Tadcaster Albion slipped to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Dearne & District as the visitors completed a league double over the Brewers.

With Harry Stead unavailable, Tadcaster named Halifax Under 23 loanee La’Trell McKenzie Jones in goal making his debut. Thierry Eastwood returned to the starting eleven after missing the midweek loss to Retford, with Dez Okoro & Ryan Gothard also returning to the starting lineup.

The first chance of the game fell to Tadcaster’s Oli Metcalfe whose strike from distance was just wide. Dearne began to challenge for the lead with 20 minutes played, after a corner fell dangerously in the box but was blocked on the line by Okoro.

Jamie Austin followed up with an attack after breaking away down the right wing and cutting inside, but his low effort was well held by Jones.

The rest of the half was a tightly contested affair with neither team threatening to break the deadlock.

The second half started in similar fashion until Jones was forced into a brilliant early save from Jordan Kershaw with Gothard arriving to clear the rebound off the line. Nevertheless, Tadcaster were punished on 50 minutes when a misplaced pass allowed Austin to break through and fire home from range. 1 – 0.

Dan Burns was shown the first and only booking of the game after being one of two players to attempt a chopping challenge on Olly Green.

Tadcaster’s clearest sight of goal came in the 68th minute after a free kick from substitute Curtis Senior was whipped in; Oli Norman rounded the defender and sent a perfect low cross into the six-yard box just eluding the incoming Nick Thompson.

With less than 20 minutes left a long throw-in by Dearne’s Owen Sykes floated into the box with Eastwood clearing a goal bound header off the line.

Tadcaster continued to search for an equaliser with Norman's delivery drifting inches beyond Gothard, while Green battled through two challenges before being dispossessed inside the area.

With three minutes to play, Dearne broke through but with Jones beaten by the initial cross, Gothard came to the rescue with a fantastic block preventing the chance going into an open net.

As the game went into added time, a long ball from Justin Circuit found Kershaw ahead of his marker breaking into the area and slotting the ball past Jones for the second.2 - 0.

Defeat leaves Tadcaster in the relegation zone, a point adrift of next weekend's home opponents, Parkgate; however, before that will be Tuesday night's West Riding County cup clash again at home to Silsden, KO 7.45 pm.

Tadcaster: McKenzie Jones, Gothard, Clark (Senior 65’), Metcalfe (Thompson, 46’), Pashley, Eastwood, Green, Harris, Okoro (Spellman 84’), Clarke-Thompson (Davy 73’), Norman
Subs: Spellman, Thompson, Davy, Pilkington, Senior

Report From Kieran Crook – Photos Courtesy of John Clothier