Reds bounce back to earn impressive win at Silsden
After Saturday’s disappointing result Colne manager Nigel Coates shuffled the pack, making four changes to the starting line-up, recalling Ben Hoskin and Scott Moore after injury.
In the first minute, Hoskin’s free kick was met by the head of Kristian Evans but the ball was diverted for a corner. Two minutes later, however, Colne took the lead when Evans powered a cross from Tom Fowler into the top corner.
Jason Hart came close to doubling Colne’s lead after just five minutes when Ed O’Neill released him down the left, but when he cut inside his shot went just wide.
Colne continued to exert pressure on the Silsden defence and on 15 minutes they came close again, but Evans’ towering header lacked the power to beat Edward Hall.
On the half-hour it could have been game over when Robert Grimes and Hart created a chance for Nathan Taylor which flew narrowly wide of the near post, before another Taylor effort went just wide.
Five minutes before the break, Silsden equalised in spectacular fashion when Jason McNulty’s cross was volleyed onto the underside of the bar and onto the inside of the upright before bouncing into the roof of the goal.
In the second half Colne had Chris Thompson to thank for denying Silsden the lead when he made a brilliant one-handed save from a dipping shot by Nicholas McNally.
But as the game progressed there was a feeling that a Colne goal was imminen, and with 10 minutes remaining Colne went into a well-deserved 2-1 lead when Hart was fouled in the area and he got up to confidently convert the resulting penalty.
In the final minute of the game the result was sealed when Hart became the provider for Robert Grimes, who calmly chipped the ball past Hall into the top far corner.,
On Saturday, in the first half both teams struggled to string their passes together and there was little to choose between them until Colne gifted Liverpool the lead on the half-hour.
Dominic Craig came close to opening the scoring when Hart’s corner dropped at this feet but his shot was deflected for a corner.
On 25 minutes Thompson made a good save at the feet of John Lawless and shortly afterwards Liverpool keeper Stephen Longrigg made an equally good save from Grimes at the other end.
But on the half hour Liverpool took the lead after a defensive error let in Lawless who gratefully accepted the gift of a simple goal.
Five minutes into the second half, Liverpool increased their lead when their skipper Liam Loughlin was given the time and space to launch a dipping shot into the top corner.
And the result was sealed by two late goals for Liverpool from their prolific striker Ronnie Morgan, with the assistance of a goalpost and a deflection.
Colne host South Shields in the FA Cup tomorrow, with their league trip to Abbey Hey on Tuesday night dependant on a potential cup replay in Newcastle.