Thackley and Liversedge played out their, and the NCEL’s, final league game of the season on Thursday night at the Clayborn Ground. The outcome would not make a difference to Sedge’s final league position but a victory would lift Thackley three places into a respectable fifteenth in the table. Thackley made quite a number of both positional and personal changes for the game because of unavailability and injury. Out were Pat McGuire, Lawrance Hunter, James Ngoe, Nicky Matthews and Mark Trueman.

Prior to kick off there was a minutes applause for Chris Wood.

It took just four minutes for Liversedge to open the scoring with the first real attack of the game. Joe Walton found himself in oceans of space on the left; he calmly slotted the ball past the exposed Luke Wilson. Five minutes later it could have been worse, when Michael Kwatia blasted Walton’s cross over the bar from close range. Thackley were not daunted by these early setbacks and they started to get on top and found plenty of room down the flanks, both Kingston David and Matt Broadley being used effectively. They created a series of half chances which they could not convert as they put the home defence under some pressure. Jordan Hines and Luke Robinson had shots which went narrowly wide, Kieran Thompson saw the ball rebound off of the bar and Broadley headed wide. It was all Thackley but they were struggling to test Chandler Hallwood in the home goal. Mike Garrod’s shot was deflected over and James Rothel saw his effort go narrowly wide. When it looked as if it was just not going to be Thackley’s night they managed to get the goal their play deserved a couple of minutes before the break. A quickly taken corner was only partially cleared; the ball fell to Rothel who fired in from the edge of the box. It was the ideal time to score.

Half time: Liversedge 1 Thackley 0.

The second half continued much the same as the first had finished, Thackley having the better of the possession. Hines went close to putting the Dennyboys in front; turning on the edge of the box before shooting, the ball rebounded off of the bar. From the rebound Rhys Davies went straight up the other end but Wilson denied him a goal, spreading his body to deflect the ball away. Robinson picked up a rather unfortunate yellow card as Thackley kept up the pressure. A Hines shot was prevented from testing Hallwood by a defender’s hand, but nothing was given, before Robinson fired just over. David was replaced by Joel Beattie as Thackley pushed for the winning goal. Robinson went close on a number of occasions before Hallwood pulled off the save of the game from a thirty yard Rothel piledriver. Moments later, it was Wilson that saved the Dennyboys, denying Kwatia in a rare Liversedge forage forward. With just over five minutes of normal time remaining Thackley got just reward for their efforts, Beattie made a good run into the box before laying the ball back to Robinson, his shot hit a defender on its way into the net. Broadley hit the side netting and Wilson saved via a post but in the end it was Thackley that ended up with a well deserved victory.

Full time: Liversedge 1 Thackley 2.

Thackley deserved their win, other than the opening ten minutes or so they dominated possession and created quite a number of chances without being able to score. In the end their hard work paid off and they finished the season on a high.

The win lifts them into fifteenth position in the league, a position that looked unlikely a few weeks ago. I am sure the new management team have learnt a lot in their short time in charge and will already be making plans for next season.

Liversedge team: Hallwood; Emery; Lumb; Windass; Walker; Brook; Davies; Fell; Walton (C); Greenhalgh; Kwatia. Subs: Kane; Smith; Elliott.

Thackley team: Wilson; Walshaw; White; Whiteley (C); Thompson; Rothel; Broadley; Garrod; Hines; Robinson; David (Beattie 70 mins). Subs not used: Tate; McGuire.

Liversedge scorer: Joe Walton 4 mins.

Thackley scorers: James Rothel 43 mins; Luke Robinson 84 mins.

Attendance: 74.

Referee: Mark Powell.

Photo: A minutes applause in memory of Chris Wood.