Taddy Miss Chance To Go Four Points Clear At Top

TAFC boss Billy Miller made three changes to the side that dramatically turned it around to beat Pickering on Monday night with Adam Baker, Carl Stewart and Josh Barrett all back into the starting eleven.

It's fair to say that there are better pitches in the NCEL with Muglet Lane's field sporting incredibly long grass, large slopes and bobbles all over making it extremely difficult for either side to get the ball down and play.

The home side took an early lead as the sun slowly started to set in Maltby. A long throw-in from the right hand side was glanced into the far corner by the leaping Lee Hill.

Nine minutes later and Maltby had shocked the title chasers as they doubled their lead. Cameron Rigby drove down the left wing and pulled a cross back to Ryan Carroll who swept in from inside the penalty area.

Taddy, who were kicking downhill in the first half thought they had replied three minutes later as Jonathan Greening's corner dropped to an unmarked Gregg Anderson who powered a shot goalwards but Danny Rusling got a strong hand on the strike to push it out of danger.

The Brewers were giving it everything to try and get back into the match as the TSC kept on encouraging their boys and they had another super chance to pull one back but Adam Baker's free shot from the edge of the penalty area soared narrowly over the bar.

Maltby were looking increasingly dangerous when going forward but it was Taddy who netted the third goal in the match. The referee pointed to the penalty spot after Lee Hill tripped Josh Greening. Captain Jimmy Beadle stepped up and saw his power blaster of a penalty outstandingly pushed onto the bar by Danny Rusling but Beadle was on-hand to nod in the rebound.

However just two minutes later and the home side restored their two goal cushion with undoubtedly one of the goals of the season. Lee Hill who was the pick of the bunch for Maltby; taking long throw-ins, heading every ball away and now scored an absolutely incredible goal. Andy Milne's header looked to be bouncing over Hill but the Maltby defender flicked up into the air, controlled and met the bobble with an amazing left-footed looping strike which dipped into the top corner from 35+ yards.

Into the second half and Taddy had to produce another impressive comeback if they were going to win their penultimate away match of the season.

Danny Rusling was putting in a decent display in the Main goal as Jimmy Beadle bent a shot towards the far corner but again Rusling didn't just get across to save, he also held the fierce strike.

As expected, The Brewers dominated the second half putting Maltby under heaps of pressure but they continued to defend heroically heading and blocking everything thrown at them.

Taddy's tremendous efforts finally found a reward with ten minutes of normal time to go as they set up an exciting finale. The goal was really well worked as Nick Black did superbly to escape two red shirts and shift to Josh Greening who teed up Beadle whose blast at goal flicked off Black and diverted in by Carl Stewart for his sixth of the campaign.

The pressure was severely on the home side now as The Brewers threw absolutely everything at them. Gregg Anderson's long ball forward was chased down terrifically by Carl Stewart who managed to flick sidewards before the goalkeeper Rusling could grab the ball but Joe Austin managed to clear out of the six yard box.

You always felt that Taddy would get one more chance to equalise and that chance did come with five minutes to go, but unfortunately it wasn't taken. Jimmy Beadle's hook over Main's defence was impeccably brought down by Josh Greening who when looking up saw goalkeeper Danny Rusling had come right out to the edge of his area. Greening then faked a shot which allowed the attacker to dribble round the keeper and shoot but remarkably it was cleared off the line by two determined Maltby defenders. The rebound ricocheted back out to Jimmy Beadle whose effort was also blocked.

Taddy did find the back of the net once again with a couple of minutes to go but much to the visitors' dismay, the flag went up. Jimmy Beadle rose highest to flick onwards to the advancing Carl Stewart who was lively all evening but unfortunately the striker was adjudged to have been offside. However, on second viewing it looks as though Stewart timed his run to perfection before forcing past Rusling.

With that being said Maltby Main wrapped up the win and the three points in stoppage time after an awful bobble gifted Ryan Carroll his second of the match.

With the home side celebrating the goal in their dugout and Taddy ready to kick-off, the referee looked to state that Tad could get the match underway with Maltby still celebrating including the keeper but when The Brewers did kick-off they opted to pass it forward and the attack died down as the match did.

Full-Time: Maltby Main 4-2 Tadcaster Albion