THACKLEY emerged from their enforced winter break last night with a home victory from their first run-out in March, and elsewhere Silsden also banked three points.

Four consecutive postponements had sidelined Thackley since their 6-0 win at rock-bottom Clipstone in the Toolstation Northern Counties East League Premier Division, but they picked up where they left off with a 4-2 victory over Garforth Town.

The significant action was crammed into an incident-packed first half at Dennyfield that ended with the Miners a man down after keeper Peter Lawrie was sent off just before the interval.

The visitors had broken the deadlock in the sixth minute through Mark Simpson but the Dennyboys’ joint player-manager Mike Garrod headed the hosts level in the 18th minute.

Simpson added his second before Garrod also cancelled that one out, and at 2-2 the visitors were awarded a penalty. Lee Turner took it but Thackley keeper Luke Wilson pulled off a superb save, and the home side’s Nicky Matthews gave them the lead a minute later.

Lawrie saw red after kicking out at one the Dennyboys’ forwards and then launching the ball out of the ground as the referee blew his whistle.

The Miners’ left back Luke Kitson donned the gloves but he failed to deny Garrod claiming his hat-trick from the resulting penalty.

The second half was remarkably quiet, with the only incident of note seeing the Dennyboys denied a fifth goal by the crossbar.

Silsden boosted their tilt for the title in Division One of the Hallmark Security League with a hard-earned 2-1 win at Abbey Hulton United.

The Cobbydalers took a slender lead into the interval after Luke Rhodes opened the scoring in the 43rd minute.

The hosts battled well and eventually hit back through Josh Graham with less than a quarter of an hour remaining, but Chris Wademan netted Silsden’s winner seven minutes from time.

The Cobbydalers’ lead at the summit is up to seven points, although second-placed Litherland REMYCA now have a game in hand.

Tonight is even busier, with four more NCEL clubs hoping to be in action after the glut of postponements in March.

Mid-table Liversedge head to Harrogate Railway Athletic who are hovering just above the drop zone in the Premier Division.

The Rail have a three-point cushion but have played at least one game more than the two clubs immediately below them.

It is an opportunity for Sedge to boost their league placing as it is the first of back-to-back games against their North Yorkshire rivals, with the return game at Clayborn on Saturday.

Albion Sports have a home game against lower mid-table rivals Bottesford Town.

Just two places separate the Albion Lions from their Scunthorpe-based visitors but Kulwinder Sandhu’s men trail by ten points, despite having played four games more.

In the lower tier, Eccleshill United and Campion are in action.

The third-placed Eagles host mid-table AFC Emley, while Campion travel to second-placed Grimsby Borough.

Campion have played just once this month in tumbling to 11th place.