The result sees Albion leapfrog Pontefract Collieries into second place in the Evo-Stik East League as well as reaching another new high in the club’s history.

With big games on the horizon spanning over a short space of time, Simon Collins opted to start Casey Stewart ahead of Billy Whitehouse giving the much-talked about winger a well-deserved rest.

Following plenty of overnight rain, the pitch at Stoke Lane passed a 10:30am inspection, somewhat surprisingly after arriving at the ground. With the surface incredibly cut up, it was never going to be the greatest footballing spectacle ever witnessed but it was to be the same for both sides of course.

As expected it was a real slog in the mud with many players slipping over frequently but the first dangerous moment fell to the hosts as a free-kick had to be well cleared by Ellis Barkworth. It was Albion who had the first effort on target though as Aiden Savory’s header was comfortably claimed by Carlton stopper Jack Steggles on 6 minutes. Jack Walters was providing a great outlet for the Brewers down the left-hand side as he found himself in acres of space time and time again allowing him to set up an overload with Aiden Savory.

Top scorer Joe Lumsden looked as sharp as ever up top for the visitors and he had his first sniff after 12 minutes but he couldn’t quite touch past the aforementioned Steggles. Carlton, who actually beat the Brewers on the opening day of the season, couldn’t convert in a positive five minute spell which culminated with Luke Smithson shooting over the crossbar from 30 yards.

Despite the treacherous conditions, Taddy were still persistent on playing neat attractive football as more openings started to appear in the final game before Christmas. Chris Howarth did well to latch onto a Savory flick down but his first touch took him too wide past goalkeeper Steggles and Casey Stewart couldn’t find the desired contact from the resulting cross. When Carlton did manage to break in beyond Tad’s defensive line, James Hodges was quick to extinguish the danger as the goalkeeper did very well to deny Joshua Kwadu.

However the only goal of the game was scored six minutes before the half-time interval as Lumsden notched his 15th of the season in all competitions. Casey Stewart sent a raking cross into the box, Aiden Savory headed down and that man Joe Lumsden was the quickest to react poking into the back of the net.

The Brewers came out for the second half starting strongly putting together several dangerous attacks but the final pass was slightly eluding them for the time being. Carlton’s best chances to draw level both fell to Niall Davie in the space of a couple minutes. The midfielder couldn’t quite turn home a free-kick at the back post before an ever better chance materialised, driving over the mark from inside the box.

The pressure was intensifying on the Brewers’ back-line with many long throws launched into the mixer but Josh Barrett, Harry Coates, Jack Walters and James Hodges continued to deal with them impressively. Taddy’s best chance to double their lead and make absolute sure of the points came on 73 minutes after a simply sublime counter-attacking move from a Carlton long-throw. Casey Stewart carried the ball into the opposition’s half before getting it back off Joe Lumsden, Ellis Barkworth dummied his cross to Aiden Savory who slid agonisingly wide. It really would have been a brilliant team goal from one end to the other. Despite this chance not resulting in a goal, Albion's counter-attacking exploits was still exemplary given the state of the playing surface. Casey Stewart and Ellis Barkworth were working superbly in tandem with Howarth, Savory and Joe Lumsden all running themselves into the ground showing that team spirit is at an all-time high.

The Savory chance was undoubtedly a massive one and one that was almost made to pay as Millers’ half-time substitute Henry Rollinson struck inches wide of Hodges’ goal with a rasping effort from 23 yards out. As time slowly ticked by, it looked as though Tadcaster were going to hold on for another win on the road. However, Savory then had a second clear chance to relieve the somewhat tense travelling Taddy fans but the number 11 dragged wide of the goal after being played through by Lumsden.

As previously stated, Carlton’s best chance to cause an upset was the two moments in quick succession for Niall Davie but nevertheless the Brewers dug in admirably to record a sixth straight away victory extending their unbeaten run to 11 matches.

Full-Time: Carlton Town 0-1 Tadcaster Albion

Carlton: Steggles, Smithson, Bartle (Blake 72), Robinson, Bertram, Frost, Davie, Clark, Kwadu (Ebanks 57), Hutchinson©, Mathews (Rollinson HT)

Subs: Pick, Tomlinson

Tadcaster: Hodges, Barkworth, Walters, Roper, Coates, Barrett, Stewart, Davidson©, Lumsden, Howarth, Savory (Whitehouse 90)

Unused: Hardy, Mycoe, Miller