Pre-Season Friendly: Pickering Town 3-4 Tadcaster Albion

Image courtesy of Paul McFegan

Due to manager Billy Miller being away, assistant manager Matt Heath and statistician Richard Lawrence took charge.

The duo made five changes to the side that saw off Hemsworth with Jason Mycoe and four trialists all starting the match.

It was the current NCEL side that struck first in the 13th minute with former Brewer Calum Ward cutely dinking over the advancing trialist goalkeeper after Joe Danby threaded it through.

After a bright start from the hosts, Taddy fought their way back into the match grasping control of the contest with Jono Greening orchestrating in midfield and Conor Sellars looking lively in dangerous pockets.

As Taddy gained more control and possession, the heavens then well and truly opened to what can only be described as monsoon like rain.

However The Brewers levelled the match in the 31st minute. Pickering failed to clear Jono Greening’s corner on two occasions which allowed Andy Milne to stab goal wards. As it was about to cross the line Conor Sellars made complete sure, it was going in anyway. The Pikes were unhappy and were adamant that Sellars was offside but the goal stood.

The Brewers were only growing in confidence; the two tough tackling trialist midfielders were putting in a good shift. Some tackles, a little spicy shall we say.

Taddy took the lead three minutes before the break as one of the two aforementioned Trialists (D) powerfully headed in a Greening corner.

As a rare but picturesque double rainbow appeared over Mill Lane, newby Rob Youhill came close to making it three after testing the goalkeeper with a low drive.

As expected, there were several changes made at half-time with Jimmy Beadle, Josh Barrett, Adam Baker, Liam Shepherd and two changes more trialists coming on.

Thirteen minutes into the second half and Tad were 3-1 up and it took Josh Greening approximately fourteen seconds to start an attack leading to a goal.

Greening picked the ball up in his own half, drove at the Pikes defence before rolling it through to Liam Shepherd who waited for Lawrie to come out. Shepherd then squared to Beadle who couldn’t execute the cryuff flick but Adam Baker was on-hand at the back post to slide into the back of the net.

The home side dug in and pulled one back with just over ten minutes to. Former York City man Ben Hirst emphatically bent into the far corner to make it 2-3.

Pickering pushed for an equaliser in the final stages and coming close on a couple of occasions through Matty Turnbull and Joe Danby.

However, The Brewers restored their two goal cushion with five to play after Josh Greening surged in on goal and unselfishly rolled the ball past Lawrie to the grateful Adam Baker who tapped in his second of the game.

The goals weren’t quite finished there though as once again the Pikes pegged back through the former York City man side-footing home from eight yards.

Full-Time: Pickering Town 3-4 Tadcaster Albion

First Half Team: Trialist, Trialist, Milne ©, Mycoe, Jeff, Jono Greening, Trialist, Trialist, Sellars, Youhill, Corner

Second Half Team: Trialist, Trialist, Barrett, Milne ©, Jeff, Jono Greening, Trialist, Sellars, Shepherd, Baker, Beadle

Subs Used: Josh Greening