‘Around the Grounds’ Edition 1: Thornton Cleveleys
Mon 29th July 2024 | Match Reviews | By Ben Wilkinson
Brand new for this season is a regular feature where a club is visited for a game and placed ‘in the spotlight’ with a brief match report along with a write-up on the ground they call home.
It made sense for a new series to start with a new club to the league, and Thornton Cleveleys made their NWCFL debut at home to Nelson on Saturday. Thornton were champions of the West Lancashire League Premier Division in 2023/24, amassing a whopping 81 points from their 32 games and scoring 105 goals in the process. A top 5 finish, along with a successful application for promotion into the NLS, means they join our First Division North in 2024/25. In fact, they only finished one place below their opponents today, who finished bottom of this division last season but were reprieved by the FA due to vacancies in the pyramid.
Thornton Cleveleys moved back to Gamble Road three years ago, after a 20+ year spell at Bourne Park, which has since been redeveloped for housing. The club originally started as a works team for the nearby ICI plant and was named ICI Thornton, before continuing solo after the plant closed in 1992 and changing to their current name three years later, after a short spell as Thornton International.
The ground has had a lot of work done to it recently to prepare for life in the NLS pyramid, with a new 50-capacity stand going up down one side next to the turnstile and a 100-seater stand to be installed soon behind the far goal. Away from the first team pitch, the site has a number of other pitches, ranging from 5-a-side to full size, to cater for the numerous youth and adult sides playing under the Thornton Cleveleys name. The ground borders ex-NWCFL Fleetwood Town's training ground, Poolfoot Farm, and the two clubs have good relations. The first team pitch currently only has spectator access on two sides, with a third side expected to open at some point during the season. The programme (cost £2) was a high-quality production with plenty of content on both teams, including pieces from both the Thornton chairman and manager. There was a buzz around the place as all of the volunteers worked hard to make sure this historic day in the club’s history went to plan, and a bumper crowd was coming through the turnstile.
As for the game itself, both teams were of course keen to start the season with three points on the board but neither team managed to gain a foothold in the game in the early stages. It took 25 minutes for the first real chance, which went the way of the hosts as an effort was tipped over the bar for a corner. Half an hour on the clock and it was 1-0 to the visitors as a corner was put into the box and bundled home by Charlie Frost after a brief scramble. Stuart Dagger had a great chance to level the scores three minutes later but couldn't keep his shot down. This turned out to be a warning not heeded as just a minute later the scores were level. The Thornton skipper Oliver Wilkinson's free kick deflected off the wall and crept in via the inside of the post. Nelson got their noses back in front on the stroke of half time as Thornton failed to clear their lines and Charlie Frost bagged his second of the game.
The game slowed down a touch after the break as Nelson gained control of play, but without testing the Thornton defence too much. With 17 minutes remaining, the away team doubled their advantage with a move straight off the training ground, as a free kick was passed to captain Jordan Scott on the edge of the box who fired a strike into the far bottom corner, via a deflection. Two goals down on their league debut, Thornton were determined to right their wrongs and got a goal back through another Oliver Wilkinson free kick. This one was far more spectacular than the first goal, as he fired it into the top right, leaving Nelson goalie Joseph Dodgson with no chance. It was only a consolation however, as Nelson held on to take all three points with them back to East Lancashire.
‘Around the Grounds’ Edition 1: Thornton Cleveleys
Mon 29th July 2024 | Match Reviews
By Ben Wilkinson
Brand new for this season is a regular feature where a club is visited for a game and placed ‘in the spotlight’ with a brief match report along with a write-up on the ground they call home.
It made sense for a new series to start with a new club to the league, and Thornton Cleveleys made their NWCFL debut at home to Nelson on Saturday. Thornton were champions of the West Lancashire League Premier Division in 2023/24, amassing a whopping 81 points from their 32 games and scoring 105 goals in the process. A top 5 finish, along with a successful application for promotion into the NLS, means they join our First Division North in 2024/25. In fact, they only finished one place below their opponents today, who finished bottom of this division last season but were reprieved by the FA due to vacancies in the pyramid.
Thornton Cleveleys moved back to Gamble Road three years ago, after a 20+ year spell at Bourne Park, which has since been redeveloped for housing. The club originally started as a works team for the nearby ICI plant and was named ICI Thornton, before continuing solo after the plant closed in 1992 and changing to their current name three years later, after a short spell as Thornton International.
The ground has had a lot of work done to it recently to prepare for life in the NLS pyramid, with a new 50-capacity stand going up down one side next to the turnstile and a 100-seater stand to be installed soon behind the far goal. Away from the first team pitch, the site has a number of other pitches, ranging from 5-a-side to full size, to cater for the numerous youth and adult sides playing under the Thornton Cleveleys name. The ground borders ex-NWCFL Fleetwood Town's training ground, Poolfoot Farm, and the two clubs have good relations. The first team pitch currently only has spectator access on two sides, with a third side expected to open at some point during the season. The programme (cost £2) was a high-quality production with plenty of content on both teams, including pieces from both the Thornton chairman and manager. There was a buzz around the place as all of the volunteers worked hard to make sure this historic day in the club’s history went to plan, and a bumper crowd was coming through the turnstile.
As for the game itself, both teams were of course keen to start the season with three points on the board but neither team managed to gain a foothold in the game in the early stages. It took 25 minutes for the first real chance, which went the way of the hosts as an effort was tipped over the bar for a corner. Half an hour on the clock and it was 1-0 to the visitors as a corner was put into the box and bundled home by Charlie Frost after a brief scramble. Stuart Dagger had a great chance to level the scores three minutes later but couldn't keep his shot down. This turned out to be a warning not heeded as just a minute later the scores were level. The Thornton skipper Oliver Wilkinson's free kick deflected off the wall and crept in via the inside of the post. Nelson got their noses back in front on the stroke of half time as Thornton failed to clear their lines and Charlie Frost bagged his second of the game.
The game slowed down a touch after the break as Nelson gained control of play, but without testing the Thornton defence too much. With 17 minutes remaining, the away team doubled their advantage with a move straight off the training ground, as a free kick was passed to captain Jordan Scott on the edge of the box who fired a strike into the far bottom corner, via a deflection. Two goals down on their league debut, Thornton were determined to right their wrongs and got a goal back through another Oliver Wilkinson free kick. This one was far more spectacular than the first goal, as he fired it into the top right, leaving Nelson goalie Joseph Dodgson with no chance. It was only a consolation however, as Nelson held on to take all three points with them back to East Lancashire.
