Match Preview

Thackley are back in cup action on Saturday when they travel up the A1 to take on Thornaby in the second stage of this season’s FA Vase. The Blues are no strangers to Thackley in this competition, this will be their third meeting. The first was back in 2008 when the two met at Teesdale Park in the same round as Saturday, the Dennyboys winning after extra time by the odd goal in nine (3-3 after ninety minutes). However, the lasting memory I have of the game, is that someone stole the gate money and with an attendance of just 38, it could not have been a fortune. The second meeting was just last season, this time it was the opening round of the competition and at Dennyfield, again it was Thackley that progressed, this time by the odd goal in five. Luke Robinson (2) and Pat McGuire getting the Thackley goals, Jordan Wilson and Lewis Murphy the scorers for the ‘Blues’. It seems games between the two sides are very tight affairs.

Thornaby have had a very poor start to the league season, losing five of their opening six games and drawing the other, which leaves them propping up the table, this after they won promotion to the First Division of the Northern League last season. However, their cup form is totally the opposite, until this mid-week they had not lost in either of the national competitions and had progressed through the two Preliminary Rounds of the FA Cup beating Bishop Auckland and Wickham. These victories set up a First Qualifying Round tie against higher ranked Ossett United. They drew at Teesdale Park last Saturday but lost in the replay on Tuesday night. In the FA Vase, they knocked out Thackley’s local rivals Eccleshill United four nil to put them through to this Second Round Qualifying tie.

Thackley are on a bit of a roll at present, winning their last four games and topping the league at the weekend. Unfortunately, Liversedge took on that mantle with a mid-week victory but only on goal difference. Thackley overcame Carlisle City in the opening round of this competition to set up Saturday’s tie against Thornaby, which by coincidence means, they will be playing the same two teams they played in the opening two rounds last season. Having beaten both, the Dennyboys went on to win at Litherland before losing out to West Auckland Town in the Second Round. Thackley will be hoping to better that run this season.

Confidence at the club could not be better and expectations are high but Thornaby are on their own patch and games against Northern League sides are always far from easy. As previous years have proved, games between the two sides have been close run affairs and another competitive game is envisaged on Saturday.