THACKLEY

NCEL Premier Div 5th P42 W23 D9 L10 F81 A46 GD35 Pts78

THACKLEY enjoyed their highest points total in the Toolstation Northern Counties East Premier Division, and spent the majority of the season challenging for the title and the one promotion place to the Evo-Stik League.

Chris Reape’s men ended the season in fifth spot which would have been a play-off finish in every other division on the non-league ladder.

The leagues above, and even the lower tier of the NCEL, have automatic promotion places and play-offs but Step Five on the pyramid system doesn’t.

It means that it is a hard division to gain promotion from, and the fact that the Dennyboys pushed so hard and came as close as they did was a testament to the hard work that they put in.

They ended the campaign positively with three straight victories, and were nine points ahead of sixth-placed Staveley.

The Dennyboys also conceded the fewest goals, apart from title winners Cleethorpes Town – who also made it all the way to the FA Vase final at Wembley – and runners-up Pickering Town.

The campaign began on a sour note as Thackley lost an FA Cup extra preliminary round tie 2-0 at Newcastle Benfield.

They won their first league game of the season just three days later but lost the following Saturday at Cleethorpes.

After the disappointment of falling at the first hurdle in the FA Cup, the Dennyboys were also knocked out of the FA Vase in their first involvement.

They were handed another difficult away tie and suffered a 2-1 defeat against Easington Collieries.

Four victories in a five-match unbeaten league run followed before a defeat – at Pickering.

It was a theme of the Dennyboys’ campaign as they pushed their promotion rivals close but just lost out in the big games.

It was another one of the top sides that ended Thackley’s run in the League Cup.

Reape’s men had home advantage over Bridlington Town in the third round and were higher in the table as third hosted sixth but it was Brid that progressed after a 2-1 win.

That loss sparked another long unbeaten run in the league as Thackley went ten games without defeat.

However, they did lose out to holders Bradford Park Avenue in a West Riding County Cup third- round tie in that spell.

Results were mixed after the turn of the year, and Thackley were frustrated by six postponements over January, February and their first scheduled fixture in March.

They suffered four defeats in their last 11 fixtures but picked up 17 points from five wins and two draws, showing their mettle as they knew they were out of the race for promotion by then.