Thackley’s little wobble continued on Tuesday night, with their grip on a playoff spot loosening by the game.

They looked secure in third place, only behind runaway top two Emley and Campion, in the Northern Counties East League Premier Division a couple of weeks ago, but successive defeats to Penistone Church and Handsworth had put the cat among the pigeons.

And they could only manage a draw the other night, with their game at rock-bottom Maltby Main finishing 1-1.

The Dennyboys remain third, but only have a four-point buffer to sixth place, the first non-playoff spot in the division.

Even more worryingly, every other side below Thackley in the top 10 has either three or four games in hand on them.

Conditions were poor at Maltby on Tuesday night, as a swirling fog around the ground meant the game was literally not much of a spectacle for the paying fans.

And those hardy away supporters were soon left down in the dumps, as Oliver McQuillin crashed Maltby in front after just three minutes, moments after Thackley player/joint-boss Tom Greaves had flicked a header just wide at the other end.

The hosts nearly made it two soon after, only to fire wide from a cross, before the Dennyboys cranked up the pressure.

Debutant Oli Metcalfe headed a free-kick over the bar, then team-mate Ben Ellison-Tope’s effort was tipped on to the crossbar by Maltby stopper Louis Hood.

Metcalfe went close again with a header midway through the first half, before Thackley finally levelled on 37 minutes.

A good run from Kieran Suddards ended when he set Finn Donovan away, and the latter kept his composure in the box to finish past Hood for the equaliser.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Thackley skipper Kieran Suddards (grounded) is one of their biggest attacking threats and he added another assist to his tally for the season on Tuesday night.Thackley skipper Kieran Suddards (grounded) is one of their biggest attacking threats and he added another assist to his tally for the season on Tuesday night. (Image: Martin Taylor.)

With conditions worsening, it was a very quiet second half, but Corey Billy was forced into one stunning goal-saving tackle to deny Maltby’s Leon Osborne.

And home substitute Sam Ackroyd probably should have won it for his side with 10 minutes to go, only to fire a shot from close-range over the crossbar in what was the last big chance of the game.

Silsden kept their faint NCEL Premier Division play-off hopes alive on Tuesday night, Harry Thompson’s first-half header enough to secure a 1-0 home win over Tadcaster Albion.

Finally, Guiseley’s own play-off push was stalled on Tuesday night, as their re-arranged Northern Premier League Premier Division game at Whitby Town was called off yet again, with the North Yorkshire side suffering from a waterlogged pitch.