Nostell Miners Welfare 0 Thackley 2.
Thackley played their second game of 2015; again it was away from Dennyfield, when they journeyed to bottom of the table Nostell MW on Saturday. Like Thackley, Nostell had been suffering from a lack of games; it was only their second fixture of the year and their third since losing to Armthorpe on the 22nd November. Both teams were likely to be up for this game, a six pointer in terms of finishing in a relegation spot. Both Paul Whiteley and Kris Hargreaves were unavailable for this match. The playing surface was very wet, the home side had done well to get the match on, but it was likely to cut up during the ninety minutes and take its toll on players from both sides that were suffering from lack of game time.
As one spectator was heard to remark, Thackley were defending the shallow end, but no, it was not as bad as that. It was the away side that took the early initiative, Nick McNally testing home keeper Adam Rhodes on five minutes. Rhodes was called on moments later, Ryan Farrell getting clear but the home keeper did well to save. As both sides adjusted to the testing conditions, using the long ball to launch their attacks, the game became a little scrappy. Rob Bordman had a free kick which went just wide of the post and a Tom Dugdale flick nearly caught out Rhodes, but chances were few in the opening half hour. Thackley keeper, Ed Hall, was at full stretch to save from James Davies on thirty two minutes and another Bordman free kick brought a save from Hall. Rhodes prevented Nostell from going behind just before the break, getting down well to push Dugdale’s low drive for a corner, after the Thackley wide man had got clear of the home defence. Hall made a routine save from Matt Johnson before the teams went in at half time, neither side able to make the break through.
Half time: Nostell Miners Welfare 0 Thackley 0.
The pitch was cutting up and making playing football quite difficult, ten minutes in, Rhodes saved from Farrell after he got on the end of a Pat McGuire cross. Thackley made a double substitution on the hour; McNally and Dugdale were replaced by Joe Brown and Redmond Lee. Both teams were finding it difficult to create chances; Nostell substitute Jermain Moyce had a long range effort which was just wide before Thackley did make the breakthrough. Mike Garrod did well to break away from two defenders with the ball, once clear; he raced to the edge of the box before confidently placing the ball wide of the advancing Rhodes. Jack Fisher headed over soon afterwards as the game became a little fractious, both sides giving away niggling fouls. As the game came to an end, it was Thackley that were finishing the stronger, Garrod did well to turn on the edge of the box but his shot was