Match Report

FC United made it a perfect ten out of ten start to the league campaign as Rory Patterson stole the show against Silsden at Gigg Lane.

The Reds frontman caused havoc all afternoon, notching up an early contender for goal of the season with a stunning second-half lob from the centre circle.

An absorbing first-half saw both sides playing neat football and spurning chances at either end. The game turned in FC’s favour ten minutes before the break with the Silsden keeper sent off for bringing down Patterson inside the box.

Showing no mercy, Rudd made it 1-0 by blasting the spot kick straight at the makeshift stopper, who dived out of the way of it’s vicious path just in time.

With the opposition still reorganising their defences United capitalised again as Simon Carden calmly slotted home number two. The Reds then pushed home their extra man advantage and made it 3-0 early in the second half when Howard expertly freed Patterson down the right for a simple finish.

Silsden soon made it 3-1 through the tireless Simpson, but hopes of a comeback were quashed within seconds by the quick thinking Patterson. Direct from the restart United’s man-of-the-match spotted the ’keeper in no-man’s land before brilliantly lofting the ball straight in from the halfway line.

A whole host of other chances went begging for United before Silsden scored again in the closing seconds, leaving the Yorkshiremen to rue what might have been if not for a red card and a rampant Rory Patterson.