Preview by Cayden Sands

Overview:

Thackley begin their West Riding County Cup campaign on Tuesday night when they travel to NCEL Division One table toppers Horbury Town in the first round of the competition.

This fixture comes at a time when morale is high at Dennyfield, with the side’s 4-2 victory away at Tadcaster Albion on Saturday being a much needed change of fortune after a run of tough results on the road.

There will also be hopes amongst everyone involved with the club that Danny Forrest’s side can enjoy a good run in the competition this year, particularly after exiting last season’s competition in the first round in a game that saw the side lose a 2-0 lead against Brighouse Town, a game they would eventually lose 3-2.

The Oppostion:

Entertaining Thackley in this game are Horbury Town, who are a relatively new side to the pyramid, having first entered the system ahead of the 2022/23 season following a deserved promotion from the amateur leagues.

Their time in the NCEL has been a fruitful period so far, with their first two seasons in Division One leading to a pair of strong 6th and 7th place finishes.

They have also made waves in the West Riding County Cup on a previous occasion, picking up a shock 5-2 win over Northern Premier League Premier Division side Guiseley AFC at Nethermoor Park in 2022.

The club’s exploits so far in the 2023/24 season have allowed them to consolidate a somewhat comfortable place at the top of NCEL Division One, holding a six point gap over second placed side Dearne and District, whilst also having a game in hand on the South Yorkshire club.

Horbury have also maintained a mostly spotless record, with their only defeat so far in league competition coming at the hands of local rivals Wakefield AFC.

Leading the scoring charts for the side so far is James Cusworth, who has managed to score six goals in league matches so far, with another two coming in the League Cup.

Previous Meetings:

Since Horbury’s arrival in the pyramid, there has been a single competitive meeting between themselves and the Dennyboys, this being a West Riding County Cup second round fixture in 2022 at Dennyfield that was the Wakefield side’s reward for their unexpected victory in the previous round.

This game saw Thackley race into an early 2-0 lead thanks to two efforts from Tom Greaves, before Samuel Kyeremeh got one back for the visitors.

A superb few minutes for Horbury then saw Samuel Awty and Daniel Wassell give the underdogs a 3-2 lead that they managed to hold onto, confirming another shock victory that was rewarded with a game against Liversedge in the following round.

Ground Description and Directions:

Located outside of the town centre is Horbury’s Pulse Hire Ltd Stadium, a ground that represents the side’s quick emergence into the pyramid, whilst maintaining many of its humble features.

A small ground with a capacity of just 500, the ground has a total of 150 seats, with these seats making up the ground’s full covered capacity.

The ground’s clubhouse can be accessed via Slazengers Sports Club, whilst the club shop is part of the ground’s cafe.

Those using public transport to travel are recommended to get a train to Wakefield, with bus routes serving Horbury from the city centre.

Drivers can enter Horbury via the A642 and turn into Daw Lane and Dudfleet Lane before then following the signs for Slazengers Sports Club.

(Directions Credit: NCEL Website)

Admission Prices:

Adults: £6
Concessions: £4
Under-16s: FREE