Thackley bowed out of the Emirates FA Cup thanks to a Steve Milne hat trick, with the side losing 3-2 away at Vauxhall Motors in the Preliminary Round.

For the Dennyboys, Lewis Sugden, Keanan Mannings and Joe Kell all didn’t feature in the squad.

Vauxhall Motors started the game well, as number nine Milne found space on the edge of the box and slotted his shot into the bottom corner to put the hosts in front two minutes into the game.

Thackley earned a corner in the fifth minute, but Vauxhall managed to clear the set piece and Reuben Bartkiw’s attempt away. Shortly after, in the seventh minute, good play down the left-hand side found Bartkiw on the right, but his shot was comfortably saved.

In the ninth minute, The Dennyboys played a ball over the top to Mick Jones, but the linesman called for offside even though it looked tight to some spectators.

Following this, Vauxhall had a big chance in the 11th minute with the hosts winning the ball back, and Mike Burkey’s shot was tipped over the bar by Liam Wilson, with the Dennyboys managing to clear away two corners in quick succession.

Alex Washington then attempted an ambitious effort from outside of the box, which was destined for the bottom corner, but his shot was deflected and went wide for a corner that Vauxhall managed to clear away.

In the 20th minute, Milne for Vauxhall found space down the right, and his resulting effort found the bottom right-hand corner to double the hosts' lead and pick up his second goal of the game, giving the Dennyboys a big hill to climb.

Wilson would then pull off a cracking save in the 25th minute from a Vauxhall header, and the corner that came from this was cleared away by the visitors, ending this passage of play.

Thackley managed to play Olaf Figurny through on goal in the 27th minute, but his effort went wide of the mark. After this, there was a short break in play due to Luke Brooks receiving treatment as the Vauxhall fullback committed a heavy tackle on the Thackley man in the build-up to
the chance.

Following the restart, a cross from the right found Jones in the box, but the Vauxhall defender managed to clear before the striker could get his shot away. The hosts then went up the other end and won a throw-in, but Wilson managed to punch the cross resulting away.

Washington then played the ball to Bobby Isbell and his low cross found Jones, but the striker couldn’t connect with the ball. In the 43rd minute,
Bartkiw managed to earn his side a corner, with Dan McDaid winning a header at the back post that found Washington, but his flick towards goal was punched away by the Vauxhall keeper.

The Dennyboys won another corner in the 44th minute through Bartkiw, but nothing came from it.

Shortly after, the referee would then blow his whistle for half-time, with Vauxhall leading through a Milne brace, but The Dennyboys did have a number of chances.

HALF TIME: Vauxhall Motors 2 V 0 Thackley AFC

The Dennyboys started the second half well as they won a corner from good play down the right, but the keeper managed to punch away a dangerous ball from Isbell.

In the 49th minute, the Dennyboys had a double chance as a ball from Jones found Paul Walker, but his shot was saved, and the rebound from Bartkiw was pushed away for a corner.

Vauxhall managed to recover and had some possession, but Thackley won the ball back and went on a quick counterattack which saw Brooks played through, but the linesman called for offside before an opportunity of note could be created.

The Dennyboys earned a corner in the 56th minute through Bartkiw again, and Isbell delivered the ball into the box, but the referee signalled for a goal kick following the ball just going out of play.

In the 59th minute, Washington played a ball which found Isbell, and he cut inside and played a cracking ball to Brooks, who slotted his shot past the keeper to get a goal back for the Dennyboys at a crucial point of the game.

Thackley, in the 62nd minute, enjoyed more possession through Walker, Brooks and Washington. Isbell received the ball, but his cross ended up going for a goal kick.

The Dennyboys then had a further chance, as Bartkiw found Walker, but his attempt was comfortably saved by the keeper.
Vauxhall then had a chance from out wide, but the angle was tight, and the resulting shot also went behind for a goal kick.

In the 69th minute, Brooks played a ball which found Bartkiw, who was nearly through on goal, but the Vauxhall defender managed to stop his run and the keeper claimed the ball.

The hosts made a triple change in the 68th minute as Fin Heath, Dale Jennings and Burkey were replaced by Sam Turner, Josh Oultram and Liam Anderson. Following this, in the 72nd minute the Dennyboys made their first change as striker Ryan Conlon replaced Jones.

Straight after the changes for both sides, against the run of play, Milne for Vauxhall picked up his hat trick through a good effort from the edge of the box that looked to have put the game out of sight for Thackley.

Vauxhall had a free kick on the edge of the box shortly after, but they hit it straight at the Dennyboys wall.
Both sides would make a change in the 80th minute, with Ben Dufton-Kelly replaced by Joe Akpan for the hosts whilst Bartkiw was replaced by Symeon Corion for the Dennyboys.

In the 83rd minute, Thackley gained a goal back through Corion, the substitute, who picked up the ball on the right-hand side of the box and his cracking strike found the far bottom corner.

The Dennyboys continued to push for the equaliser through a good counterattack where Brooks managed to play a cross into the box, but Vauxhall defended well.

Thackley earned themselves a free kick in the 86th minute on the edge of the box, but the Vauxhall keeper managed to save two attempts from Walker and Isbell; in the end, the shot stopper claimed the ball from the corner.

In the 92nd minute, the Dennyboys almost had an equaliser once again through good play out wide, but the linesman called for offside.
In the 94th minute, Thackley had a final chance from a free kick, but the keeper comfortably claimed the ball to end the sustained the pressure from the Dennyboys.

Despite Thackley having a strong second half and earning two goals back, the game would finish 3-2 to Vauxhall Motors, though the Dennyboys could take pride in their showing against a higher league opponent.

FULL TIME: Vauxhall Motors 3 V 2 Thackley AFC

Jamie Price’s side return to action on Wednesday evening when they host Barton Town at the Meridian Stadium at Dennyfield, where they look to pick up their first win in the league.

Vauxhall Motors team: Atkinson, Deakin, Ireland, Dufton-Kelly (Akpan 80’), Rooney, Heath (Turner 68’), Jennings (Oultram 68’), Kennedy, Milne (Rogers 90’), Coppack, Burkey (Anderson 68’).

Thackley AFC team: Wilson, Walters, McDaid, Washington, Basi, Figurny, Bartkiw, Isbell, Jones (Conlon 72’), Brooks (Corion 80’), Walker.

Vauxhall Motors scorers: Milne (2’, 20’, 73’)

Thackley AFC scorers: Brooks (59’) Corion (83’)