Thackley AFC V Barton Town- Match Preview

Macron NCEL Premier Division- Saturday 20th December 2025- Kick Off: 3.00pm

Match Preview by Cayden Sands

Overview:
Thackley return to the Meridian Stadium at Dennyfield on Saturday when they welcome Barton Town.

Following on from last week’s victory away at Knaresborough Town, the Dennyboys will be looking to continue their newly found momentum against a strong side.

Furthermore, there will be an added importance to this fixture as the team hopes to get back in the winners column at home following their recent defeat to Frickley Athletic.

The Opposition:
Barton Town currently sit in fifth place in the NCEL Premier Division table.

Since their previous game against the Dennyboys back in August, the ‘Swans’ have continued their strong run of results and look like a genuine play off contender.

These results include their 3-1 victory against Campion, an impressive 0-0 draw against Liversedge and another 3-1 victory, this time against Eccleshill United, a side who were on a good run at the time.

They have also been one of the league’s best goalscoring sides and have regularly scored more than one goal in a game.

Key Players:
The race for the golden boot at Barton is a good one, with it currently being led by Lewis Stephens, who has nine goals to his name in the league, with another couple coming in cups.

He narrowly leads Thomas Waudby, who sits on eight in the league, again with two in cup competitions.

Previous Meeting:
The meeting between the Dennyboys and Barton in August saw the hosts triumph by a 2-0 scoreline.

Despite a strong performance from the team, a missed penalty from Nathan Hunt and more missed chances proved costly, with Ali Aydemir and Tyler Edwards scoring to seal the win for Barton.

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