It was wet, very wet at the i2i but as usual the pitch was immaculate as last season’s close rivals for a play off position came to town. Sheffield made the cut as a result of their 4 – 3 victory over the Brewers in the league but this season they are in the Northern Premier South East League, as opposed to our place in the North West.

It would be a good measure of how far Curtis Woodhouse has brought his team since his appointment in June. It was a strong squad, notwithstanding several players on holiday and Michael Ingham still feeling the effect of an injury.

Taddy had the better of the opening forays and Casey Stewart almost opened the scoring after combining well with Rogerson and Day. Nevertheless, they could have found themselves behind following a short back pass which gifted Sheffield with a one on one with keeper Michael Clancy – fortunately it was lobbed well off target.

Jack Day brought out a good save from the “club’s” goalie and Ioan Evans, making his comeback after injury in the early pre-seasons, headed just wide on the end of a Stewart corner. On ten minutes Day fired over following the clearance of a long-range effort from Kain Rogerson. Day and Stewart combined well to see the big man’s 20 yarder thwarted by an equally good save.

The hosts opened their account on 16 minutes when Donald Chimalilo collected a defence splitting through pass from Stewart, his first touch to control the ball and the second to smash it home. 1 – 0

Lebrun Mbeke fed the ball to Chimalilo who ran to the by-line before drilling it across the six-yard area but there was nobody to take advantage. However, with tempers fraying a little from the visitors, Taddy extended the lead on 25 minutes when Chimalilo , again in the thick of things, put Day through for his seventh goal in as many matches as he launched the ball over the diving keeper 2 – 0.

With the Brewers dictating play they were pegged back with 10 minutes of the half remaining when Sheffield, coming more into the match, were gifted a chance following a poor clearance in the 18-yard box, the resulting shot curling its way to the far corner of the net. 2 – 1.

Alex Wiles needed the attention of new physio Abbey Halliwell but although he soldiered on, he was replaced during the half time interval by Nathan Keightley.

2 – 1 at the break was just about right in a half where Taddy had largely dominated.

The restart was off with a bang! From the kick, Day headed on to Chimalilo racing down the left and his pin-point cross was volleyed home in the six yard area by the perfectly positioned Stewart. 3 - 1

On 58 minutes Curtis Woodhouse substituted Evans and Rose for Jason Mycoe and Henry Rollinson but Tadcaster were pegged back when a 30 yard free kick hit the back of the net having passed through a melee of legs on route - not a good goal from a home point of view but one that lead to a resurgence from Sheffield.3 -2.

The game was end to end but Taddy very nearly clinched it with the clock ticking down as Chimalilo brought out a good save after a tantalising run towards goal, whilst Keightley was oh so close but saw his follow up cleared off the line.

It was finally put beyond doubt in the 90th minute when Stewart again opened up the Sheffield defence to give Day a one on one – he just loves that sort of challenge! It ended 4 – 2.

A superb performance from both sides played at times in torrential rain and one that brought a smile to the Manager’s face.

On Friday night Taddy play Tadcaster Magnets at the i2i KO 7.30 pm and then it is a slight break until the final pre-season warm up on Saturday the 10th August again at home to Northern Premier Bamber Bridge KO 3.00pm

Clancy, Barrett, Rogerson, Rose (Rollinson), Evans (Mycoe), Marshall, Chimalilo, Mbeke, Day, Wiles (Keightley), Stewart

Report from John Clothier