Adam Baker put Taddy in front ten minutes before half-time and a second from Josh Greening on the hour mark sealed the win for The Brewers in a perfect away performance.

Manager Billy Miller made two changes to the side that beat Liversedge last week with Adam Baker and Conor Sellars promoted to the starting eleven in place of Josh Barrett and Carl Stewart.

Tadcaster however got off to the worst possible start as the home side were awarded a penalty in the second minute after Gary Stevens clattered into Liam Theakstone. Matty Sykes stepped up and fired the spot kick into the bottom right corner just out of Stevens’ reach.

Five minutes later and The Brewers were back on level terms. Jason Mycoe did brilliantly to shrug off Liam Nelthorpe and play a perfect reverse ball through to Josh Greening who composed himself and slid under goalkeeper Sam Leigh.

After a frantic opening ten minutes, the match then calmed down allowing both sides to settle. With 14 minutes gone Jimmy Beadle was back to his optimistic self once again trying his luck from all of 35 yards but Leigh was equal to the attempt.

Both sides were having plenty of possession with many meaningful attacks as after 25 minutes The Wrens tested Gary Stevens in the Taddy goal. Gregg Anderson cleared a cross but only as far as full-back Connor Smythe who struck sweetly on the volley to which Stevens saved well.

As the rain started bucketing down in Rainworth, Taddy completed the turnaround and took the lead with ten minutes to go until the break. Jordan Armstrong did superbly to beat Sykes on the right touchline and fire in a deep cross which flicked off Brad Wilson’s head to an unmarked Adam Baker at the back post who couldn’t miss from seven yards out.

Tadcaster were looking to go into half-time with a two goal cushion and came close as once again full-back Jordan Armstrong bombed down the right side and ended up in behind and his dinked cross was met by Beadle whose flick was deflected over.
With two minutes to go until the break, Josh Greening nearly made it three for the visitors with what would have undoubtedly been one of the goals of the season. A defensive header by Rainworth flew in the air in the direction to Josh Greening who followed the ball out of the sky and went for the acrobatic bicycle kick which swerved a matter of inches wide of the upright.

Half-Time: Rainworth Miners Welfare 1-2 Tadcaster Albion

Thankfully the rain stopped just in time for the second half to which the home side started on the front foot.
The home side came close to making it a Desmond at the start of the second half as Matty Sykes dinked in behind to the onrushing Nelthorpe but Stevens charged off his line to brilliantly thwart the midfielder.

The Wrens were pushing hard to get back into the contest whereas Taddy weren’t rushing things in terms of netting a third goal, they knew chances would come about. However, Rainworth had another clear sight of goal in the 52nd minute as right-back Ricky Hanson got behind Liam Ormsby and fired low into the danger area to Matt Thompson but the striker’s heavy touch at the most crucial time allowed Anderson to hook clear.

Credit has to be given to Rainworth, they were giving it a great go but once again The Brewers’ defence were second to none. Captain Hanson with the cross in from the right to Theakstone but Milne and Anderson both launched themselves towards the ball and a mixture of both stopped the fierce strike.

However, with all that being said, Rainworth’s hard work was all undone just after the hour mark as Tadcaster took a 3-1 lead. Jonathan Greening’s firm pass was superbly flicked in behind the Wrens’ defence by Jimmy Beadle sending panic to the home side. The clever flick was latched onto by Josh Greening who touched the ball over goalkeeper Sam Leigh but it seemed as though the attack was over as Matt Plant covered but the defender miscued completely as well as bringing Greening to the ground. Conor Sellars was quickest to retrieve the ball on the by-line and terrifically back-heeled back into the six yard box where Josh Greening picked himself up and rolled the ball into the empty net.

With fifteen minutes remaining, the home side were still giving Tadcaster things to think about, especially Gary Stevens in goal as substitute Declan Brewin chested and volleyed from 25 yards to which Stevens did well to tip over the mark.

Rainworth had to throw the kitchen sink at Taddy with ten minutes left on the watch and the problem that this provides is the spaces for The Brewers when going forward. This was certainly evident in the 82nd minute as Adam Baker struck inches wide of the target after Josh Greening slotted the attacker in.

Jason Mycoe and in particularly Jonathan Greening were absolutely bossing things in midfield, an all round complete performance from the former Manchester United man. Never once looked troubled on the ball, always kept things moving, was always an option and working in tandem sensationally with the ferocious Mycoe.

Stevens was excelling for Tadcaster in Nottinghamshire as the stopper pulled off another magnificent save to keep out Thompson’s rapidly travelling strike from all of 30 yards.

As the match reached its final stages, Taddy looked to put gloss over the victory just like last week against Liversedge and Josh Greening came close to completing his hat-trick but Leigh palmed the shot in the air.

As the match opened up more and more, the amount of chances for both sides were totting up as in the 86th minute the home side couldn’t believe Stevens had saved another one. Matt Thompson controlled the ball on the edge of the penalty area and guided into Liam Theakstone whose deft touch was equalled to by the faintest of touches from Stevens, three white shirts had hands on their heads in disbelief.

Straight back up the other end for one final attack as Greening looked to score his hat-trick goal but even after two bites at the cherry, the striker was blocked out on both occasions.

However that wasn’t important, the three points was the most important factor of all as Tadcaster Albion go clear at the top of the league with Worksop, Handsworth and Cleethorpes all dropping points.

Full-Time: Rainworth Miners Welfare 1-3 Tadcaster Albion

Team: Stevens, Armstrong, Ormsby, Milne, Anderson, Mycoe, Sellars (Clayton 75), Jonathan Greening, Beadle ©, Josh Greening, Baker

Unused Subs: Stewart, Black, Barrett, Heath