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Thackley v Ovenden West Riding at Marley Stadium

10.45am  14 July 2013

Pre-Season Friendly at Marley Stadium 3G pitch
Thackley 2 Ovenden West Riding 2 (att 24)

A low-key Sunday morning warm up for these two sides, who'd borrowed the all-weather pitch at Keighley's Marley Stadium for the occasion.

It was Thackley's second game here of the weekend, having been beaten by Barnoldswick Town on Saturday.

I don't know how many players took part in both games, but I expected Thackley to win this and it was no surprise when they raced into a 2-0 lead in the game's first quarter.

The second goal, half way through the first half, was followed by a brief drinks break, replicated midway through the second period and a necessary precaution on a very warm day.

Ovenden play a couple of levels lower than Thackley, and were hampered by not appearing to have any subs. But rather than tiring as the game went on they matched Thackley, and having got a goal back before half time, levelled in the second half.

Marley Stadium is a venue that doesn't really live up to it's name. My dictionary defines a stadium as a "sports arena with tiered seats for spectators", but Marley is more of a sports centre with several pitches. Perhaps there used to be an actual stadium on the site.

I knew what to expect though, having visited three times previously, to see matches on each of the venue's trio of railed off grass pitches. The 3G pitch is, as you'd expect, floodlit and enclosed by high fencing, but it is also railed off making watching from inside the "cage" easy.






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