NCEL Division One - Club Thorne 2-2 Route One Rovers

No midweek action for the lads as they headed into a tough test against a free-scoring Route One side - a team that recently put seven past NCEL Premier Division outfit Parkgate in their 7-1 League Cup win.

There were six changes to the Thorne side following last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Ilkley in difficult conditions. Luke Williams missed out through suspension after his red card against Maltby Main, meaning Ethan Harrison came into the XI alongside Lewis Walker and Alex Peterson.

Thorne came into the game unbeaten in four of their last five, while Route One had picked up nine points from their previous five, scoring 16 goals in the process.

The game started quietly, with both sides easing into things, but after the opening ten minutes, the chances started to flow. Route One went close first - a goal-bound effort was brilliantly tipped around the post by Musselwhite. Moments later, Reiss Harrison fired narrowly wide with a sweetly struck volley from the edge of the area.

The visitors took the lead shortly after through a scrappy goal. A well-worked set-piece saw a deep cross force another good save from Musselwhite before a chaotic scramble in the box ended with the ball trickling over the line for 0-1.

Thorne reacted superbly. Ten minutes later, their pressure paid off. Ben Stobart pressed hard to win the ball back, feeding Reiss Harrison, who delivered a superb cross into the area. Lewis Walker met it perfectly, looping his header over the keeper and into the net to make it 1-1.

And just five minutes later, Thorne turned it around. A clever flick from Harry Brown sent Stobart racing down the flank - he slid to cross, and there was Walker again, taking a touch and poking it past the keeper for his ninth goal of the season.

A minor setback followed when Ethan Harrison was forced off in the 36th minute after suffering a nasty knock above his eye.

Half-Time: Club Thorne Colliery 2–1 Route One Rovers

The visitors came out fired up after the break and found an equaliser just two minutes into the second half. Reece Thompson was played through with a clever pass, beating Kemp for pace and slotting into the bottom corner.

Nathaniel Muenda replaced Ben Stobart in the 56th minute as both sides pushed for a winner. Chances came at both ends, but neither team could make them count.

With twenty minutes to go, Route One’s discipline fell apart - Musa Corrah saw red for a rash challenge on Dom Mellor, and just four minutes later, Mohammed Kanyi followed him down the tunnel after a late tackle on Alex Peterson.

That left the visitors with nine men for the final 13 minutes, giving Thorne a golden opportunity to find a winner. Ryan Ellison and Louis Seddons were introduced late on to pile on the pressure, but Route One held firm with a deep defensive block to deny Thorne all three points.

A frustrating afternoon in the end, but plenty of positives to take - especially another goal-scoring display from Lewis Walker and a performance that showed real fight and togetherness from the lads.

Full Time: Club Thorne Colliery 2-2 Route One Rovers

Man of the Match: James Baxendale - Sponsored by While She Sleeps

Club Thorne Colliery - Ryan Musselwhite, Ben Stobart (56’ Nathaniel Muenda), Dom Mellor (80’ Ryan Ellison), Andy Wright, Harry Brown (C), Alex Kemp, James Baxendale (87’ Louis Seddons ), Reiss Harrison, Lewis Walker (30’, 34’), Alex Peterson, Ethan Harrison (36’ Marc Newsham). Substitutes: Louis Seddons, Ryan Ellison, Nathaniel Muenda, Jake Robinson, Marc Newsham.

Route One Rovers - Hagie Damba, Eburaema Suko, Omar Anjum, Mohammed Kanyi, Raeece Ellington, Tawheed Ahmed (75’ Mohammad Hasnain (88’ Thomas Dear)), Umar Alizahoor, Reece Thompson, Zak Khan, Musa Dukuray Corrah, Gauderic Totap. Substitutes: Thomas Dear, Mohammad Hasnain, Awais Khan, Anees Younis, Bilal Hussain

NCEL Division One - Ilkley Town 1 - 1 Club Thorne

 NCEL Division One - Ilkley Town 1 - 1 Club Thorne - 04.10.2025

There were four changes from the side that drew 1-1 with Maltby Main in midweek, as Marc Newsham, Louis Seddons, James Baxendale and Dom Mellor all returned to the starting eleven.

Storm Amy was the dominant force of the afternoon, making conditions incredibly difficult for both sides. Both teams came into the fixture looking to rediscover form - Ilkley with four points from their previous five games, while Thorne had picked up five from the same number.

Despite playing against the wind in the first half, Colliery started the brighter of the two teams. Early chances fell to Newsham and Muenda, but both efforts were well dealt with by the home defence. Ilkley responded shortly after, hitting the bar following a mix-up between Robinson and Twibell.

Midway through the half, Thorne were forced into an early change as Lewis Twibell was replaced by Andy Wright after picking up a knock. The reshuffle saw Brown slot in at right-back.
Thorne continued to create opportunities - Newsham and Muenda both went close - but couldn’t find the breakthrough.

Just before the interval, Musselwhite produced another fine save to deny the hosts, diving low to keep out a one-on-one effort. However, Ilkley broke the deadlock moments before half-time when a free-kick was parried into the path of Kevin Gonzalez, who slotted home from close range.

Half-Time: Ilkley Town 1-0 Club Thorne Colliery

Neither side made changes at the break, and with the wind now in their favour, Thorne began the second half strongly. The pressure mounted immediately with a series of corners and half chances. Robinson thought he’d bundled the ball over the line from a Williams corner, but the referee judged there to be a foul on the keeper.

Just after the hour mark, Alex Peterson and Ethan Harrison were introduced in place of Baxendale and Newsham - and the changes quickly paid off. Five minutes later, Thorne grabbed a deserved equaliser. Brown and Seddons combined well down the right before delivering into the box. The clearance fell to Ethan Harrison on the edge of the area, whose volley was diverted into the net by Williams to make it 1-1.

Further substitutions saw Ellison and Walker replace Seddons and Muenda as Thorne pushed for a winner. Despite several late half chances, neither side could find a decisive goal.

The referee’s whistle confirmed another hard-earned point for Colliery, who remain in ninth place - just a single point off the top five.

Full Time - Ilkley (45’ Gonzalez) 1-1 Colliery (65’ Williams)

Man of the Match: Harry Brown - Sponsored by Arthurs Investments

Ilkley Town - Matthew Keen, Prince Attakorah, Thierry Henrickson, James Nightingale, Nicholas Brayshaw, Maxim Hague (85’ Edward Croft), Joseph Edmonds (85’ Harry Abson), Jack Lane, Kevin Gonzalez (45’), Harry Brown (C), Peter Roberts. Substitutes: Edward Croft, Harry Abson, Shaban Mehmeti, Tom Smith, Lewin Storton.

Club Thorne - Ryan Musselwhite, James Baxendale (59’ Ethan Harrison), Dom Mellor, Reiss Harrison, Harry Brown (C), Jake Robinson, Lewis Twibel (22’ Andy Wright)l, Louis Seddons (69’ Ryan Ellison), Nathaniel Muenda (69’ Lewis Walker), Marc Newsham (59’ Alex Peterson), Luke Williams (65’). Substitutes: Ryan Ellison, Ethan Harrison, Alex Peterson, Lewis Walker, Andy Wright.