The first game of the 2023-24 season saw a pre-season friendly double header take place at Dennyfield, starting with Thackley AFC Ladies who defeated Bury FC Women with a 2-0 victory in what was a closely fought game with a couple of half chances for both teams.

Thackley AFC Ladies Manager, James Wright, opted to start with what appeared to be potentially a 4-3-3 formation of Katie Bailey, Luzia Negru, Lucy Rhodes, Faye Butterworth, Lauren Tate, Sandra Bates, Meg Butterworth , Kath Connell (C), Lois Cooper, Carly Doyle, Chelsea Morton. With substitutes to be changed frequently in the roll-on, roll off friendly style. Lindsay Stagg, Molly Prosser, Hannah Aldersley, Tally Diamond and Emily Thompson were ready to be called upon if necessary.

MATCH

Thackley AFC Ladies made the perfect start when what looked like a simple cross led to a mix up in the Bury FC defence, and which caused the trialist Goalkeeper in the Shakers’ net to lose sight of the ball after Hannah Brindle let it run through. The ball spilled up when the goalkeeper attempted to grasp it before it landed straight at the feet of Thackley AFC’s Lois Cooper to turn into the empty net from 6 yards out.

GOAL – 1’ – Lois Cooper - Thackley AFC Ladies 1 v 0 Bury FC Women

A quiet period followed as the game approached the 10-minute mark and Bury FC built themselves into the game. Bury FC broke down the left-hand side as number 10 Murron Aldread found Chloe May with a through ball in behind Lucy Rhodes. May drove down the touch line and played a pass into the feet of Emily Owens, on the left corner of the penalty area. Owens lofted a ball square over the head of Luzia Negru as Emma Mackie took 1 touch and planted a shot straight down the throat of the Katie Bailey from 15 yards out.
Bury FC followed this up 4 minutes later with a through ball from Murren Aldread into the right hand side of the penalty area which allowed Sinead Nugent to strike as it was parried into the 6 yard box. A late foul on Faye Butterworth won Thackley AFC a free kick.

Not wanting to risk a knock the following that tackle the first substitution of the game saw Faye Butterworth (4) replaced by Talley Diamond (17).

On 20 minutes, Bury FC via Megan Manton broke down the left hand side and played a perfectly weighted pass for Murron Aldread to run onto. She received the ball on the byline and her low cross was blocked at the front post by Lucy Rhodes and it deflected for a Bury FC corner.

The corner came in low at the front post as it was blocked out by Rhodes once again and returned to corner taker Aldread as she lifted the ball higher landing to the feet of Rhia Dickins who twisted and turned with the ball on the penalty spot. Lauren Tate was there though and managed to poke the ball clear as the handball shouts came from the Thackley AFC players.

The ball was picked up by Emily Owens 25 yards out unmarked as a result of the clearance but her shot provided no threat to the Thackley AFC goal.

On 23 mins, Bury FC player Emily Owens played a powerful square pass that bounced off the thigh of Diamond and the ball was tangled up in the feet of the Thackley AFC defender which allowed Rhia Dickins to pinch the ball off her. Luzia Negru provided support though and poked the ball out for a corner just as Dickins looked like she might have been able to break away.

Two corners followed, with Negru turning the first one behind for a corner to clear any danger and after the second one had pin balled around the Thackley AFC box, Brindle hit a shot over the Thackley AFC cross bar which went harmlessly for a goal kick.

Thackley AFC then began to settle down again and started to create some good patterns of play keeping the ball around the back and started start to manage and nullify the Bury FC threat, whilst looking to counter attack themselves when they had the chance. Meg Butterworth, back in the team after missing last season, looked dangerous on the right hand side and was creating problems for the Bury FC backline, looking to play in Cooper when she could.

On 33 mins, a superb turn from Diamond allowed her to break away from two Bury FC attackers that put her under pressure and played a ball through the midfield finding the feet of Carly Doyle. Under pressure from Bury FC’s Lauren Lynchey the ball was cleared back to Diamond who sent a lofted clearance to the corner of the Bury FC penalty area, which was poked out for a Thackley AFC throw in.

The throw came to the feet of Thackley AFC Captain Kath Connell who was pushed in the back and won a free kick close to the left touchline 25 yards out. Tate stepped up to take the free kick, and hit an effort into the far top corner of the net to extend the Dennygirls’ lead against the Shakers

GOAL – 37’ – Loz Tate - Thackley AFC Ladies 2-0 Bury FC Women

This goal was followed by a fairly uneventful end to the first half in terms of chances for either side, with another Bury FC half chance in the 40th minute as a shot from the left of the penalty area went over and wide of the left hand side of the goal.

HALF TIME: Thackley AFC Ladies 2-0 Bury FC Women

It had been a good first half from Thackley AFC Ladies in which Thackley AFC were clinical and Bury FC posed minimal real threat with their shots on goal. The second half followed a very similar story as Thackley AFC attempted to build from the back Bury FC had a series of half chances on the Thackley AFC goal, but the backline including centre back pairing of Tate and Diamond were impressive in keeping the Bury FC front players out.

Both sides built themselves into the second half as the first chance came in 55th minute of the game as Bury FC won the ball back from Diamond just inside the Thackley AFC penalty area but Dickins couldn’t get the ball to settle for a shot as she was forced wide by Tate and put a high cross safely into Bailey’s arms.

On the 59th minute a poor release from Bury FC’s trialist goalkeeper was kept in well on the left of the half way line by Bury Trialist B who switched play towards Sinead Nugent, but was tracked well by Lindsay Stagg who slid in well and forced a corner for Thackley AFC.

On the 67th minute, it looked as though Bury FC may be through after a rare mistake from Tate allowed Chloe May to break towards the right side of the 6-yard box but a brilliant sliding tackle from Diamond prevented any further danger and Bailey collected the ball before any follow up.

On the 75th minute it was Thackley AFC’s turn to attack, after a volleyed clearance from Luzia Negru landed just over the half way line and Lois Cooper expertly rolled Danielle Bailey. As the ball bounced it was knocked out for throw in by the Bury FC full back before any further danger came from the loose ball.

The final period of the game saw the Thackley AFC Ladies sit back in a good defensive shape and repel the Bury FC attacks, whilst still looking to counter attach themselves when able to. A long range shot from Cooper went wide of the Bury FC goal, but other than that chances for both sides were rare and it was Thackley AFC Ladies who came away with the victory from the first friendly of the day and the first for the Dennygirls in pre-season.

FULL TIME - Thackley AFC Ladies 2-0 Bury FC Women