Thackley took their first step in this season's FA Vase with an away trip to the Cumbrian coast to play Whitehaven. The Northern League Division Two side are in the lower reaches of the table in sixteenth position, this would be the first ever meeting of the two clubs. Thackley were missing a number of players for this match for various reasons, Nicky Matthews, Chris Davey, Luke Richardson and Callum White were not available from the team that started last weekend, Lewis Morgan and Carl Horsman were still carrying injuries. Newcomer, Ben Cohen was on the bench, he had recently signed from Harrogate Town. The match had been in doubt on Friday evening with standing water on the pitch but was declared fit on Saturday morning. On arrival, the pitch looked in good condition but it had been raining prior to play starting and was very wet but there was no standing water.

It took both teams a little time to acclimatise to the playing conditions, the ball skidding across the wet surface. Whitehaven created the first half chance of the match on eight minutes, Kevin Connelly latching onto a ball played through the defence but he fired high from just outside the box. Two minutes later, Darren Donald pounced on Andy Tasker's poor clearance and put Connelly clear again, this time his shot was wide. Thackley were struggling to hold onto the ball, whilst the home side were hoisting it forward at every opportunity. Home keeper, Stuart Pettitt, was first called on when he collected a Matt Mathers cross on the quarter hour. From the throw out, Connelly again got clear, this time he made his effort count, lifting the ball over Thackley keeper, Ivan Willis, to give the home side the lead. Pettitt pushed a Mathers shot for a corner before the heavens opened and the game continued in torrential rain. Conditions were difficult and both sides were struggling to play any constructive football, the play was very scrappy. On thirty minutes, Whitehaven skipper Malcolm Holliday fired wide before Thackley created a couple of half chances. Damien Hopkins' cross was just wide of the far post with Mathers inches away from making contact, then a Mike Garrod cross eluded both defender Arthur Peers and Mathers, as it past across the face of the goal. Pettitt did well to save from Mathers when the Thackley striker controlled Mike Garrod's cross. Paul Whiteley then had his effort saved as Thackley were now starting to get the upper hand. Josh Eastwood fired over before the Dennyboys got the goal that levelled the scores with just a couple of minutes of the half remaining. Pettitt's poor kick out went straight to Matty Hall, he played the ball to MIKE GARROD, the home keeper got his hands to his well struck shot but could not stop it entering the net. The teams went into the break all square, it had been a good time to score for the Dennyboys, they needed to get another quickly.

Kevin Holliday hit the side netting in the opening minutes of the SECOND HALF as Whitehaven pushed forward. Eastwood made way for Ben Cohen to make his debut, before Garrod headed wide from a Hall cross just after the hour, Thackley were taking their time to get back into some sort of rhythm. They made a second substitution, Rob Foulds replacing Tasker. Although the Dennyboys were having much of the play, they were finding it difficult to threaten the away goal. Mathers picked up a yellow card for a clumsy tackle before the Dennyboys made their final change, Liam Hudson coming on for Jamie Scott, Hopkins was moved into mid field. Whiteley was just wide after getting to a Cohen cross before, with fifteen minutes remaining, Garrod fired straight at Pettitt. Willis did well to beat away a well struck shot from Matthew Tymon, Fergus Jeens got his head to the loose ball but the Thackley keeper was able to hold onto it this time. With just seven minutes of normal time remaining, Thackley took the lead for the first time. It was GARROD again, scoring his second of the game, getting to a Hopkins cross and heading the ball past Pettitt. Thackley had a couple of half chances before, in time added on, they were reduced to ten men. Kevin Holliday took his day's frustrations out on Hopkins with a scything tackle, Hall confronted the player and was shown a straight red for his action. Both Holliday and Hunter were shown yellow cards for their part in the incident. This was the final act of a rather scrappy affair, the wet conditions had not helped, and it was another match in which the Dennyboys had made hard work of dispatching their rivals. However, it was the victory they needed but it had come at a price, they are likely to lose Hall for three matches in the next few weeks. The victory gives them another away day at Darlington Railway Athletic in two weeks’ time.

Unbeaten Albion Sports are Thackley's next opponents on Wednesday night, the Dennyboys will have to put up a better show in that match if they want to maintain their 100 per cent league record. Hopefully, some of the players missing from this match will be available for the top of the table clash.

Whitehaven team: Pettitt; Holloway; K Holliday; M Holliday (C); Peers; Hunter; Donald; Roseby (Robson); Tymon; Connelly; Quayle (Jeens). Subs not used: Studholme; Pears; Woolf.

Thackley team: Willis; Tasker (Foulds); Morgan (C); Whiteley; Firth; Hopkins; Eastwood (Cohen); Scott (Hudson); Mathers; Garrod; Hall.

Whitehaven scorer: Kevin Connelly 15 mins.

Thackley scorer: Mike Garrod 43 and 83 mins.

Attendance: 50