Thackley AFC v Frickley Athletic

Recap

Thackley 3 Frickley 1

Two late goals by the home side made it a long afternoon for The Blues on the shortest day.

There were 3 changes from last week’s starting lineup as Brewin Hawkins (suspended), Cawthorn (unavailable) and Tomlinson were replaced by Booth, Brook and Harrison Rowley who was making his first start for Les Bleus.

The conditions were decidedly windy and the pitch was a bog so decent football was always going to be at a premium. That was pretty much how it panned out over the next 90 minutes with plenty of slips and wind assisted errors.

An early defensive mixup saw HDH allow the Thackley forward to shoot towards an empty net but Booth was alive to the danger and cleared off the line.

At the other end, Booth fired over when the ball fell to him after the keeper punched out from a corner.

A freak bounce in the 9th minute gave Thackley a chance, the ball smashed against the bar and came down on the line before being cleared for a corner. Thackley then opened the scoring with a free header from said corner.

HDH picked himself up, making 2 Jennings-esque stops with his legs in quick succession and he got down at the striker’s feet to avert another potential threat.

The Azzurri started to get into the game as Big Al was put through on 37 minutes, but he hit the onrushing keeper, then slipped in the mud as he tried to get to the loose ball.

Shortly after, a Zav throw in was flicked on by Keano, Chippy got a toe to it and his effort clipped the angle of the goal.

Two minutes before the break, The Azzurri won a corner. Gilly floated in a perfect ball, through the gathered masses on the goal line, to Brooky who tapped in from 2 feet out.

On the stroke of half time, Thackley should have done better when they had a couple of swings and misses at a bobbling ball in front of goal. HT 1-1.

Thackley were quick out of the blocks after their half time Typhoo, flashing the ball across the face of goal but evading everybody, within 60 seconds of the restart.

Good work by Rowley gave him the opportunity to cross to Gilly but he could only head inches over.

On the hour, HDH palmed away a header at full stretch, from a corner. There was no rest for the wicked as he made no fewer than 4 stunning stops over the next 15 minutes.

Thackley did manage to get the ball in the net but it was offside. It was just a stay of execution as the hosts glanced in a corner in the 81st minute.

And 4 minutes later, as so often happens when you go chasing an equaliser, Thackley scored a third. Their shot, possibly deflected, looped over HDH’s head and into the back of the net to effectively end the game as a contest. FT 3-1.

We rode our luck and got so close to nicking a point when we weren’t at our very best. However, our set piece Achilles heel, along with a horribly swirling wind, did for us in the end. We go again next Friday night!

WEBMASTER MOTM – we’ve played better but there was no lack of effort. Standouts included Butch, Booth, Chippy and Spence who were all tigerish. And Brooky scoring with his feet is a collector’s item. But the Glitterball goes to Harrison Davison Hale. HDH unsurprisingly had a couple of dodgy moments on a dodgy surface in dodgy weather but showed great strength of character to put them out of his mind and pull off a string of top saves. We salute you, Safe Hands!

TWITTER MOTM – Joel Spence takes it from Harrison Davison Hale, Callum Brook and Niall Butchart. Thanks to all who voted.

SPONSORS/VOLUNTEERS MOTM – Niall Butchart was chosen by the Brogan Murphy. Well done, Butch!

196 through the gate, with a goodly number from the Royal Borough of SESKU. Thanks for coming out in the little daylight and big winds to to back The Boys in Blue!

To hear the thoughts of the gaffer, Tom Claisse, click here.

The Blues are next in action on Friday 27th December, when we travel to Albion Sports, 8pm kickoff. Hope to see you all there….

#forzafrickley

#FFTD