Thackley followed up the previous weekend’s excellent win at one of only four clubs above them in the Kool Sport Northern Counties East League with a shock home defeat to struggling Parkgate.

The 3-1 scoreline was massaged by a late penalty for the visitors but that should not detract from what was a deserved Premier Division victory at Dennyfield.

If Parkgate were arguably the best side throughout, they were definitely dominant in the first period.

They came out of the blocks like an Olympic sprinter and raced into a 2-0 lead inside the first eight minutes. David Kippax opened the scoring when he headed home from a free-kick and William Senior ran in a second soon after.

Parkgate continued to threaten the home side’s goal in the first half, while an angled drive from Andy King was the only attempt of note from Thackley.

They improved marginally in the second half and halved the deficit just before the hour when Matt Mathers powered home a header to convert Matt Morgan’s free-kick.

Some genuine openings were carved out and a few half-chances created by the Reds after that but they failed to build on it.

That allowed Parkgate to keep pushing and when Mark Caine was brought down three minutes from time, Andrew Gascoigne drilled in the resulting spot-kick.

There was also a disappointing home defeat for LIVERSEDGE as they suffered a 2-1 loss to Long Eaton United.

The reverse saw Sedge slip to eighth in the Premier Division table after they had been on Thackley’s coat-tails.

Sedge began well and, for the first 20 minutes, they looked set for a big victory.

They broke the deadlock as early in the 12th minute when a good move involving Paul Walker and Ryan Haigh culminated in Jamie Wasley’s header finding the back of the net.

Long Eaton levelled when a Nathan Watson shot took a deflection that gave Sedge keeper Stuart Wilkinson no chance and they won the game thanks to Shane Newton’s rifled strike in the second half.

In Division One, BRIGHOUSE TOWN slipped two places to seventh after a 2-1 defeat at local rivals AFC Emley.

The hard-fought derby was goalless at the interval but Town opened the scoring through Danny Toronczak just over a minute into the second half.

Marc Stuart levelled in the 71st minute, before Steve Kenworthy’s goal ten minutes from time gave Emley the win that lifted them to second in the table.

ECCLESHILL UNITED were left frustrated for a second time in their last three scheduled matches as their home game against fellow strugglers Glasshoughton Welfare was postponed because of damage to the Plumpton Park floodlights.