New left-back Jack Walters came within a lick of paint of netting his first Tadcaster goal against Boston on Thursday night but he did open his account against Barton Town with a sumptuous volley.

On the tight 3G surface at York St John’s Haxby Road, the NCEL side bit back in the second half as a mixture of tough sessions and back-to-back matches took its toll on Albion. A long-range rocket beat substitute goalkeeper Joe Wilton before a last minute goal saw the visitors take the win.

Donald Chimalilo, Matty Savage and Owen Marshall have all been key figures in Taddy’s U21’s side for the past couple of years, all having featured in the first-team too but on this occasion they turned out for Barton Town. Michael Ingham is yet to be beaten in pre-season and he aimed to keep it that way as he pulled off several outstanding stops in the first half. The first of which coming after four minutes when a whipped free-kick from 19 yards was pushed away by the fully stretched Northern Irishman.

Sixty seconds later and Taddy should have opened the scoring. A brilliant piece of high-pressure from Jack Walters saw the left wing-back win possession on the edge of Barton’s box which led to Adam Baker blazing over from eight yards out. However it was 1-0 to Tadcaster on 10 minutes when Ellis Barkworth’s deep cross was thumped into the far corner by Jack Walters, a stunning volley on his weaker right-foot to open his account for Albion.

The NCEL Premier Division side were making a very good account of themselves as they continued to cause Taddy problems. If it wasn’t for an exceptional point blank save from Michael Ingham then the Swans would have been on level terms. The big number 14 squeezed through the Taddy back-line but saw his powerful strike superbly pushed over by Ingham from close range. The same Barton forward squandered another chance two minutes later when controlling on his chest and dragging wide of the left-hand upright.

It was an end-to-end opening at YSJ with chances free-flowing at both ends. Joe Lumsden came within a couple of inches of opening his Tadcaster account when he thundered a rocket off the underside of the crossbar leaving the keeper with no chance. The woodwork was well and truly rattled. Centre-back Harry Coates has caught the eye in the first few weeks of his Tadcaster career for his and he too almost netted his first goal in yellow. The giant defender marauded into Barton’s half, played a slick one-two with Lumsden before powering beyond two more blue shirts and pulling a shot inches wide.

This wasn’t your bog standard pre-season friendly though as several full-blooded challenges graced the artificial surface. In some ways that’s what both teams want, no injuries is obviously number one priority but a contest replicating that competitive mid-season feel won’t be far behind. Skipper for the day Michael Ingham certainly wasn’t taking things lightly as he pulled off another top stop to claw a header out of the top corner.

The side from across the Humber Bridge equalised at the beginning of the second half courtesy of a screamer from 25 yards leaving substitute stopper Joe Wilton with no chance. Two games in the space of two days on top of several tough training sessions began to take its toll on the Brewers in the second half. Morton & Collins’ men were still creating chances on goal however as Mitch Langton’s well struck volley was well held by the goalkeeper before Aiden Savory lost his marker in the box but couldn’t generate enough power on his header to find the net. As the friendly entered the final few minutes, Taddy almost retook the lead in strange fashion. Barton were preparing their wall for a free-kick when Pete Davidson quickly took the set-piece but missed the far corner. The referee clearly didn’t state ‘on my whistle’ on this occasion.

Barton were in the ascendency for the majority of the second half and the fresher legs prevailed in the end as a goal in the last minute saw the Brewers narrowly edged out at Haxby Road. Taddy continue their pre-season preparations on Tuesday night at Selby Town (7:45pm).