Thackley travelled to South Yorkshire on Saturday for a game against bottom of the table Athersley Recreation hoping to extend their two game winning run. Athersley had started the season badly but had won all four of their league points to date in the last couple of weeks. After last week’s welcome league victory against Bottesford, Thackley were hoping to take advantage of some of the clubs above them in the table being involved in the FA Vase to move above them. Loz Hunter, Kieran Thompson and Simon Poole were all unavailable which meant starts for Alex Marsh, James Rothel and Adam Muller. Ray Sibanda was also included in the starting eleven at the expense of Ben Grech-Brooksbank.

Thackley really should have been a goal to the good as early as the third minute, Alex Marsh laying the ball back to Ray Sibanda but his shot was wide. Calan Robinson picked up a caution after six minutes, the first of five home bookings which indicated Athersley were not going to hold back in this match. Thackley went ahead ten minutes in, Adam Muller rising above the defence to head Pat McGuire’s free kick past Ross Pritchard. Thackley were controlling the game but were finding it difficult to fashion an opening to test Pritchard in the home goal. They were forced into making a change just before the half hour, James Rothel limping off with a groin injury to be replaced by Jerry White. He made an immediate impact, putting Thackley two in front with his first touch just seconds after coming on, heading in from a corner. Athersley came more into the game after the goal and twice Lee Garside got his head to the ball but on both occasions, it was wide of the goal. Both teams were restricting their opportunities by falling for the offside trap, this not only frustrated the players but also the watching spectators. Thackley had gone off the boil a bit but they maintained their two goal advantage into the break.

Half time: Athersley Recreation 0 Thackley 2.

Jack Briscoe tested Luke Wilson early on, as Thackley took a little time to settle at the beginning of the second half. However, a well worked goal after fifty two minutes just about made the game safe. White found Muller out on the left, he took the ball past Pritchard and squared for Asa Mitchell to slot into the net from close range. Thackley continued to press, Marsh fired over and Pritchard came out to save from Jack Normanton. Sibanda cleared off the line following a corner as Athersley tried to get back into the game. Mitchell was replaced by Matt Hall and Sibanda by Ben Grech-Brooksbank as Thackley looked to consolidate their lead. Grech-Brooksbank released Normanton but he curled his shot the wrong side of the post before he himself shot narrowly wide. Thackley were looking to improve their goal difference and Grech-Brooksbank got it to plus four with ten minutes remaining, latching onto a through ball and casually putting it between the advancing Pritchard’s legs (this boy could nutmeg a mermaid). The home side created a certain amount of pressure in the closing minutes and Wilson had to make saves on a couple of occasions. As full time approached Thackley were reduced to ten men when Marsh was helped off of the field with an ankle injury. However, Thackley kept Athersley at bay and fully deserved the three points as well as recording their first clean sheet in a league game this season.

Full time: Athersley Recreation 0 Thackley 4.

It was a comfortable victory for Thackley, the result never really looking in doubt after the early goal. They move up the table to sixth place with sixteen points and a plus four goal difference. On the negative side it looks like both James Rothel and Alex Marsh have picked up injuries, let us hope they recover quickly.

It is back to Dennyfield next week end when Penistone Church are the visitors, a point and two places above Thackley, they will need to be at their very best to extend their three game unbeaten run.

Athersley Recreation team: Pritchard; Briscoe; Salmons; Sanderson; Miller; Berry; Moxon (Morton); Rollinson (Holroyd); Garside ©; Purcell (Hutchinson); Kelsey. Sub not used: Dickinson.

Thackley team: Wilson; Marsh; Rothel (White 27 mins); Whiteley ©; Basi; Hargreaves; Mitchell (Hall 60 mins); McGuire; Muller; Sibanda (Grech-Brooksbank 71 mins); Normanton. Subs not used: Broadbent; Boyle.

Thackley scorers: Adam Muller 10 mins; Jerry White 28 mins; Asa Mitchell 52 mins; Ben Grech-Brooksbank 80 mins.

Attendance: 136.

Referee: Ian Johnson.