Without a win at the Calvert Stadium since September, Town had high hopes of ending that unwanted record when they raced into an early lead against another team at the wrong end of the table.

And what a well-worked goal it was. After five minutes, Bailey Prudhoe found Luca Sartini from a short corner and the skipper produced a superb cross for defender Harvey Rudd to head home for his first goal for the club.

That should have been the platform for Northallerton to build on but Thornaby levelled eight minutes before the break through right-winger Charlie Hindson, whose shot crossed the line despite Jacob Wilson’s best efforts to keep it out.

Jack Stapley, one of three players recalled to the starting line-up alongside top scorer Alistair Banks and midfielder James Coatsworth, had smashed a piledriver shot narrowly over the bar shortly before the equaliser in an even half of few clear-cut chances.

But the contest swung decisively in Thornaby’s favour when they scored a fortuitous goal two minutes after the break. Former Town midfielder Alfie Conway hit a speculative shot from just outside the box that bobbled on the pitch just in front of ‘keeper Jacob Crowle before finding the net.

In a game of fine margins, it was always going to be difficult for Northallerton to break down determined opponents who were aware that victory would almost certainly secure their Ebac Northern League First Division status. It was not for the want of trying, with the home side throwing the kitchen sink at it in the closing stages.

Well-marshalled Thornaby were in no mood to give up their advantage, however, and there was to be no repeat of the last-minute heroics that salvaged a point against Penrith the previous week.

Manager Myers is keen to keep up the players’ spirits despite this latest setback and thanked the home fans for their backing as he moulds what is a virtually a new team.

“Our fans are absolutely fantastic,” he said. “We didn’t give them value for money today, which I’m bitterly disappointed about.

“But they backed us to the hilt – and I’ve never seen that before. They could easily have turned on the team, but they didn’t – and there’s no doubt we owe them a performance.”

Northallerton Town: Crowle, Rudd, Jacob Wilson, Coatsworth (Raitt 70), Myers (Grundle 63), Sartini, Prudhoe (Cullen 74), Stapley, Croft (Short 65), Banks, Shodeinde.

Thornaby: Taylor, Sayer, Casson (Conway 26), Kennedy, Drummond, Parkinson, Hindson, Ryder, Coleman, Booth, Milburn (Parnaby 75).

Subs not used: Bell, Wood, Cann.

Man of the Match: Luca Sartini.

Att: 206.