Thackley AFC V Penistone Church - Match Preview

NCEL Premier Division - Saturday 13th September 2025 - Kick-Off 3.00pm

Match Preview by Cayden Sands

Overview:
Thackley return to the Meridian Stadium at Dennyfield on Saturday when they face Penistone Church in league action.

The past few days have been very enjoyable for all involved with the club, with last Saturday’s draw against league leaders Tadcaster Albion being raising confidence within the team by quite some level.

This was then followed in midweek by the return of Lewis Sugden to the club, with the popular midfielder and member of last season’s play off side sure to become a crucial member of Jamie Price’s squad.

This latest game represents another excellent chance for the side to prove themselves as one of the teams to watch in the league as they face a tough opponent in Penistone, one of the league’s early contenders.

The Opposition:
Penistone Church have enjoyed a strong start to their season, going unbeaten in league competition until the 30th August, with notable results during this period including a 1-0 win over Handsworth FC, a 3-2 defeat of Beverley Town, and perhaps most notably, they beat league leaders Tadcaster Albion 2-1, proving their prowess.

However, Penistone have since gone on to lose three consecutive matches, losing to other pace setters in the division such as Knaresborough Town and Barton Town.

Cup competitions have also been mostly kind to Penistone, with an early exit from the Emirates FA Cup at the hands of Padiham being the only negative.

Alongside progressing in the FA Vase following a win on penalties against FC St Helens, they have also been given a favourable draw in the Sheffield and Hallamshire Senior Cup as they take on AFC Dronfield in the competition’s first round.

Key Players:
Penistone have a lot to offer going forward, with their main goal scorers in this campaign so far being Leon Hurles-Brook and Kieran Ryan, who have three goals each to their name.

The former has scored all of his goals in league action, whilst the latter has been very important in cup competitions, scoring two goals in these games, whilst also scoring once in the league.

Previous Meeting:
The most recent encounter between the Dennyboys and Penistone came back in February, when the two sides played out a 0-0 draw on an overcast day at Penistone’s Parker Roofing Memorial Ground

Thackley had the better of the game’s chances and even had a man more than their opponents for a significant portion of the game, but some resilient defending from the hosts ensured that the game remained level.

Admission Prices:
Adults: £7
Concessions: £5
Dogs allowed on a lead