REPORT | Five Star Brewers Finally End Owls Curse

Billy Whitehouse, Harry Coates, Casey Stewart, Lamin Colley and Joe Lumsden all found the back of the net after the Brewers put Town to the sword in the second half.

The win sees Tadcaster climb up into 5th place in the Evo-Stik East Division on 19 points putting the midweek cup defeat firmly behind them.

Simon Collins made just the one alteration to the side that crashed out of the FA Trophy in midweek as Chris Howarth came in for Lamin Colley.

With scoring goals a recurring issue for Albion in recent weeks, it took only eight minutes for them to put the ball in the net. Aiden Savory sprung the offside trap down the left-hand side before Billy Whitehouse turned in the cross on his second attempt at the near post.

The hosts, who were yet to get going, almost levelled instantaneously as hesitation at the back allowed Brody Robertson a clear chance on goal but he fired over after seeing his initial effort saved by Michael Ingham.

Billy Whitehouse and Ellis Barkworth were working superbly in tandem down the right flank as Albion continued to look the brighter of the two sides. Whitehouse was getting plenty of joy against Laurence McKay as another cross from the winger led to Casey Stewart volleying over.

Granted this was a difficult opportunity to take but what followed on 23 minutes was a far clearer chance to double the lead. It was Barkworth on this occasion flying down the right and crossing to that man Stewart again but he couldn’t guide his effort downwards.

Taddy were well on top for 25 minutes and looked comfortable but the second period of the first half saw Cleethorpes grow into the contest.

As the fancy scoreboard in the corner flickered past the half hour mark, the Owls drew level. A clever run and reverse ball from Brody Robertson ran kindly into the path of experienced striker Scott Vernon who carefully side-footed beyond Ingham in the Albion goal.

It ever so nearly went from bad to worse for Taddy too as Vernon returned the favour to strike partner Robertson but Aaron Hardy did just enough to put the Owls man off.

With the first half drawing to a close, Cleethorpes continued to probe as Vernon went close again but Ingham stopped well.

Taddy’s number one goalkeeper was called into action again in the final seconds of the half as he had to smartly get up to his left-hand side to push Robertson’s rasping strike wide of the goal.

However it didn’t take long for the Brewers to reclaim the ascendency back off their opponents as they retook the lead three minutes into the second half. Harry Coates has been incredibly close to scoring from a set-piece on numerous occasions this season and he finally recorded his first goal for the club hammering home a rocket header from Whitehouse’s corner.

Just like with the opening goal though Cleethorpes squandered a great chance almost immediately after conceding. A fortunate ricochet allowed Brody Robertson to surge clean through on goal but he fired wildly over the mark.

The monster that is Harry Coates then escaped his man again on a corner kick but could only skim on to teammate Aiden Savory who instinctively headed onto the roof of the net.

As a man and woman tied the knot just behind the Linden Club, Taddy also had reason to celebrate as they netted a third goal to add some breathing space. Whitehouse’s clipped ball into the box was beautifully let run across his body by Casey Stewart bemusing Matthew Bloomer before the Albion forward rifled an unstoppable left-footed strike past Parkin.

They do say that you are most susceptible when you’ve just scored and once again the Owls threatened virtually from kick-off as Robertson cleverly outmanoeuvred Harry Coates but his tame poke from seven yards out was well read by Ingham.

Harry Coates and Paddy Miller were gobbling up everything that Clee tried to throw at them as from this point on their only looked to be one winner.

With 14 minutes left on the clock Collins made a double switch which saw Joe Lumsden mark his return from injury as well as Lamin Colley entering the field also.

And it didn’t take long for both to make an immediate impact as they pounced on some tired Cleethorpes legs. Given Taddy’s woeful record against the Owls having never beaten them, 1-3 still wasn’t quite enough to convince spectators that it was a foregone conclusion. You only have to look at last season’s League Cup tie with the Brewers 0-2 up only to lose 3-2.

Nevertheless it was time for the hoodoo to be firmly put to bed for good as Albion extended their lead further. Pete Davidson’s hook forward saw Town stopper Dylan Parkin rush off his line but he made a real hash of it completely missing the ball allowing for Lamin Colley to roll into the empty net, the easiest goal he’ll ever score.

Top scorer Joe Lumsden clearly felt left out of all the scoring fun as he marked his return with a standard goal. Hunger and desire shown to hunt the ball down before beating Craig Disley all ends up in the box and nonchalantly sliding underneath Parkin. Boy will Taddy be happy to see this man back!

The Brewers were thoroughly enjoying themselves at the new impressive home of Cleethorpes Town as Pete Davidson was next to go close as his bending effort from distance whistled agonisingly wide of the left-hand upright.

It was a five-star display from Tadcaster but it was incredibly close to being six of the best as in the final seconds Joe Lumsden nodded his way into the penalty box and smashed a ferocious half-volley off the inside of the post.

Full-Time: Cleethorpes Town 1-5 Tadcaster Albion

Cleethorpes: Parkin, Topliss (North 70), McKay (Walker 62), Richardson, Donald, Bloomer, Collins, Flett© (Disley 73), Vernon, Robertson, Oglesby

Unused: Mascall, Batty

Tadcaster: Ingham©, Barkworth (Barrett 86), Hardy, Rose, Coates, Miller, Whitehouse, Davidson, Savory (Lumsden 76), Howarth, Stewart (Colley 76)

Unused: Mycoe, Walters