ON a Saturday where the fixture list was decimated by the cold weather, Thackley and Albion Sports managed to play.
The Bradford duo were involved in the only two Northern Counties East League Premier Division matches to go ahead, but both ultimately ended their days on the road disappointed.
Thackley were looking to move into the top half, but they missed out after conceding a last-gasp equaliser in a 2-2 draw at Bottesford Town.
The visitors started brightly, Alex Washington brilliantly slaloming past three players before forcing a save out of Josh Render.
And Thackley took a deserved lead after 24 minutes when Hass Gorji turned home Toby Marriott’s cutback.
Marriott was terrifying the Bottesford defence, shooting wide on both occasions after two electric runs.
He almost doubled the Dennyboys’ lead on the stroke of half-time when he was fed by Luke Brooks, only for Render to deny him with a good save.
Bottesford started the second half brightly, but Thackley soon took control again.
After Nathan Hunt went close, Gorji doubled their lead by turning home a superb cross from Tom Parkinson.
He almost completed his hat-trick on the hour mark, only for Mason Chaffer to brilliantly clear the ball off the line.
That seemed to inspire Bottesford, who forced Liam Wilson into a good save before halving the deficit on 72 minutes, Clayton Bryant turning home a free kick at the back post.
And that set up a sensational finale, with Wilson making a brilliant double save to keep his side in front.
Thackley were still pushing for a clincher and Paul Walker hit the post.
An altercation then saw Washington and Bottesford man Okera Simmonds sent off, before Walker struck a shot off the crossbar.
Instead, it was Bottesford’s 10 men who had the final say, Scott Matthews heading home three minutes into stoppage time to salvage a point for the hosts.
Albion also scored at the death, but Nathan Cartman’s goal ultimately proved irrelevant as they lost 2-1 at Handsworth, leaving them just three points outside the relegation zone.
Both sides had their chances before Alex Wonham gave the hosts the lead midway through the second half, with Ben Harriott scoring what turned out to be the winner after 82 minutes.
It was a much happier day for Route One Rovers, who won their NCEL Division One match 3-0 against high-flying Harrogate Railway Athletic at Myra Shay.
Railway look certain to finish in the play-offs, while inconsistent Rovers are set to end up in mid-table.
But the Bradford side are frightening in attack when at their best, and they won easily here, thanks to two goals from Reece Thompson and one from the prolific Zak Khan, all inside the opening 35 minutes.
A silly red card for home substitute David Bayoh, for a late headbutt, failed to derail Rovers.
Finally, mid-table Steeton drew a thrilling North West Counties Football League First Division North game 2-2 with third-placed Squires Gate at Marley.
Steeton were trailing 1-0 at the break, but second half strikes from Josh Coe and Jacob Smith put them ahead, only for the visitors to level things up late on.
