TONY Hackworth’s first match in permanent charge at Pickering Town ended in disaster as his side were hit for NINE at Silsden.
Having conceded twice inside the opening seven minutes, the Pikes were six behind at the interval after an abysmal first half in the West Yorkshire sunshine.
In part thanks to a double substitution at the break, the visitors were much improved during the second half, though Matty Dawes’ late penalty proved a mere consolation.
The result leaves Hackworth’s side precariously in 18th position whilst the big-spending Cobbydalers rise to second in their bid for promotion from the NCEL premier division.
Nathan Dyer, Paul Roddam and Paul Young all returned to the starting line-up, with Charlie Preston preferred to Harrison McGuire between the posts.
But Pickering were left shell-shocked, finding themselves behind just five minutes into proceedings as defender Spencer Harris was left unmarked to head in from a corner.
Luke Brooksbank found it just as easy to break through their defence to add a second for Silsden from the restart.
That seemed to spark the Pikes into a response, Dawes forcing a good save from former Halifax Town goalkeeper Kyle Trenerry before tipping Wayne Brooksby’s free-kick narrowly wide.
Prolific scorer Casey Stewart though heaped more misery upon the Pikes after a short water break on the half-hour mark, then helping striker Kayle Price to add his name to the scoresheet less than a minute later with a simple cross into the box.
In the aftermath, Hackworth introduced Tom Alngohuro for Roddam, but that made little difference to his side, their collapse continuing as Ellis Hudson left his side in dreamland, finding space to score their fifth shortly before the interval.
And things got even worse for the Pikes before the break, half time unable to come quick enough as their defence again left Preston exposed one-on-one, Price making no mistake to complete his brace.
Needing a reaction from his side, Hackworth introduced James Ward and Kieran Stares at the interval in place of Blake Drury and Jamie Poole, the latter of whom joined him coaching from the sidelines.
It didn’t take long, however, for Harris to notch his second after being left unmarked to head the ball past Preston for the Cobbydalers’ seventh.
With the job done for Silsden, they began to sit back, Stares coming close to pulling a goal back from a volley after Dyer’s far-post cross fell kindly in his direction.
But the Cobbydalers’ threat still remained, Price completing a 24-minute hat-trick with a neat finish into the bottom corner.
Preston was then substituted with 25 minutes remaining after a difficult afternoon between the posts.
Pickering though, did give their travelling supporters something to cheer about with 10 minutes remaining after Stares was hacked down inside the box, Dawes just squeezing the resultant spot-kick just under the diving goalkeeper to bring his side onto the board.
But Silsden would have the last word, Harris completing an unlikely hat-trick from the penalty spot with five minutes left to play.
More misery for Pickering, who will be hoping that fortunes fall in their favour in their basement battle at home to Bottesford Town tonight.
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