The skipper, Ben Grech-Brooksbank, returned to the starting XI after his suspension with Tektas dropping to the bench. Barnes also replaced Ahmed from the start, but there was no place for Lewis Sugden after his suspension who missed out with a slight knock, as did Ben Bodle who failed a late fitness test with a minor issue, Chris Jancevski starting in his place at left back.

The game saw an exciting start, with both teams making their way up the pitch and putting pressure on their opponents, but the one thing that these moments lacked were some clear opportunities for either side.

The first big twist came after 17 minutes when Penistone forward Samuel Scrivens was the victim of an injury, forcing the hosts into an early substitution and changing their game plan as a result.

From here, the visitors were able to gain a foothold on the game, with their first big chance coming in the 26th minute after a good low cross by Slater Barnes found Finn Donovan, whose shot made it through a crowded penalty area before curling just wide of goal.

Barnes managed another promising cross five minutes later, but this time nobody could manage to get to it, leaving the ball to go out of play.

The hosts would then have a good chance of their own on 42 minutes when a shot was directed towards goal inside a busy box, leaving it to take a deflection and be easily collected by Luke Wilson.

Shortly after this effort, the referee would bring the first half to an end with both sides still looking for that first goal in a game that was very much there for the taking.

HALF-TIME: Penistone Church 0-0 Thackley AFC

The second half got underway with the Dennyboys in control, with Barnes having a cross in the 51st minute that narrowly missed both Antony Brown and Donovan before rolling out of play.

Following this, a defensive lapse from Thackley allowed the hosts perhaps their best chance of the game so far when Nathan Keightley was set through on goal, and although the Thackley back line were able to catch up, this didn’t stop a shot from the hosts’ leading goal scorer that thankfully for the visitors was well saved by Wilson.

The Dennyboys were able to pull the game’s momentum back into their favour after this, with the 57th minute containing perhaps the team’s best chance of the game so far when after an excellent passing move from multiple players, Donovan was in an open position on the wing before he received the ball and played it down to Brown, but the forward was unable to get to the pass after sliding into the it’s path, leaving the ball to move across the face of an open net and out for a goal kick.

The game would then take another big twist after this when Oliver Jackson’s Penistone debut came to an abrupt end following a second yellow card after mis-timing his clearance and taking out Donovan, leaving Thackley with an important advantage in man power for the rest of the game.

The visitors were nearly able to capitalise on this immediately in the 66th minute when Luke Rhodes delivered a cross into the box that was met by Liam Hudson, whose header hit the side netting and saved the hosts from a further setback.

There was another big opportunity for the Dennyboys in the 77th minute after a low cross found the feet of Ben Grech-Brooksbank, but he wasn’t able to get enough power on his attempted volley of the ball, leaving it to be safely collected by Adam Lawlor.

The 83rd minute produced a moment of excitement for the hosts after a corner from Keightley was delivered well and lead to the ball ricocheting off of some bodies and initially beating Wilson before the goalkeeper was able to clear the ball off the line and away from the box in a let off for Thackley.

The Dennyboys were able to control the game’s momentum until the end after this moment, but a lack of clear chances in the remaining minutes meant the referee would call time on the game with neither side able to score in what was another afternoon of frustration for Thackley after several chances.

FULL-TIME: Penistone Church 0-0 ThackleyAFC

It is another point at a difficult team where Thackley have struggled over the last 8 seasons, with Thackley failing to gain a point since the hosts had won promotion in the 2016/2017 season. In this context, it is progress albeit with the man advantage there was a feeling this may have been an opportunity for 3 points lost.

Danny Forrest’s side will hope they can recover quickly following this result, with their next task being the visit of Pickering Town to the Meridian Stadium at Dennyfield on Saturday 22nd February 2025 (3pm KO).

Penistone Church team: Lawlor; Pownall; Jackson; Howes; Stafford; Stocks; O'Grady; Defalco; Keightley; Scrivens; Ryan.
Subs: Coduri; Snaith; Lenthall; Newsome

Thackley AFC team: Wilson; Rhodes; Jancevski; Parsons; Dempsey; Hudson; Donovan; Mitchell; Brown; Grech-Brooksbank©; Barnes (Ahmed 74mins).
Unused Subs: Gibbon; Tektas; Terrelonge-Jones; Tate.

Penistone Church scorers: None

Thackley AFC scorers: None

Attendance: 220