Despite a debut goal from Slater Barnes, failure to take their chances would ultimately condemn a heavily changed Thackley side to a 3-1 defeat against Handsworth FC at Dennyfield.

This result sees the Dennyboys exit the NCEL League Cup for this season, with their sole focus now being on their league campaign.

After an even start, it would be the visitors who had the game’s first big moment after 10 minutes when Alfie Dodsworth thought he had opened the scoring with a well taken shot past Michael Roxburgh, but this was pulled back for offside after a debate between the officials.

Tawheed Ahmed and Finn Donovan continued their partnership on the wings in their usual promising fashion, with the former setting up the latter for a pair of shots in the 16th minute that were both well dealt with by the Handsworth defence, allowing them to counter and find the time to send the ball to top scorer Scott Ruthven at the back post, with him continuing his clinical form thanks to a well timed header that gave Roxburgh no chance of a stop, giving the Sheffield side the advantage.

The Dennyboys recovered well from going behind, with Josi Bradshaw coming close in the 25th minute after a slip in Handsworth’s midfield allowed Donovan to set the forward up for an effort in a very promising position, only for Dylan Parkin to make an important save and send the ball out for a corner.

Barnes’ first major involvement in a Thackley shirt came not long after, with the forward having an uncontested header saved by Parkin in a good moment for the visiting keeper.

The Dennyboys continued to show promise but couldn’t manage to get the equaliser they were searching for, whilst a narrow miss from Mitchell Dunne in the 43rd minute for Handsworth was soon rectified in stoppage time at the end of the first half after some good work on the ball from the forward allowed him to score past Roxburgh in a crowded box to extend the visitors’ lead and ensure Thackley had it all to do after the break.

HALF-TIME: Thackley AFC 0-2 Handsworth FC

The second half began well for the Dennyboys and they immediately managed to get on the front foot before scoring in the 50th minute to halve the deficit after a whipped in ball from Ahmed found Barnes on the far side of the posts, with the debutant then managing to tap the ball past Parkin before it rolled into the bottom left hand corner, setting up the second period in fine fashion.

Following this goal, the game quietened down to a point of there being no real moments of note for a significant period of the game.

During this portion however, Thackley did manage to win a number of set pieces that had all the ingredients of a promising moment that could add some excitement to the game, but this failed to be the case, with the Handsworth defence doing well to manage the game during these moments.

A dramatic turn came in the 78th minute and with Handsworth looking to consolidate their lead after defender Tyler Williams was sin-binned, giving the Dennyboys a much needed boost as the game entered its closing moments.

Jensen Lambert would come close to the equaliser in the 85th minute, but would lose out in a contest against Parkin before Matthew Dempsey couldn’t convert the rebound that followed.

The best chance for the much desired leveller came seemingly out of nowhere in the 86th minute after a cross from Ahmed on the right hand side of the pitch completed a curve in the air that effectively made it turn into a shot to force a strong stop out of Parkin that allowed the ball to go out for a corner.

As stoppage time ticked down, Handsworth would suddenly put the game beyond doubt after Dunne would latch onto a long ball unmarked before charging down the pitch and hitting a powerful shot past Roxburgh to seal the victory and progression to the next round of the NCEL League Cup for the visitors.

Though this result will be disappointing in the short term, Thackley will be looking regroup and get back into a winning run of form when they make the return to league action on Saturday away at Beverley Town.

FULL-TIME: Thackley AFC 1-3 Handsworth FC

Thackley AFC team: Roxburgh; Gibbon; Bodle; Morrissey; Dempsey; Hudson; Donovan; Parsons; Bradshaw; Barnes; Ahmed

Handsworth FC team: Parkin; Cropper; T. Williams; J. Williams; Harriot; Ludlem; Dodsworth; Carne; Ruthven; Parkin; Dunne.

Thackley AFC scorer: Barnes (50 mins)

Handsworth FC scorers: Ruthven (17 mins), Dunne (45+3 mins & 90+3 mins)

Attendance: 72

Photo Credit: Handsworth FC (X/Twitter)