A debut penalty for Alex Ingham and additional goals from Lewis Sugden, Luke Brooks and George Birley secured a comfortable 4-1 victory for Thackley over Golcar United.

After a good opening first few minutes from the hosts, the game’s momentum levelled out, with both sides testing the waters early in their quest to get on top.

As the game progressed through a quiet period, Golcar would suddenly spring it into life after 19 minutes, taking the lead through star man Ashley Flynn, who beat Tom Whelan to the ball before sprinting beyond the Dennyboys’ backline and powering the ball past Liam Wilson to swing the game in their favour.

Thackley would recover well after going behind and managed to create several chances, the best of these coming after 27 minutes when Ingham and Sugden had a pair of opportunities in quick succession that were enough to trouble the Golcar backline, but they would ultimately be dealt with.

After these opportunities, Thackley would continue to persist in their quest for a goal, something that would pay off on 33 minutes when Brooks would win a penalty that was dispatched into the bottom right hand corner by Ingham, securing a debut goal for the forward and drawing the game level again.

Chances would keep coming for the Dennyboys as they looked to take the lead for the first time, with Sam Walters and Dan McDaid linking up after 41 minutes, only for the latter to just miss with a header from a cross.

Added time would bring two more chances, with Ingham seeing an opportunity from a wide angle saved by Joe Palmer, whilst Brooks would then see a good volley cleared off the line.

These missed chances would take the game through to half time, with the referee bringing an exciting half to an end with the two teams level, setting up an important second half.

HALF TIME: Thackley AFC 1-1 Golcar United

The second half couldn’t have began in a more perfect way for Thackley, with them taking the lead after 48 minutes thanks to Sugden, who got to the ball after a low cross from Brooks was cleared into the midfielder’s path, allowing him to score with a first time effort on his right foot into the bottom left hand corner, giving the Dennyboys the advantage they deserved.

The lead would be extended to two just five minutes later when after an initial effort from Alex Washington was saved by Palmer, the cross that followed from Ingham would hit the bar before bouncing into the path of Brooks, whose deflected effort was enough to give Thackley a bigger advantage.

Despite going two goals behind in a short span of time, the visitors wouldn’t be disheartened as they looked to get back into the game, with substitute Kallum Reid seeing a flicked effort after 66 minutes saved by Wilson before it was then safely cleared away.

Thackley would almost capitalise on this after 72 minutes, with Brooks and Ingham once again linking up before the latter would see his own effort saved by Palmer, whilst Sam Clothier’s hopes of a dream home debut from the bench were dashed as his rebound missed the mark and went out of play.

In a 78th minute moment that almost capped off what had been a wonderful individual performance for Reuben Bartkiw, the winger beat his markers before finding the space to test Palmer, but this was caught by the keeper.

As the minutes began to tick down, Golcar’s desperation to find a goal to bring the deficit back down to one almost paid in the 85th minute when substitute Oliver Russon received the ball in the penalty area and found the space against his marker to get an effort off, but this would produce Wilson’s best save of the day, with him parrying the ball away to keep Thackley’s advantage at two.

This would prove important as the game entered stoppage time, with Thackley confirming the victory thanks to a second goal in the week for George Birley, who similarly to his effort against Rossington, helped fool the keeper before being played into the presence of an open net, allowing plenty of time for him to tap the ball in and confirm the victory.

The referee would bring the game to an end shortly following the goal, with the Dennyboys coming out as deserved winners as they gained some breathing room on the teams below them.

FULL TIME: Thackley AFC 4-1 Golcar United

Jamie Price’s team return to the Meridian Stadium at Dennyfield on Wednesday as they welcome Parkgate in the NCEL League Cup.

Thackley AFC team: Wilson, Walters, McDaid, Washington, Basi, Sugden (Figurny 88’), Bartkiw (Kell 78’), Whelan, Ingham (Birley 87’), Brooks (King 72’), Walker (Clothier 70’).

Golcar United team: Palmer, Murray (Reid 45’), Hardaker, Wilkinson (Mbaya 61’), Lawrence, Booth, Kilbourn (Green 45’), Bedeau, Doyle (Rushworth 62’), Webster (Russon 45’), Flynn.

Thackley AFC scorers: Ingham (33’), Sugden (48’), Brooks (53’), Birley (90’).

Golcar United scorer: Flynn (19’).