In-form forward Louis Fialdini both helped and hindered his goal-tally by scoring and being red-carded in Yorkshire Amateur’s 2-1 defeat at Silsden in the NCEL Premier on Wednesday evening.
Fialdini levelled the score at The Office Interiors Stadium, his third goal in two matches, but will complete a suspended one-match ban after his two yellow-cards.
Joshua Bradshaw both scored and got an assist for Silsden’s two goals, Finn Donovan the beneficiary.
All three new Ammers signings entered the matchday squad. Gervas Chipasha completed a whole new centre-half look alongside returning Jake Boyd while Adam Shaw and James Warwick-Adkins joined the bench.
A massive save to rescue the Ammers in the fifth minute followed Sam Meeson being robbed of possession by the stalking Finn Donovan.
Aidan Smith then bettered Donovon, one-on-one just inside the box, closing the forward and blocking the shot.
The previously at-fault defender somewhat made up for his mistake by being first to a low Bradley Riley cross from Silsden’s left, covering to clear from the centre of the box.
Smith was the victor of another duel with the Silsden forwards, this time Joshua Bradshaw chasing a misplaced header back from Keanan Mannings but Smith punched clear from the edge of his box.
Lewis Gardner then found Bradshaw clear of pressure in the centre of the box, from another cross from the left but the glancing header was wide of the far post.
Surprisingly it was both the right-hand side and Bradshaw which assisted the opening goal, his cross landing on Donovan’s head in the 15th minute.
With space on the edge of the box, Bradshaw clipped an out-swinging ball towards the penalty spot where Donovan was free to simply divert the ball into goal.
The lead lasted just 6 minutes thanks to Sam Pickles’ creativity assisting Fialdini for his third in two matches.
Close control by left-winger Pickles allowed him to weave in-between two defenders on his route infield before initiating a one-two with Wilkinson.
Receiving it back inside the box, his short cut back was straight into the path of the arriving Louis Fialdini to drill a first-time shot inside the near post.
Smith’s one-on-one record was now 3-0, denying Bradshaw again after the forward received the ball on the floor this time, again from Donovan.
Running onto the pass between the two Ammers’ centre-halves, Bradshaw poked towards goal but Smith caught the flight of the ball and palmed it away.
A counter-attack saw Bradshaw play in Brooksbank down the right, only for him to cut inside and switch play to Riley.
The left-winger attacked the outside of the Ammers defence before shooting into the side-netting.
Ndlovu’s accuracy in his free-kick was rewarded with Silsden’s second goal, Bradshaw benefitting with a rebound from inside the box.
Smith saved the initial header from close-range after Ndlovu picked out his team-mate from deep on the left but the Ammers’ keeper was grounded for Bradshaw’s rebound shot across goal, into the bottom right-hand corner.
Jamal Stewart earned himself his chance to level the score into half-time by winning his 50/50 and forcing the ball into the box.
His shot was straight at Sam Kelly who tipped the ball over to retain Silsden’s lead at the break.
Part of Adam Shaw made his Ammers debut when he was introduced at half-time
Ndlovu’s interception on Fialdini deep into the Ammers half initiated the continuation of the first-half trend into the second when he sent Finn Donovan down the right of the box.
The latter’s cross was sliced behind the Ammers’ goal, however.
Pickles was on the end of a Yorkshire Amateur counter-attack, cutting inside and attempting to curl right-footed into the far bottom corner but Kelly gathered the ball.
Louis Fialdini and Jacob Smith, former Farsley Celtic Academy team-mates, were both yellow-carded for their coming together which also appeared to result in ‘afters’.
Bradshaw was behind the Ammers defence, inside the right of the box, but skied his shot with just under fifteen-minutes left.
Fialdini then reintroduced the feud between Jacob Smith and himself with an off-the-ball incident in the 82nd minute which saw him branded with another yellow and subsequently red-carded.
Fialdini’s suspension is expected to start from the 14th September, meaning he is available for Saturday’s visit of Penistone Church.
Substitute Wilfred Frimpong came closest to earning a point in the final five minutes but the distance from where his shot began, 25-yards out on the right-hand side, meant Kelly was always favoured to gather the curling effort.
Yorkshire Amateur can return to winning ways when they return home to the Southerns Stadium on Saturday, hosting Penistone Church in the league, kick-off 3pm.
Ticket prices v Penistone: Adults – £6, Concessions – £3