Thackley 0 Brighouse Town 3

A second-half double from leading scorer Tom Matthews set Brighouse on the way to a derby victory that keeps their title chances intact.

Town remain second in the Baris Northern Counties East League Premier Division ahead of this weekend’s clash with leaders Scarborough Athletic.

Thackley made their neighbours work for their three points though, especially in the goalless first half.

Dennyboys keeper Tom Carlisle was not troubled by shots from Adam Wilson and Danny Nadiole, while Thackley’s first attempt, following good work from Dempsey Smith and Mark Bett, was headed wide by Jordan Missin.

Midway through the first half Town keeper Jordan Porter did well to make a block and clear with two Thackley strikers bearing down on him.

But soon after, Nadiole fired just wide at the other end and a header from Town skipper Nick Jagger needed Carlisle to be well placed and alert.

He was but the keeper made an error early in the second half that gifted Matthews an opportunity. Carlisle parried a long-range effort from Ryan Hall, when he really should have held it, and Matthews pounced to stab Town into the lead.

The Dennyboys responded by forcing a couple of corners but Town were in no mood to surrender their lead.

On the hour-mark a free-kick to the home side was scrambled for a corner. Matt Morgan delivered the flag kick, from which Lewis Morgan volleyed wide.

There was only one more chance of note for Thackley, when Porter easily plucked Morgan’s 70th-minute shot out of the air as it headed for the top corner.

Town were in the ascendancy and finally doubled their lead in the 72nd minute after Jerome White failed to clear. His hack was blocked by Matthews, who then fired high into the roof of the net from just inside the area.

James Hurtley rubbed salt in the home side’s wounds when he lashed in an angled half-volley two minutes into stoppage time.

Meanwhile, Liversedge suffered a 2-1 defeat at home to fourth-placed Tadcaster Albion.

Sedge led going into the break after Matthew Bugg’s 43rd-minute opener but Josh Barrett levelled just six minutes into the second half and Stuart Rice netted Taddy’s winner with a little over five minutes remaining.