THACKLEY TRUMPIT MAY 2014 VIEW FROM MUPPET HILL By Waldorf

VIEW FROM MUPPET HILL   By Waldorf 

THACKLEY AFC

Thackley's season concluded on Saturday with a trip to Rotherham to play Parkgate. The Steelmen were a couple of places above the drop zone and Thackley had beaten them at Dennyfield at the turn of the year. Could they finish the season with a double and a victory? Ross Daley and Mike Garrod were both available for the match, but Paul Whiteley was missing. The Parkgate pitch looked very green and in good condition for the time of year. 
A good break in the opening minute, saw Mike Garrod's shot clear the bar after Matt Mathers had headed the ball into his path. It was a bright start for the Dennyboys, but they were forced into making a change just seven minutes into the game, Adam Sharkey replacing Matt Morgan (groin strain). Keeper, Ben Higginson, came out to block a Luke Johnson shot on ten minutes after the Parkgate forward had latched onto a long ball. The game was being played in a pretty relaxed atmosphere, the players probably aware that the result would have little effect on the final table. Thackley were knocking the ball about well and first Mathers, then Luke Hudson had shots deflected for a corner. On twenty three minutes, the Dennyboys took the lead from a well worked move which ended with Mathers crossing in front of goal, Garrod, coming in from the left, shot, keeper David Reay parried the ball back into the Thackley forward's path, he netted at the second attempt. Straight from the restart, Parkgate were level. The ball was played long to Ben Langford on the left, Higginson came out and he crossed for Scott Whittington to slot in from close range. A minute later, the home side could have been in front, Danial Abdulla getting clear but Higginson saved with his legs. The goal had given   Parkgate impetus, and they were looking quite dangerous, especially from throw ins, which were launched into the box. Just after the half hour the Steelmen took the lead. Abdulla got the better of Liam Hudson just inside the away half, the Thackley defender raced back to stop his run, and was adjudged to have brought him down unfairly just outside the box. Scott Lowe deceived the wall, firing low into the bottom corner. It was not long before the Dennyboys were back on level terms. Garrod rode one tackle by defender Reece Wesley as he entered the box, but the home defender upended him with his second, and the referee pointed to the spot. Chris Davey took responsibility and hammered the ball past Reay for the equaliser. Langford got clear and Higginson did well to save whilst at the other end Garrod volleyed over and Mathers miscued after Garrod had work hard to provide the cross. The half ended all square.
Half Time : Parkgate 2 Thackley 2.
The second half started with both sides still hoping to bag maximum points. Davey fired just wide from outside the box and Higginson managed to push an Abdulla shot around the post for a corner. Play was even, neither side really looked likely to break the deadlock. Again Parkgate's main threat was coming from long throw ins, whilst Thackley's build up was slow and seldom created much in the final third. Both teams made changes, Josh Eastwood replacing Davey for Thackley. Home  substitute, Oliver Graham, was in action almost immediately, his shot had Higginson scrambling to save. More changes were made by both teams, for the Dennyboys Mohammed Rizwan coming on for Pat McGuire. It was the home side that finished slightly the stronger, Langford having his shot blocked and Lowe firing over from a free kick. The game ended rather tamely, it had been a typical end of season game with nothing at stake for either of the teams.
Full Time : Parkgate 2 Thackley 2.
So, the curtain comes down on another season, one that started so well for the Dennyboys, but finished so poorly. I am not really sure what went wrong from the end of November, at that time Thackley was second in the league with 45 points from 20 matches, and had games in hand of most teams around them. Since then they have picked up just 25 points from the remaining 24 games. The final points total of 70 is one of the highest achieved by the Dennyboys, having said that there are now more teams in the league, so more points available, but their finishing position of thirteenth is the lowest since 2008.
Yesterday the season ended, today a new one starts.