Garforth 1 Thackley 1

Aiden Kearsley, Alex Low and Declan Greene formed a three-man defence with Lee Turner, Dan Williams, Michael Thompson and Joe Colley all making starts. Midfielder Josh Robinson-Wilson made a return to the squad after last featuring in the defeat at Yorkshire Amateur in November.

The visitors were the quickest out of the blocks, and there was a chance for captain Paul Whiteley as early as the second minute when he was let in by a misplaced header, but Toby Wells was on hand to claim at the edge of the box. Jack Normanton then put a 20-yard drive narrowly wide, before Wells made a great save to deny Adam Muller at close range. It was no surprise when Thackley opened the scoring on 7 mins, Kristian Hargreaves helping into the net Pat McGuire’s free-kick with a glancing header.

After a nervous start, Town started creating chances of their own. Mitch Hamilton forced a good save from Dennyboys keeper Luke Wilson, then moments later Wilson parried away from goal Lee Turner’s 20-yard effort, but sadly over the head of an awaiting Dan Williams. The Miners had the ball in the net on 24 mins when Joe Colley headed home at the back post Alex Low’s delivery, but the midfielder was penalised for an apparent push on an opponent. The chances continued; Kane Bingley headed wide a Michael Thompson cross, before Hamilton forced a great stop from Wilson who tipped his strike over the bar, although was ruled offside in any case. The decisions continued to go against Town on 37 mins when Williams looked to have been fouled in the area by Wilson, but referee Anthony Tankard waved play on.

Back down the other end, Wells had to be alert to keep out our neighbours who arguably finished the half the stronger. Normanton had a curling strike turned around the post, then saw his clever flick from Lawrance Hunter’s cross kept out of the bottom corner.

A Hamilton header was denied by Wilson’s diving save five minutes into the second half, before there were two big chances for Thackley. Hargreaves almost grabbed his second of the game from Robert Marsh’s delivery with a header which came off the post, then three minutes later Normanton was put through with only Wells to beat, but the keeper stood tall to claim his attempted chip.

The half-time and 58th minute introductions of Josh Robinson-Wilson and Helmo Silva respectively injected some much-needed pace into Town’s play, and the pendulum swung again. Williams headed wide Silva’s delivery to the far post, then the same man was put through by Turner on 66 mins with Wilson to beat, but couldn’t keep his shot away from the Thackley stopper. The equaliser came only three minutes later though. Hamilton’s header supplied Robinson-Wilson to outpace his man and finish well past Wilson. As with teammate Low seven days earlier, it was a first club goal for the midfielder. Moments later, there was a chance for Colley to put us ahead, but fired over the bar when getting on the end of a defensive header. On 77 mins Robinson-Wilson almost grabbed his second when twisting and turning through the Thackley defence, but his resulting shot was blocked in the six-yard box.

It was an end-to-end finish as both sides went in search of a winner. A Dennyboys free-kick in a dangerous position was cleared off the line by Low, before Robinson-Wilson raced clear once more to chip an advancing Wilson, but sadly just wide of the post. Declan Greene saw a towering header cleared off the line, then Turner was unlucky when his cross-cum-shot struck the crossbar.

The final chance of the game fell to Thackley’s Dan Broadbent who almost grabbed a spectacular winner, getting on the end of a right-wing cross with a sweet strike which went inches wide.

Both teams will rue their missed chances, but in the end a draw was about fair. The Miners hit the road for their next game next Saturday; a visit to sixth-placed Knaresborough Town (kick-off 3pm).