Hall Road Rangers are the visitors to the Mitton Group Stadium at Dennyfield on Saturday. Rangers, who have been in the NCEL since its formation in 1982, will be making a rare visit to play Thackley, having been in the First Division for all but four seasons of that time. They won promotion at the end of the 2008/9 season and were relegated in 2013 after finishing bottom of the league. In recent years the two teams have met on thirteen occasions (information from HRR Ground Guide), the Dennyboys having won eight times, Rangers three with two of the games finishing level.

This will be Hall Road’s first trip away from Haworth Park in November; Rangers having played their previous five games at home. The month started well for them with two victories, one of these a four nil win against Worksop Town. However, they have lost their last three games, two in the league and a Second Round FA Vase game against Pontefract Collieries, this after extra time. So, like Thackley, their form looks a little inconsistent this season and they are currently one place above the Dennyboys with the same number of points but have played two games less.

Thackley, like Hall Road, missed out on a mid week game because of the weather so both will be well rested for this Saturday’s clash. The Dennyboys will be boosted by last week’s good result against Parkgate, although not one of the stronger teams in the league, six goals and a clean sheet means a competent performance, which it was. This will be Thackley’s fourteenth home league game of the season, so with just seven to play in the remaining five months, they really do need to bank some points from this match.

On Saturday both teams will be looking for some consistency and of course three points, which means it is likely to be a close encounter and hopefully an entertaining game.