Thackley and Silsden flying after wins as Albion fogged off

The Dennyboys were dominant from the off and opened the scoring after 11 minutes when Finn Donovan won the ball high up the pitch and fed Antony Brown to score.

They had multiple chances to double their lead, before eventually doing so on 26 minutes, Brown volleying Lewis Sugden’s cross beyond hitherto excellent Handsworth keeper Tom Crosby.

Tawheed Ahmed was played through to make it 3-0 on the half-hour mark, putting Thackley on easy street heading into the break.

And when Donovan scored a fine solo effort on 64 minutes, the game looked to be done and dusted.

But Handsworth refused to lie down and Scott Ruthven pulled a goal back when he slammed a superb strike past Thackley keeper Michael Roxburgh from 25 yards out.

Mitch Dunne scored again three minutes later and suddenly the visitors were wobbling with a quarter of the game left.

But after Ben Grech-Brooksbank had an effort cleared off the line, the Thackley skipper made no mistake with his next chance, slamming home a powerful effort to put the game beyond Handsworth’s reach with 10 minutes to go.

And Donovan quickly backed up Grech-Brooksbank’s goal, making it 6-2 after beating Crosby to Matty Dempsey’s free kick.

Finn Donovan (left) put the gloss on Thackley's win with a couple of second-half goals. (Image: Martin Taylor.)

Handsworth finished strongly and did at least have the final word when Ruthven volleyed home past Roxburgh at the death.

The win lifted Thackley up a place, with Albion Sports dropping to fifth after their home game on Friday night against Tadcaster Albion was abandoned early on due to fog.

But Silsden are doing even better than their two Bradford District rivals, moving three points clear at the top of the table after a stunning 3-2 comeback win at fellow high-flyers Penistone Church.

The hosts led 2-0 at the break, but Casey Stewart halved the deficit right at the start of the second half.

And after Stewart had a header tipped on to the post, a rampant Silsden equalised through a fine Luke Brooksbank finish.

Luke Brooksbank netted an excellent equaliser for Silsden on Saturday, and they went on to claim a vital late winner. (Image: Gary Lohan.)

Ross Daly’s sin-bin knocked their momentum slightly, though Kayle Price did hit the bar while the Cobbydalers were down to 10 men.

And with Daly back on, Silsden grabbed their winner through Stewart with 15 minutes left.

Tom Greaves missed a great chance to put the result beyond doubt, and Silsden survived a late onslaught to claim all three points.

Dual-registered with Campion and Bradford (Park Avenue), Ewan Gregson scored for the former in their 1-1 draw at Barton Town.

Route One Rovers lost 3-1 at Maine Road in the North West Counties Football League First Division North.

That result saw them slip six points from safety, after fellow strugglers Steeton earned an excellent 2-1 home win over Euxton Villa.

Over in the Northern Premier League East Division on Saturday, Brighouse Town and Liversedge earned 0-0 draws at Stocksbridge Park Steels and Consett respectively.

In National League North, Farsley Celtic slid to a 3-0 defeat at Hereford.

Neither Eccleshill United nor Guiseley had a game at the weekend.