Macron NCEL Premier Division- Saturday 24th October 2026- Kick Off: 3.00pm

Match Report by Cayden Sands

Goals from Alex Ingham, Luke Brooks and Alfie King sealed an impressive 3-0 victory for Thackley over Pickering Town in one of the performances of the season.

The Dennyboys began the game well, with Ingham being played through after five minutes and testing Pickering’s Luke Jackson in a sign of things to come.

Opportunities would continue to come the way of Thackley, with Ingham and Brooks both finding themselves in amongst the chances within a short timespan, though the hosts would hold firm amidst some at times relentless Thackley pressure.

This pressure looked to have paid off after 22 minutes when some good build up gave Alex Washington the chance to test Jackson, with him seemingly having opened the scoring, but this was pulled back for a foul in the build up.

After Kam Basi tested Jackson with a 27th minute header, all of the pressure finally yielded a result after half an hour when a defensive error from Marshall Nock played Ingham through on goal, with the forward rounding the keeper and scoring the game’s opening goal at an important time.

The lead would be extended just four minutes later after some excellent passing and a multi man move saw Washington send Brooks through on goal, with the midfielder easily beating Jackson and seeing the ball trickle over the line to further strengthen the Dennyboys’ position.

A 38th minute effort from Ingham that went just wide of the mark would follow these goals and turn out to be the last major action of the half.

As the referee brought the half to an end, the travelling Thackley support was left gobsmacked with what they had watched in a simply dominant first half, with a hope of more to come in the second half.

HALF TIME: Pickering Town 0-2 Thackley AFC

The second half saw Pickering come out looking to get back into the game, but Thackley would do well to weather an early storm, both in the game and the conditions, which began to worsen as the half progressed.

Ingham would win a corner after 51 minutes that was whipped in by Lewis Sugden before being connected with by Tom Whelan, who was denied by Jackson.

Sugden would almost have a goal of his own after 56 minutes, only for his first time effort to be cleared off the line before the passage of play that followed was pulled back for an offside call.

Brooks and Ingham would then link up once again after 61 minutes before finding Reuben Bartkiw, who managed a promising cross to Brooks, with his effort being saved and going out for a corner.

Pickering would finally have a big chance in the game after 64 minutes, with regular goalscorer and captain Souleymane Coulibaly having a promising through ball sent his way, but it was slightly too fast in the conditions, with him poking the ball safely out of play.

Thackley’s near constant pressure on the hosts’ goal would continue after Basi and Ingham further tested Jackson, the former having a promising chance from distance that forced a good stop from the keeper.

The latter on the other hand would have several more opportunities in a short time span that couldn’t find the mark, but were a great illustration of his fitness and persistence in difficult conditions.

These chances were of course aided by what was turning out to be a find showing from the entire side as they continued to play some fantastic football.

Around this period of the game, the substitutions would begin to be made, with Alfie King replacing Paul Walker after 72 minutes.

As the minutes began to wind down, Liam Wilson would be called into action for a rare save in this game, keeping his composure in a very crowded penalty area to make a good stop and clear the ball away.

After 80 minutes however, Wilson’s afternoon almost got even better when a clearance from his own box travelled the length of the pitch, beating Jackson in the process before rattling the crossbar in what could have been a memorable career moment for the Thackley stopper.

Five minutes later, the substitutions would pay off for Thackley, with King scoring the final goal of the game with an opportunity that was nearly identical to one he had just a couple of minutes earlier.

Charging down the left hand side of the pitch after a pass from Washington, King would leave everybody in his wake before slotting the ball past Jackson with a very well taken opportunity to seal the victory.

Following this, the Dennyboys would see the rest of the game out, allowing the referee to bring it to a conclusion with the Thackley the deserved winners on a day of horrendous conditions in Pickering.

FULL TIME: Pickering Town 0-3 Thackley AFC

Thackley’s attention turns to the West Riding County Cup on Tuesday evening as they travel to Myra Shay to face Albion Sports.

Pickering Town team: Jackson, Nock, Potts, Thornton, Avison, Pratley, Moss (Weston 45’), McGinty, Coulibaly, Coulson, Brooksby (Butler 64’).

Thackley AFC team: Wilson, Walters, Isbell (Kell 87’), Washington, Basi, Sugden (Clothier 84’), Bartkiw, Whelan (Eriamiator 79’), Ingham, Brooks (Figurny 84’), Walker (King 72’).

Thackley AFC scorers: Ingham (30’), Brooks (34’), King (85’)