The Grass Is Greening On The Other Side As It’s A Bridge Too Far For Bamber

Jonathan Greening returned to Tadcaster’s starting eleven in place of Liam Shepherd in the only change made from the defeat at Droylsden.

On a dark and dreary February afternoon it was the visitors who struck first after just eight minutes.

Midfielder Michael Potts struck a fierce left-footed strike from distance which caught a divot and unexpectedly bounced over the diving Chandler Hallwood.

Back came the Brewers moments later as Jono Greening’s high looping cross curled onto the face of the crossbar.

There wasn’t a great deal of ‘goal mouth’ action in the first forty five but Taddy certainly looked the more imposing of the two teams despite Bridge holding a slender lead.

With ten minutes to go until the break, the Taddy bench and were up in arms shouting for a penalty kick as Tom Corner looked to have been wrestled out of the action by Josh Heaton.

Referee Jones felt there wasn’t enough in the coming together.

The visitors made two substitutions at the break as Matt Lawlor and Chris McDonagh both entered the contest.

However it was the Brewers who came out all guns blazing at the start of the half as

Tom Corner agonisingly turned Rob Youhill’s cross inches wide of the mark.

Nevertheless Billy Miller’s men were level just a couple of minutes later.

Jono Greening flicked over the back of the Bamber defence to brother Josh who touched over Doughty setting himself clean through on goal and the forward never looked like missing coolly stroking in his 12th goal of the season.

The break and the two changes seemed to disrupt Bridge’s structure as the Brewers were looking to steamroll their opponents.

Dan Thirkell then glanced Conor Sellars’ corner kick narrowly wide with the half only four minutes old.

The game was still level though as full-back Jordan Armstrong did brilliantly to deny Adam Dodd at the back post.

Taddy continued to dominant all areas of the pitch in the second half with chances starting to ramp up; Conor Sellars and Tom Corner both going close.

The aforementioned Corner was a constant pest for the Bridge back-line and he almost netted a deserved goal shortly after the hour mark.

Forward-thinking Armstrong drove into the opposition half, threaded it through to Josh Greening who knew exactly where his strike partner was but goalkeeper Steve James was equal to Corner’s swept effort.

Corner’s effort and work-rate alone warranted a goal but when Josh Grant fizzed a teasing cross down the corridor of uncertainty, the 6”4 striker was a second late onto the scene.

However, after a brilliant second half showing, Tadcaster deservedly took the lead seventeen minutes from time.

Same two players involved but this time it was roles reversed. Josh Greening ran down the right and his pull back found its way to the incoming Jono Greening who nonchalantly tucked into the bottom corner leaving James with no chance.

The visitors never really looked like causing any problems in the second half but as they always say, you are bound to get one big chance and that chance fell to Alistair Waddecar three minutes from time.

The ball dropped to Waddecar inside the penalty area, he took it past Anderson but could only shoot into the side-netting and the Brewers saw it through to pick up a big three points.

Full-Time: Tadcaster Albion 2-1 Bamber Bridge

Tadcaster: Hallwood, Armstrong, Grant, Barrett, Anderson, Thirkell, Youhill, Jono Greening, Corner, Josh Greening, Sellars

Subs Unused: Ibrahimi, Shepherd, Hansen, Stewart, Wrigglesworth

Bamber Bridge: James, Bowyer ©, Dodd, Doughty, Heaton, Potts, Riley (McDonagh HT), Linney (Vasey), Waddecar, Milligan, Fleming (Lawlor HT)

Subs Unused: Freakes & Staunton-Turner

ATT: 239