Goals from Joe Pugh and debutant Jack Reynolds gave the Brewers an impressive 2-0 lead at the break before the pluggy Owls rallied in the second half.

Brody Robertson’s tap-in swung the momentum in favour of the Evo-Stik South side and was the start of the turnaround.

The tie looked to be heading to a penalty shoot-out after Oli Jordan turned in with a couple minutes to go.

However, The Owls set up a rematch of last year’s FA Vase Final with South Shields in Round Three after substitute Danny North glanced in from a corner in the 96th minute, despite four being added on.

Taddy were gutted to crash out of the competition and let a two-goal lead slip but nevertheless the side was made up of six U21’s who fought admirably for the entirety of the cup tie and went toe-to-toe with a very strong Cleethorpes team.

Surrendering a two-goal lead is always difficult to swallow but on reflection it’s a valiant effort with Michael Ingham, Chris Howarth, Josh Barrett, Lawrance Hunter, Conor Sellars, Josh Greening, Aiden Savory, Tom Corner and Adam Baker all not featuring.

Manager Michael Morton travelled to Lincolnshire with a much-changed side due to a hefty number of absentees.

Goalkeeper Tom Young and Defender Fraser Hansen both made their first appearances of the season whilst Jack Reynolds made his full debut coming in from i2i’s International Soccer Academy.

Youngsters Fraser Papprill and Casey Stewart also kept their places in the starting eleven with Tom Gore on the bench for the first time in two years.

Returning Owls favourite Brody Robertson had the first chance of the contest after a ricochet fortunately ran for the forward who fired wide of the mark.

Albion’s fight sighting of goal arose ten minutes later as Aaron Hardy crossed in to Casey Stewart who just mistimed the near-post volley.

Tom Young was making his competitive debut in goal for Taddy and he was called into action when Marc Cooper sent a dipping volley through a crowd of bodies and the stopper did well to react sharply and tip over.

18-year-old Casey Stewart seems to be taking his chance in the first-team with both hands and he almost broke the deadlock on 26 minutes after dancing around two blue shirts and bent narrowly wide.

Fraser Hansen, who is dual-registered with Hall Road Rangers in the NCEL, was impressing at left-back and the youngster’s brilliant cross led to the opening goal.

American debutant Jack Reynolds carried the ball up the pitch before waiting and feeding Hansen on the overlap who whipped in a divine cross in for Joe Pugh to finish well on the stretch.

And Tadcaster were two up with three minutes left of the first half as Casey Stewart cleverly flicked in behind to Jack Reynolds and the talented youngster from Colorado made no mistake flicking calmly past the advancing Richard Walton.

What a debut this was turning into for the player who only started training with i2i’s International Soccer Academy in September.

It was an excellent display from Albion’s young guns in the first forty five but the real test was still to come.

The hosts made an immediate improvement after the break and came close to reducing the deficit in the opening minutes as Marc Cooper’s strike deflected just over.

Cleethorpes showed the reaction that their management team will have wanted but another opportunity came and went quickly after Luke Aldrich drove inches wide.

The chance to strike on the counter attack was always prominent for Taddy with the Owls pushed high up and Jason Mycoe went close to effectively wrapping up the win but his long range effort dipped off target.

As aforementioned, the space in behind gave the likes of Stewart, Reynolds and Pugh the opportunity to go and kill the game off but it was Pete Davidson who squandered a fantastic chance.

The ever-impressive and ball dominating midfielder drove into a plethora of space in Cleethorpes’ half but his through ball to an unmarked Corey Roper was over-hit.

Taddy were enduring a positive spell in the match and Jack Reynolds was denied a great chance to grab the all-important third goal.

Captain Andy Milne flicked on Joe Pugh’s long throw into the path of Reynolds who was just about to pull the trigger from close range only for referee Kevin Saunby to award a free-kick to the home side.

Pete Davidson’s return from injury has been a huge boost to the Brewers but the midfielder was withdrawn for Tom Gore on 69 minutes with Saturday’s fixture against Colwyn Bay in mind.

As a result, ball retention did decrease but this was expected when a player of Davidson’s quality is brought off.

And Town’s relentless pressure paid off with twelve minutes of normal time remaining.

A quick free-kick caught Tad off-guard and a simple square ball beyond Young was tapped in by Brody Robertson.

This obviously gave the Owls ahead of steam in the final ten minutes but defenders Andy Milne and Fraser Papprill did very well to clear the danger time and time again.

However, Taddy’s two-goal lead came unstuck in the 88th minute when a corner found its way to an unmarked Liam Davis on the right-hand edge of the penalty box and his drive back across goal was turned in by Oliver Donald.

The Brewers were unhappy with the award of the corner kick in the first place after Daniel North looked to have shoved Fraser Hansen off-course before heading out.

It looked as though the cup tie was going to be decided with a penalty shoot-out but it wasn’t to be as Albion were left stunned.

Despite four minutes being indicated at the end of the half, 96 minutes were on the clock when substitute Daniel North nodded in from a corner at the near post to send Town through to Round 3.

Full-Time: Cleethorpes Town 3-2 Tadcaster Albion

The Taddy boys put in a tremendous effort and the youngsters will have gained some more invaluable experience.

Good luck to Cleethorpes in the next round who now welcome North high-flyers South Shields.

Cleethorpes: Walton, Lacey, Norburn (Oglesby 64), Dickens, Bloomer, Donald, Aldrich (Richardson 60), Flett ©, Robertson, Cooper (North 69), Davis

Subs Unused: Gray, McGrath

Tadcaster: Young, Hardy, Hansen, Mycoe (Holmes 87), Milne ©, Papprill, Roper, Davidson (T. Gore 69), Reynolds, Pugh, Stewart

Subs Unused: Ingham, Savory

Attendance: 106