Games are starting to come thick and fast for Thackley now and Tuesday night’s encounter with Bridlington Town heralds a period of seven games in three weeks for the Dennyboys. The Seasiders were third in the league, Thackley were in fifth; both sides needed the points if they wanted to keep up amongst the leading clubs. Thackley were without Ryan Farrell and Dan Broadbent, which meant a new set of forwards for this game. Matt Broadley, Sam Robinson and Adam Jones were making their first starts for the club.

It was a high tempo start to the game and this continued for the full ninety minutes, an early Thackley corner should have been converted, whilst at the other end Alex Knaggs put the ball wide from a Bridlington corner. Matt Broadley got through but his shot went astray before Bridlington won four corners in quick succession which were eventually cleared after some desperate defending. Thackley got the opening goal on seventeen minutes and it was a well worked affair, Adam Jones and Sam Robinson providing the build up, Broadley finishing the move. Their lead lasted just five minutes, it was a well taken goal by Joel Sutton, Brett Agnew got the knock on, Sutton picked up the ball and volleyed home from at least twenty yards. Both goals were typical of the teams playing patterns. Thackley working the ball out to their wide men to get crosses in the box, whilst Bridlington were trying to hit their front man, with a couple of lively forwards waiting for the knock on. Thackley went close to regaining the lead on the half hour, Robinson pulling the ball back to Jones; his shot was cleared off of the line. However, it was the away side that got the next goal. It came from a soft free kick given just inside the Thackley half; Jamie Forrester knocked the ball to the far post, only Chris Jenkinson seemed to react and had the easy job of slotting the ball into the net. The game was swinging from end to end; both sides looked capable of scoring the next goal. Thackley went nearest just before the break, Jones providing a great ball for Broadley to run onto, he tried to lift it over the advancing keeper but cleared the bar. It had been an entertaining first half.

Half time: Thackley 1 Bridlington Town 2.

The second half started as the first had finished both sides pushing for the next goal. It was Thackley that got it just five minutes in, again from their three forwards working together, Robinson to Broadley, Jones got on the end of his cross to finish the move. Two minutes later, the away side regained their one goal advantage. A quick throw in, Tim Taylor turned and fired low past Luke Wilson in the home goal. Jones was booked for a bit of a spat with an away defender who managed to get away scot-free. It was an open game with both sides striving for another goal, George Eustance twice got shots off, the first was over, the second saved, before Kris Hargreaves was the second Thackley player to be booked for an overzealous tackle. Mike Garrod replaced Eustance, as Thackley pushed for the equaliser. It came with ten minutes of normal time remaining, Luke O’Brien hitting a vicious low drive through a crowded defence giving goal keeper James Hitchcock no chance. Broadley brought a good save from Hitchcock moments later; he got down well at the near post to stop his fierce drive before another low O’Brien drive through a packed defence was deflected into his hands. Bridlington hit the bar in the dying seconds as both teams never stopped looking for the winner. In the end it finished all square, which on the balance of play was a fair result.

Full time: Thackley 3 Bridlington Town 3.

What a game, it was played at the highest tempo throughout the full ninety minutes, both teams giving their all. I suppose it was a result that neither side wanted but both deserved.

Next up for the Dennyboys is a first ever trip to AFC Mansfield, the Bulls beat Thackley back in October. I suppose they will be looking to complete a double, I think the Dennyboys might have different ideas.

Thackley team: Wilson; Hargreaves; O’Brien; McGuire (C); White; Snowden; Broadley; Whiteley; Sam Robinson; Jones; Eustance (Garrod 68 mins). Subs not used: Bentham; Luke Robinson; Storey; Brown.

Bridlington Town team: Hitchcock; Lewis; Walters; Knaggs; Jenkinson; Bedford; Harrison (Norfolk); Forrester (Fox); Agnew; Taylor; Sutton (Adams). Sub not used: Blakeston.

Thackley scorers: Matt Broadley 17 mins; Adam Jones 50 mins; Luke O’Brien 80 mins.

Bridlington Town scorers: Joel Sutton 22 mins; Chris Jenkinson 38 mins; Tim Taylor 52 mins.

Attendance: 90.

Referee: Dean Watson.

Photo: Matt Broadley - The Terrace (Saltaire) Man of the Match being presented with his meal voucher by Paul Clayton.