Manager Billy Miller made two changes to the midweek win over Pontefract Collieries, both enforced as Matt Heath and Dan Clayton both picked up knocks. Andy Milne and Liam Ormsby were the men to come into the side, Ormsby, a central midfielder by trade had to fill in for Clayton at left-back.

It was Taddy’s annual fancy dress day and there were some humorous sights by the sea in Bridlington. This included; Batman & Robin, Super Mario and many men quite simply dressed as women, I was told they were supposed to be the spice girls.

It’s fair to say that Bridlington did superbly to get the game on in the first place after the torrential rain and as a result this was the only game in the NCEL Premier Division to go ahead.

The travelling Taddy fans were in outstanding voice as The Brewers got the match underway and they could have been cheering a goal in just the second minute. Adam Baker picked out Nick Black’s intelligent run in behind Brid’s defence but the striker was pushed wide and his effort at goal was deflected wide by the sliding Danny Brunton.

It was certainly Tadcaster that started the brighter of the two teams and came within a matter of inches to taking the lead in the 10th minute. Jimmy Beadle started the attack before setting Adam Baker down the right who drove at the defence and played it back inside to the onrushing Beadle who slid and shot a whisker wide of the left-hand upright.

The Brewers were still pushing to take the lead as the home side struggled to get a hold of the ball in the early stages and if Adam Baker’s whipped cross was pulled back an inch more, Beadle was on hand to surely head home.

The Seasiders’ first real attack came down the left-hand side after 16 minutes as Brunton bombed down the wing and delivered in a low cross to which Gary Stevens had to grasp well and did.

There wasn’t an abundance of chances in the first half but Bridlington full-back Benn Lewis had to be alert as a Taddy corner was flicked on at the near post and if it wasn’t for Lewis, defender Andy Milne may well have fired into the back of the net.
The closest the home side came in the first half was Eddie Birch volleying over and into the car park from 30 yards out.

To be honest, the most action in the first half was seen in the stand with the Taddy fans in. Half-way through the first 45, a big speaker was broken out by the travelling fans and started blasting out a variety of songs such as Tad All Over, We All Love Tad and Take Me Home and the noise was absolutely incredible. With not a lot happening on the pitch, the fancy dress singing Taddy fans were more entertaining as the wind and the cut up pitch made it difficult for the players.

Half-Time: Bridlington Town 0-0 Tadcaster Albion

In contrast to the first half, the second half started with the home side in the ascendency as they looked to take the game to The Brewers.

Set-pieces were looking like the best chance for either side to score on a difficult afternoon and Bridlington came close five minutes into the second half as Eddy Birch curled a free-kick narrowly over from 25 yards.

As the minutes started to pass, the pitch cut up more and more making it increasingly difficult for the two sides who both like to get the ball down and play.

Chances were few and far between to say the least but the home side carved out a decent chance ten minutes into the half. Bridlington hit Taddy on the counter attack as captain Tom Fleming did well to get in behind Gregg Anderson and pull back to the unmarked Joel Sutton whose strike was met by Andy Milne. Milne was having an outstanding in the heart of defence alongside Anderson, terrifically timed tackles time and time again from the former Scarborough man.

With 65 minutes gone there were still no clear cut chances for either side as Benn Lewis blazed over the mark from 32 yards out.

Taddy were also finding it extremely difficult to create any real opportunities but Adam Baker had a sight of goal shortly after as the wide man was released into some space and went for the lob over goalkeeper James Hitchcock but unfortunately didn’t get enough on the effort.

With fifteen minutes to go, it seemed like the match was destined to finish 0-0 as still no chances were being made for either side as moments later Jonathan Greening volleyed comfortably over with his weaker left-foot and Jimmy Beadle barged a header off target also.

There was the first shot on target for the home side in the 86th minute as Eddy Birch struck comfortably down Gary Stevens’ throat.

Into the last five minutes and the lethal pair of Josh Greening and Jimmy Beadle nearly broke the deadlock for The Brewers. Greening cleverly scooped in behind Brid’s defence to Beadle who went for the lob to which goalkeeper Hitchcock stood still and hoped and in the end he got away with it as the effort dropped narrowly over the crossbar.

As ‘Tad All Over’ was sang for the final time, a smoke bomb was then let off from the Taddy fans and what timing as in the 95th minute out of nowhere Tadcaster found the back of the net and won the match with the last kick of the game to send the comically dressed Tadcaster fans into absolute pandemonium.

Midfield maestro Jason Mycoe who was absolutely everywhere once again today and worked terrifically in tandem with Jonathan Greening picked up the ball 30 yards out in an inside right position, looked up and fired the perfect cross into Josh Greening who guided his header into the back of the net. Seeing Batman, Robin, Super Mario and the crossdressers all going absolutely bonkers was a sight to behold (Check out our social media for the video).

Looking at the game as a whole a draw would have been a fair result on reflection as no side deserved to win the game but all it takes is that one bit of quality to unlock the door and in the end that’s what happened.

Full-Time: Bridlington Town 0-1 Tadcaster Albion

Team: Stevens, Armstrong, Ormsby, Milne, Anderson, Mycoe, Baker (Stewart), Greening, Black (Barrett), Beadle ©, Greening
Unused Subs: Heath, Clayton, Sellars