul Marshall made it very clear that the performance was well below par and that he expected a reaction from his players. The opportunity for redemption is there for West this weekend, and a win against a side of Silsden's quality would be a statement of intent going into the second half of what might be a memorable season in the club's history.
There will be a large crowd on Saturday so supporters are advised to either buy tickets in advance or arrive in plenty of time to avoid queues.
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Road to the Third Round
West
R1 W2-0, Stockport Town (H)
R2 W2-0, Ryton & Crawcrook Albion (A)
Silsden
R2 W2-0, Ramsbottom United (H)
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Form Guide
West
7th, NWCFL Premier (step 5)
Form position: 16th
Last six overall: LWWLLL
Home position: 5th
Last six home: WLLWWW
Silsden
1st, NCEL Premier (step 5)
Form position: 1st
Last six overall: DWWWWW
Away position: 1st
Last six away: WWWWWW
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Silsden At A Glance
Home colours: Red / black / red
Change colours: Yellow / black / yellow
Travelling distance: 53 miles
2023/24 position: 10th of 20, NCEL Premier
2024/25 average attendance: 241
The first Silsden AFC was formed at a meeting at Silsden Liberal Club in September 1904. They adopted the blue and white playing kit used by the recently defunct village rugby club, and a field adjacent to the original rugby field on Keighley Road was hired - which remains the club's base to this day.
The club has a long and rich history, superbly documented on their website (click here) but one snippet we had to pick out was the unusual tale behind their expulsion from the West Riding County Amateur League in 1973 for refusing to play a cup final on the instructed date, in part due to half a dozen players travelling to Wembley to watch Leeds United in the FA Cup final against Sunderland.
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Head to Head
Overall:
P9 W4 D2 L3 F13 A17
At The Step Places Stadium:
P5 W4 D1 L0 F11 A5
Silsden were members of the NWCFL until 2019, moving laterally to the NCEL at the same time West fell into the NWCFL D1 South.
Prior to August's FA Cup tie, the record across eight previous meetings was deadlocked, with three home wins apiece, and two draws. Intriguingly, no meeting has produced an away win.
The last league fixture came back in January 2019, with West winning 2-1 thanks to goals from Stephen Hall and debutant Tom Horner.
You can revisit West's FA Cup win over the Cobbydalers earlier this season HERE.
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Browse through our wonderful match galleries, from club photographers:
Nathan Ashmall, Chris Michell, Jack Todd and Christina Bowett.
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Directions
We encourage supporters to use public transport, cycle or walk if possible.
By car:
There is no parking available at the ground for supporters, except for pre-booked disability access.
Please instead use Hardy Farm, M21 8DP.
Disability spaces must be accessed no later than one hour before kickoff and all vehicles will be unable to exit until 15 minutes after the final whistle to ensure the safety of all supporters leaving the stadium.
There is additional public car parking on Chorlton Ees opposite The Bowling Green pub, who are also allowing supporters to use the pub car park, but there is little other on-street parking.
Please also note that there is no parking available on Brookburn Road itself, nor the surrounding Chorltonville area, as they are privately maintained, exclusively for the use of residents.
By public transport:
The Step Places Stadium is one mile from Chorlton Metrolink station, on the East Didsbury and Manchester Airport lines. Follow Google Maps directions to find your way to the ground.
If you are travelling from outside the Greater Manchester area, the Metrolink network can be accessed from any of Manchester’s central train stations. Visit the Transport for Greater Manchester website for tram times and more information.
By cycle:
The Step Places Stadium is a perfect location for those who cycle, being located next to the River Mersey, Sale Ees and only a few minutes away from the Fallowfield Cycle Loop. We have secure bicycle racks inside the ground to lock up your bike throughout the game. Please ask a volunteer if you need assistance.
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Prohibited items
Bringing pyrotechnics, drums/instruments and/or alcohol into the ground is prohibited. It is a criminal offence to bring pyrotechnics into any stadium. Stewards may conduct bag searches for prohibited items upon entrance to the stadium. Bag searches are a condition of entry and your co-operation is greatly appreciated. Spectators who break these rules may be banned from the ground and any pyrotechnics and/or alcohol will be confiscated.
