Thackley 4, Liversedge 0

Thackley cruised to a Northern Counties East League victory over neighbours Liversedge in their Premier Division derby at Dennyfield thanks to a mesmeric first-half display.

The Dennyboys could do no wrong in the first period, while the visitors could do no right. It appeared to be men against boys but Sedge had the more experienced-looking side.

The hosts racked up a 4-0 lead to take into the break but a cricket score was avoided by Sedge’s sterling second-half defensive work.

Thackley had been knocking on the door even before Nicky Matthews broke the deadlock in the ninth minute.

With the ball at his feet on the right corner of the area, Matthews drilled in an angled shot – and even though visiting goalkeeper James Waggett dived to get both hands to it, the ball still nestled in the bottom corner of the net.

It was 2-0 on the quarter-hour mark as Callum White rifled in a shot from just inside the area. A break by right back Keenan Ratcliffe and low cross was laid back by Mark Bett for White in space.

There seemed little danger when Sedge right back Danny Cooper chested the ball out for a throw-in in the Thackley half. But a rapid break and turn of speed by Dempsey Smith changed all that and bagged the on-loan forward a debut goal.

Sedge’s hapless first-half performance was summed up just after the half-hour mark.

Centre back Cory Larkin and Waggett dithered as Matthews raced in. A hurried attempted clearance struck Matthews and bounced towards goal, hitting the foot of the post before the same player swept in his second goal on the follow-up as Waggett and Larkin remained static.

The second half was sedate in comparison, with Sedge looking like a different side even though manager Billy Miller stuck with his starting line-up.

Thackley created a few more chances but so did the visitors as they cancelled each other out.