Thackley's first friendly of the current campaign was against local rivals Eccleshill United, the home side had already two friendlies under their belt, having played both Scarbrough Athletic and Emley. After the heavy morning rain the match was switched to Apperley Bridge to protect the Eccleshill pitch. With the departure of some of last year's squad and holidays, there were quite a number of new faces in the line up.

The pitch had plenty of grass but was quite undulating but despite the rain held up well and did not cut up. Thackley were the first to show and created a number of good chances in the opening ten minutes. Jamil Joseph's header into the ground bounced over the bar after Matt Morgan had provided the perfect cross. The Eccleshill keeper did well to save a James Rothel header, again from a Morgan cross, before a Morgan free kick hit the bar with the Eccleshill keeper beaten. Fifteen minutes in and Joseph put the ball wide when through on goal and Ben Hardy pushed the ball wide of the upright with just the keeper to beat. Eccleshill should have taken the lead on the half hour, Tom Higman brought down Marcus Edwards in the box, but Andy Howland's spot kick was saved by Matt Convey. Howland headed just wide from the resultant corner. Three minutes later, Thackley took a deserved lead, Joseph got clear down the left and crossed just in front of the keeper, Deroy White and an Eccleshill defender got to the ball together and it ended up in the net. Thackley retained their one goal advantage to the break.

Thackley made five changes at the start of the second half and again started the better. Shane Harding bringing a good save from the Eccleshill keeper, before Rothel fired just over. Ben Hardy went close before Convey did well to thwart an Edwards chance when he got through on goal. Liam Robinson twice went close after being set up by Hardy. However, Eccleshill were coming more into the game and with fifteen minutes remaining scored the equaliser. A mix up in the Thackley defence gave Jordan Grose the opportunity to loop the ball over Convey from just outside the box. Grose was on target seven minutes later firing past Convey to give Eccleshill the lead. Thackley went close in the dying minutes, Liam Robinson firing over after being put in the clear by Matty Hall. There were no further goals and Eccleshill had secured their first victory of the season.

Overall, Thackley had played the better football and created more chances than their local rivals but credit to Eccleshill, they had finished the stronger, perhaps, because it was their third match. A good work out on not an ideal surface, but it provided much needed match practice. There were certainly some positives to be taken from the match. For a first performance we knocked the ball about very well and showed plenty of determination, if we had taken our chances, particularly in the first half, the result would have gone our way.

Thackley team first half : Matt Convey; Stuart Waite; Nathan Woodhead; Craig Harding; Tom Higman; James Firth; Ben Hardy; James Rothel; Deroy White; Jamil Joseph; Matt Morgan (C).

Thackley team second half : Matt Convey; Anthony Williamson; Matt Morgan (C); Chris Davey; Tom Higman; James Firth; Ben Hardy (Stuart Waite); Matt Hall; Shane Harding; Liam Robinson; James Rothel (Jamil Joseph).

Thackley scorer : Deroy White 33 mins.

Eccleshill scorer : Jordan Grose 75 and 83 mins.