A last minute goal from Hass Gorji did enough to secure Thackley’s position in the NCEL Premier Division after a very exciting 3-3 draw against local rivals Eccleshill United.

Thackley were buoyed coming into the game with the returns of Lewis Sugden, Paul Walker, Keanan Mannings and Nathan Hunt from injury who all came into the starting XI.

The game couldn’t have got off to a worse start for Thackley after they went 1-0 down following a goal from Zackary Sangster, who nodded home an early set piece to ensure an early advantage for the visitors.

Despite going behind Thackley recovered very well and found a quick equaliser when after Nathan Hunt was brought down in the area, Lewis Sugden scored the penalty that followed, quickly levelling things after just 14 minutes.

After the equaliser, both sides did well to counter each other’s opportunities, with neither of them really able to do much, though the spell did see one good effort, a Junio Nasihunu effort that went over.

The visitors capitalised on this momentum, retaking the lead with a penalty of their own after 25 minutes courtesy of Stevie Ellix, who scored with a powerful effort, leaving Liam Wilson no chance of a save.

A crazy first half got even crazier only six minutes later when after a chance for Gorji was deflected for a corner, the set piece that followed found Keanan Mannings, who scored a tap in to level the game again.

After this goal, and with pressure mounting with scores elsewhere, Thackley began one of their best spells of the match in terms on possession, but chances rewarding this proved hard to come by.

Both sides thought they had goals right at the end of the half, firstly with a corner from Sugden hitting the roof of the net, whilst Nasihunu had a goal ruled out for a foul before it the net.

Shortly after, the referee would bring the half to an end with the teams level, sending Thackley into perhaps the most important second half in the club’s recent history.

HALF TIME: Thackley AFC 2-2 Eccleshill United

Following half time, the game resumed with the two sides playing a physical encounter that led to few chances at both sides of the field.

This would change just before the 60 minute mark, with the visitors retaking the lead after a cross into the box found Lewis Waddington in open space, allowing for him to score with a header past Wilson, giving the hosts a huge hill to climb going forward.

Following the goal, the game returned to the slow pace that it had adopted prior, with neither team able to create many opportunities going forward.

As the clock began to tick down and the league table chopped and changed, the game’s significance increased, though with the visitors hoping to consolidate their lead, the task at hand only got tougher for Thackley.

Opportunities remained hard to come by, with other scores leaving Thackley in a precarious position.

Approaching the 90 minutes, and Thackley had chances to get the 1 goal which was needed at that point to jump out of the relegation zone. First, Toby Marriott saw a header brilliantly saved by Riva in the away goal, before Basi saw a volley from the edge of the area narrowly clear the bar and Gorji fired over with his left foot when well place.

With Eccleshill still looking to hold out, the moment that all involved with Thackley had been waiting for would show itself, with an equaliser being scored in the 95th minute after a free kick from Sugden was patted down by Oliver Riva, allowing Gorji to score a tap in to send the Thackley supporters into bedlam.

The referee’s whistle followed shortly after, leaving the Thackley supporters stuck in an agonising wait for a result at Myra Shay for Albion Sports.

A 4-3 win for Golcar United ensured Thackley’s survival by the narrowest of margins, allowing for scenes that all people associated with the club will remember for some time.

FULL TIME: Thackley AFC 3-3 Eccleshill United

Thackley AFC team: Wilson, Hunt (Figurny 90'), Parkinson (Basi 90'), Washington, Coates, Sugden, Brooks (Owen 82'), Mannings, Marriott, Gorji, Walker (Chibanga 68').
Unused subs: Stepniewski

Eccleshill United team: Riva, Wadsworth, Gordon, Farhan, Laban, Bumhira, Sangster, Acquah, Waddington, Ellix, Nasihunu.
Subs: Gibbon, Diallo, Roberts, Eichler, Davies

Thackley scorers: Sugden (14', pen); Mannings (31'); Gorji (90+5')
Eccleshill scorers: Sangster (3'); Ellix (25' pen); Waddington (59')

Man of the Match: Lewis Sugden picked by Match Sponsor, Torus Construction Group Limited
Attendance: 428