With Thackley creeping up the table, Boro were in no mood to allow their visitors to ghost closer to the top spots, and after three defeats in four games manager France named a forward-thinking line-up.

Aiming to put panic into the away side's backline was the renewed partnership of Ryan Blott and Rich Medcalf, with Craig Hogg moving to the left-wing berth.

Mark Griffin moved right in place of Joel Hartley, and Paddy Miller replaced Brewster Frizzell in defence.

Medcalf and Hogg combined for the first chance of the game after six minutes, the former providing the latter with an opportunity which was scuffed high and wide.

The first goal came on 13 minutes. Joe Connor carved open the defence with Blott the beneficiary, the striker beating Thackley keeper Ben Higginson from six yards.

Blott hit the side-netting soon afterwards but it was the visitors who scored next. Nicky Matthews had one shot excellently blocked by Dave Hartas, but his second effort found the net with venom.

Hartas turned provider on 27 minutes as Boro took the lead again. His high diagonal pass was chested down and struck home with frightening accuracy and power by Blott for his second.

Griffin shot wide before having to leave the field on 40 minutes with a nasty injury, one which will see him miss two or three weeks of action.

Craig Evans slotted into the right-wing berth to show his versatility and the substitute set up Blott just before half-time, but his goal-bound effort was saved by Higginson.

The second-half was end to end from start to finish, with two goals coming early on.

On 50 minutes Blott and Scott Phillips enjoyed some neat passing around the edge of the box, Phillips forcing Higginson into a low save.

Blott picked up the loose ball and found Phillips unmarked with a delicate cross for the midfielder to head home Boro's third.

Just 60 seconds later Thackley pulled a goal back, and it came in dubious circumstances.

Miller was fouled by the touchline. The ball ran to Hogg and the ref attempted to play advantage, but there clearly was none to be gained as Hogg was marked by two players and stood in his own half.

Hogg was crowded out and Thackley broke with Miller unable to track back. Matthews set up Dean Walters who finished well from 10 yards.

Boro attacked once again, looking to restore the two-goal advantage.

Evans had a shot brilliantly palmed wide by Higginson after a deflection, and from then on the game swung to either end as the pace increased.

Hartas had to be alive to head away twice in the area, and Arran Reid - whose handling all afternoon was superb - pushed away a decent strike by Luke Hudson.