For the second Saturday in a row, Thackley were down to play Barton Town Old Boys. In the reverse fixture last week at Dennyfield, Thackley had beaten their Humberside rivals and now were looking to complete a double. The Dennyboys had moved to the top of the table following their midweek win at Liversedge, they needed to make sure of three points in this match to ensure they kept hold of this lofty position. Thackley made two changes to the side that played at Liversedge, Luke O’Brien and Dan Broadbent starting in place of Kris Hargreaves and the unavailable Chris Wademan. The Marsh Lane pitch was subject to an early morning inspection after Friday’s rain, it was very heavy and was likely to cut up during the game.

Like last week, the Dennyboys took an early lead, a Ryan Farrell cross, Dan Broadbent laid the ball back to Craig Bentham, he side footed past home keeper Pat Weaver. A good build up and the perfect start. But Thackley were not having things all their own way, the pitch was not helping them play the flowing football seen recently. Jon O’Callaghan fired over and Thackley escaped following a goalmouth scrabble, a number of miss kicks and some poor defending giving the home side the chance of equalising. However, it was the Dennyboys that increased their lead mid way through the half. It came from a Luke O’Brien run down the left, his shot at goal was deflected upwards and the ball fell to Broadbent, he turned and squeezed it under Weaver’s body. The away side should have gone further ahead on the half hour, Farrell latching on to a George Eustance cross, but his shot hit the inside of the post and rebounded to safety. Thackley continued to dominate, although it was hard going, the surface of the pitch getting increasingly more difficult and the Barton players giving the away side little time to settle on the ball. Broadbent got his head to a Farrell cross, Weaver saved, then a great run by the Thackley wide man finished with a wild shot at goal. At the break, Thackley had been made to work hard for their two goal advantage.

Half time: Barton Town Old Boys 0 Thackley 2.

Barton looked to get back in to the game at the start of the second half and won a couple of corners, following one, a Joe Cooper shot went just wide. Farrell got clear but Weaver saved, he then should have done better when Bentham put him through but this time the keeper managed to push the ball for a corner. Both Josh Snowden and Broadbent went close following corners as Thackley pressed. They got their third goal midway through the half; it came from a spell of goalmouth pressure, a defender handling Pat McGuire’s goal bound effort. After consulting with his assistant, the referee awarded a penalty, which was duly dispatched by Farrell. Two minutes later and the Dennyboys were four in front, Eustance beating a couple of defenders on his run into the box before slipping the ball under Weaver’s body. Thackley made changes, Broadbent, Bentham and Eustance were replaced by Ben Joyce, Joe Brown and Elliott Scott. Luke Wilson did well to punch away a Cooper free kick and a Chris Fairhurst overhead kick which cleared the bar, were the only chances of note that the home team could muster. Snowden went close when his header hit the bar following a corner late on as theDennyboys finished with their eighth away win of the season.

Full time: Barton Town Old Boys 0 Thackley 4.

This win gives Thackley twenty five points from a possible thirty away from home, which is the major reason they now top the league. It was another comfortable victory, played on a quite difficult surface. Again it was a good team performance; confidence is high at present, everyone contributing to get the end result.

No mid week action for Thackley, they have to wait until next Saturday when they entertain Worksop Town at Dennyfield. The Tigers have gone five matches without a win, another three points, confidence not complacency again for this match.

Barton Town Old Boys team: Weaver; Andrews; Thompson; Williamson; O’Malley (C) (Bruce); Fairhurst; Rogerson (J Nichols); Cooper; O’Callaghan; Handby; Petch (A Richardson). Subs not used: D Nichols; C Richardson.

Thackley team: Wilson; Rouse; O’Brien; McGuire (C); White; Snowden; Farrell; Whiteley; Broadbent (Joyce 70 mins); Bentham (Brown 72 mins); Eustance (Scott 77 mins). Subs not used: Hargreaves; Howe.

Thackley scorers: Craig Bentham 6 mins; Dan Broadbent 23 mins; Ryan Farrell 67 mins (pen); George Eustance 69 mins.

Attendance: 86.

Referee: Nick Hawksby.

Photo: Dan Broadbent - assist for the first goal and scored the second.