THACKLEY edged a five-goal thriller against local rivals Albion Sports at the Citadel to give the Dennyboys back-to-back victories in the Premier Division of the Northern Counties East League.

Jack Normanton gave the visitors the lead just after the half-hour mark but Albion hit back through Alhassane Keita to restore parity before half-time. In the second half, two goals in as many minutes put the Dennyboys into a strong position.

Normanton netted his second and soon after Asa Mitchell was on target before Keita netted his brace to ensure it would be an uncomfortable ending for Thackley.

It was one of just three games in the NCEL top tier due to FA Cup ties. Eccleshill United and Liversedge both had home ties in the preliminary round while Silsden had a blank Saturday as their scheduled league opponents, Barton Town, were also still in the cup.

Eccleshill face a replay next midweek as they came from a goal down to draw against BetVictor second tier club Glossop North End. The Hillmen took a 1-0 lead through Joel Mills but the Eagles hit back in the second half through former Albion Sports man Kesi Omolokun.

A replay will not be necessary for Sedge as a late strike from Joe Kenny saw them to a narrow 1-0 win over Droylsden. The Bloods are on the same step as Glossop in the non-league pyramid but they were knocked out by Kenny’s 85th minute winner.

Campion put last week’s heavy defeat in the NCEL Division One behind them with a superb second-half performance to win 6-0 at Hall Road Rangers.

The Red and Blacks had suffered a 4-1 defeat the previous Saturday and there was no indication of a big victory at half-time against Rangers.

Omar Habeeb had put them in front in the 20th minute and they held that slender advantage at the interval.

A second-half brace from Mo Qasim, in between goals from Nathan Hunt and Tom Ponter, saw Campion with an unassailable lead before a penalty from Adam Shaw wrapped up the scoring.

Steeton netted a late goal at Cougar Park but it was not enough to overhaul the two-goal first-half lead that visitors AFC Darwen had built up in the North West Counties League Division One North.

The Lancashire club’s Alex Heredia-Kaye broke the deadlock in the third minute and Sam Holt netted their second ten minutes before the break.

There was a nervy ending after Scott Stein scored for the Chevrons with a little over six minutes remaining, but Roy Mason’s side couldn’t find an equaliser as they slipped to a third consecutive defeat.

They are back in action at Shelley tomorrow.