Both sides entered the tenth round looking to solidify positions in the top four, with the Redbacks even eyeing a sniff at the top spot.

For the home side, a win to put them within touching distance of Cooks Hill seemed likely, especially after Jye MacKellar squared Tallan Martin in with a cross for the opening goal.

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McCallister answered back at his own home ground however, lofting a ball into the top corner before touching it off with a ‘shooshing’ celebration for his old teammates.

A penalty slotted home from MacKellar gave Thornton the lead at the half break, and a number of second half chances for the home team saw them on the ascendancy.

Their failure to capitalise on the dominant second half, in the end, cost them two of the three points on offer as McCallister’s late strike silenced celebrations.

The draw leaves Thornton 7 points behind the leading Cookers, while South Cardiff are still inside the top four by just two points.

Elsewhere, the defending champions took full control of the top of the table with a 10-1 shellacking against Toronto Awaba at Lyall Peacock Field.

The Stags scored once through Nick Mackay, but a four-goal haul for Nick Russell, and six more individual scorers, was too much to handle for the now-wooden spoon placed club.

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Also on Saturday afternoon, Belmont Swansea continued their resurgence with a 2-1 win over West Wallsend, while Wallsend were downed by New Lambton 3-1 the next day.

Finally, Kahibah and Cessnock City played out a 1-all draw at Kahibah Oval, with Tom Butzmann scoring for the home side after Jason Zechel opened the scoring for the Hornets. 

Singleton had the bye round.

TABLE: Cooks Hill (24), Thornton, Singleton (17), South Cardiff (15), Cessnock, West Wallsend (13), Belmont Swansea, Wallsend (12), Kahibah, New Lambton (9), Toronto Awaba (8).