Thackley Taste Defeat For The First Time This Year.

Adam Clapham reports on how Thackley lost for the first time in 2016.

After a spell of decent form Thackley entertained Maltby Main at Dennyfield on Saturday. The Miners are on a good spell of their own, picking up seven victories in their last nine games.

Maltby got the game off to an exciting start. After just three minutes, Steven Hopewell ran into the area before going down after a collision with Josh Snowden. Seen as a questionable decision by the Thackley supporters, the linesman flagged for a penalty and the decision was given none the less. Maltby full back Gary Hibbert stepped up to take it. Firing to the keeper’s right, Dayle Coleing managed to get a hand to the ball and keep it out. Maltby continued to threaten early on. After a spell of good play down the wing, Ryan Carroll was able to force a cross into the area. Joshua Hemmingway was the man to connect, firing low past the keeper, only to find his effort cleared off the Thackley line. The ball then rebounded to Connor Waite who fired narrowly over the crossbar. Thackley had a few chances to take the lead before the interval. Tom Dugdale struck a free kick just over the crossbar before Thackley’s best chance of the half. Controlling play in midfield, allowed the attack to counter against the Maltby defence. Joe Brown’s header found its way into the path of Andy Wood; the striker then flicked the ball over the defence before striking a fierce volley against the crossbar with a powerful effort.The deadlock as broken soon afterwards by Maltby. After again taking advantage of opening space on the left wing, Maltby were able to send the ball across the box. Ryan Carroll was the man unmarked in space, allowing him to stroke the ball into the bottom left corner past Coleing.

Half Time: Thackley 0 Maltby Main 1.

Thackley began the second half on the front foot, carving openings in the Maltby defence and creating more chances than in the first. Ryan Farrell’s ball into the area found the head of Tom Dugdale; his effort being saved point blank on the line by keeper Paul Stancliffe. Shortly afterwards, Wood had another opportunity to level the score. Craig Bentham’s whipped cross found the striker who could only head over the bar. Thackley then had another goal bound effort blocked, Pat McGuire’s corner was flicked to Farrell, his half volley was forced off the line and away by Daniel Swales. With ten minutes of time remaining, Maltby missed the chance to seal the three points following yet another goal-line scramble. Substitute William Wraith was found in the area and struck the ball towards goal, it was then forced against the post before being recovered by Coleing. The opportunity didn’t matter in the end for Maltby, they left Dennyfield with the victory.

Full Time: Thackley 0 Maltby Main 1.

Thackley team: Coleing; Bentham; Hudson; White; McGuire (C); Snowden (Cohen 76mins); Farrell (Pett 76 mins); Whiteley; Wood; Brown (Beckles 62 mins); Dugdale. Subs not used: O’Brien; Garrod.

Maltby Main team: Stancliffe; Waite (Poole 45 mins); Hibbert; Swales; Austin (C); Hemmingway; Forster (Ballington 81 mins); Darker; Carroll; Hopewell (Wraith 71 mins); Rigby. Sub not used: Reilly.

Maltby Main scorer: Ryan Carroll 19mins.

Attendance: 78.

Referee: Aaron Bannister.

Photo: Andy Wood went closest to keeping Thackley's unbeaten run going.