Photos by Derek Bentley
Thackley 2 Rainworth 3
RAINWORTH came away from Dennyfield with three points after surviving a second-half onslaught by hosts Thackley.
The Wrens turned round 3-1 to the good at the end of an error-ridden first half, and held out after the break until the home side notched a second consolation goal in stoppage time.
Manager Rudy Funk’s selection options were restricted by a heavy injury list, but he did include new signing, ex-Notts County midfielder Willis Francis from Hucknall Town on the bench.
Thackley were in the middle of a rebuild after losing their manager and several players to Staveley, and apparently recruiting from new manager Dave Morgan’s former club, North West Counties outfit Silsden.
Rainworth made the better start and it needed an excellent challenge by home defender Matt Morgan to prevent Cameron Fearon from giving the Wrens a fifth minute advantage.
Jermain Hollis was too high from 18 yards, and when Massiah McDonald managed to stay upright after an attempted trip, his vicious drive from the right took a deflection behind off Morgan.
Within seconds Rainworth grabbed a 12th-minute lead, following the ensuing corner. Matt Baxter’s header hit the underside of the bar and bounced down, and although there was a scramble to clear the ball the linesman ruled that it had crossed the line.
There was barely time to draw breath before the home side were level, when Ross Daly beat Mark Hales in a race for the ball and had the easy task of finishing into an empty net.
It6 could have been even worse for the Wrens in the 15th minute when Luke Hudson exposed the gap in defence to go one on one with Hales, who was reliefved to see the shot come back off the inside of the post.
Rainworth dusted themselves down and Baxter flashed a 30-yard free kick narrowly wide the, when McDonald was forced wide, his pull back was clawed away one handed by home keeper Ben Higginson.
But Rainworth then stunned the home fans with two goals in as many minutes. First Baxter’s astute through ball fed McDonald who beat the offside to draw Higginson and slide the ball past him and into the corner.
Then when Higginson could only parry Brendan Sweeney’s strong centre downwards Cameron Fearon was on hand to put away the loose ball.
There was controversy in the 28th minute when referee Jason Tyas booked Jermain Hollis for diving under a challenge. Hollis needed treatement, resumed with his leg bandaged, and shortly afterwards had to be withdrawn in favour of Julian Topliss.
And Topliss had a fair chance to make it 4-1 in the 39th minute from Danny Naylor’s through ball, but Higginson saved well at his feet.
Thackley pressed strongly early in the second half and asked some stern questions of the Wrens defence, but Barry Alberry was commanding at the heart, and for all their pressure the hosts struggled to find a way through.
Even when they did, Hales was determined to atone for his one first half error.
Francis was introduced for the limping Fearon just after the hour, and four minute later Hales clawed Sean Clifford’s header off the line one-handed.
Hales was beaten in the 70th minute by Morgan’s 30-yard rising drive from the left but was saved by his crossbar
.
And he then had to dive to his left to keep out a goalbound shot from substitute Nicky Matthews, before holding Stuart White’s free kick from the right, made all the more difficult by two awkward deflections in quick succession.
The home side were scenting that they could still save the game, yet Rainworth could have put it out of Thackley’s reach in the 84th minute when Topliss made good ground down the right, only to pull his cross behind the unmarked Baxter who would have had a glorious chance given a better cross.
Hales saved very well again to deny Daly who twisted and turned inside the area to create half a yard of space, but a minute into stoppage time Thackley gained some reward for their second half efforts when a corner from the right was not dealt with and Hudson bundled the ball in from close range—albeit too little too late for the home side.
THACKLEY: Higginson, White, Morgan, Maltby, Firth, Airey, Walters, Daly, Hudson, Clifford (Matthews 67), Hogg (King 78). Sub not used: Mathers.
RAINWORTH: Hales, Fearon (Francis 61), Wright, Whitehead, Alberry, Wilkinson, Baxter, Naylor, McDonald, Hollis (Topliss 35), Sweeney. Sub not used: Bainbridge.
REFEREE: Jason Tyas of Holmfirth.
ATTENDANCE: 76.
GOALS: Thackley—Daly 13; Hudson 90+1. Rainworth—Baxter 12; McDonald 20; Fearon 22.
Thackley—Hudson 65 (foul on Wilkinson). Rainworth—Hollis 28 (alleged simulation).
WRENS MAN OF THE MATCH: Barry Alberry.
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