Thackley travelled to the Forest Town Arena on Saturday in the hope of avenging their earlier season defeat by AFC Mansfield. Both sides had played mid week matches and drawn, the Bulls at Liversedge, Thackley in a six goal thriller against Bridlington. The Dennyboys made one enforced change to that starting eleven, Luke Robinson coming in to make his debut for the unavailable George Eustance. It was Thackley’s first visit to Mansfield and although the facilities were good, it was not a ground that lent itself to watch local football. Pitches with tracks around them keep spectators too far away from the action and this game lacked any sort of atmosphere from the start.

Following Tuesday’s exciting game against Bridlington, the Thackley spectators were expecting a similar performance from the same players in this game. Alas, I have got to say that the first forty five minutes were a pretty dour affair. I never noted a shot on goal; throughout the half neither keeper was troubled by the opposition. Both teams seemed happy to launch the ball in the air, which put little pressure on either defence. What I did note was a couple of free kicks that were knocked into the box without incident, Paul Whiteley arriving just in time to block Jimmy Ghaichem’s shot and Sam Robinson chasing a ball and colliding with home keeper Dale Sheppard. Other than this there was little to note in the way of action, both teams were pretty dire. At the break, one spectator remarked that the ball had spent so much time in the air, it would have been better to have had an air traffic controller in the middle rather than a referee. This remark was the highlight of the first half.

Half time: AFC Mansfield 0 Thackley 0.

Thankfully, the second half was slightly better from an action point of view. Luke Wilson positioned himself well to save Oliver Fearon’s close range header early on before Luke Robinson headed Pat McGuire’s free kick over. Thackley had what looked like a good penalty appeal turned down when Matt Broadley was pulled back by Phil Buxton in the box before Wilson again came to the rescue, George Milner got clear of the defence and was bearing down on goal, out came the Thackley keeper to save with his body. Just after the hour the home side took the lead, Milner was given the chance to shoot, Wilson parried his shot, the ball went to Fearon, Josh Snowden cleared his shot off of the line before Callum Lloyd fired it into the net. Thackley made changes Dan Broadbent and Craig Bentham replacing Sam and Luke Robinson. Fearon got a shot on target that brought another save from Wilson before Mike Garrod came on for Adam Jones. Mansfield had the ball in the net again but the goal was ruled out for offside, for Thackley, Bentham and Broadley had long range efforts go wide but Thackley never really looked likely to score. They were unable to conjure up a goal and Mansfield became the first side to inflict the double on the Dennyboys this season.

Full time: AFC Mansfield 1. Thackley 0.

‘After the Lord Mayor’s Show’ - as good a game as Tuesday’s was against Bridlington, this was as bad. Neither side really deserved to get anything from the game, they were both as bad. Mansfield capitalised on a defensive mistake and took all three points. Definitely an afternoon to forget.

Tuesday night, Thackley travel to struggling Harrogate Railway, followed by Armthorpe Welfare on Saturday. They need to put a couple of wins together before they play teams higher up the table.

AFC Mansfield team: Sheppard; Buxton; Dudley; Plummer; Cheeseman; D’Laryea; Yates; Lloyd; Fearon (Naylor); Milner; Ghaichem (C). Subs not used: Wall; Timons; Wilson; Paling.

Thackley team: Wilson; Hargreaves; O’Brien; McGuire (C); White; Snowden; Broadley; Whiteley; Sam Robinson (Broadbent 62 mins); Jones (Garrod 74 mins); Luke Robinson (Bentham 64 mins).

AFC Mansfield scorer: Callum Lloyd 62 mins.

Attendance: 65.

Referee: Danny Jarvis.