ECCLESHILL United produced a magnificent away performance to beat Silsden 3-2 in the Toolstation Northern Counties East League Premier Division last night.

They opened the scoring after 22 minutes when Luke Aldrich turned the ball in at the back post, before hitting the bar soon after.

Silsden equalised five minutes before the break when centre half Shaun Airey headed home from a corner.

Mark Simpson thought he'd put the Cobbydalers in front on 44 minutes, but his goal was ruled out by a tight offside call.

Eccleshill made a disastrous start to the second half, with goalkeeper Brad Emmerson sent off after 46 minutes for bringing down Simpson when he was through on goal.

That meant defender Allan Greenwood had to don the gloves, and he could only watch as Khurram Shazad struck the post from the free-kick following Emmerson's foul.

It was Eccleshill who went closest next though, with Aldrich forcing a fine save from Silsden stopper Alfie Darke.

But Darke was soon beaten by a freak goal from Talent Ndlovu, whose cross sailed right over his head and in at the far post.

That was a gut punch to Silsden, who conceded a third almost straightaway. Sumaili Cissa played a fine ball in behind Carlton Pownall, and Kelvin Bleau slammed the ball through Darke's legs to make it 3-1 after 68 minutes.

Eccleshill were not home and hosed just yet, and when Silsden youngster Robbie Fox challenged Greenwood with five minutes to go, the ball dropped kindly for Simpson to score and make it 3-2.

The Cobbydalers came close to nicking a point in injury-time, but midfielder Liam Hudson was denied from long range by a superb save from emergency stopper Greenwood.

The win moves Eccleshill up to 10th, while Silsden stay 14th. Both teams will hope to be back in action next month.