Four changes for the Brewers from their opening defeat on Saturday, saw a new look in the backline with manager Ryan Qualter and keeper Alfie Burnett coming in, alongside Alex Clark and George Brown reinforcing the forwards.

Parkgate opened the game as the more dangerous of the two sides with Jenson Ridge forcing Burnett into a good save with 4 minutes gone, then Jack Woodcock beat his man and struck an effort from a tight angle which was again saved by Burnett.

With 36 off the clock Tadcaster had been threatening to get on the end of the quality they were producing and an inch perfect ball over the top from Clark gave Charlie Owen the chance to nod the ball past Samuel Riches to give Tadcaster the lead.

Directly from the resulting kick off a poor back pass from Parkgate allowed Brown to latch onto it and take the ball round Riches with a last-ditch tackle keeping the score at just one.
Just before the half time whistle Qualter became the first player of the afternoon to go in the book for holding on to his man for a touch too long, with the resulting free kick being the last kick of the first half.

Six minutes into the second half Brown played through Jayden Clarke-Thompson whose effort was well saved by Riches. Tadcaster carried all the momentum and Olly Green’s run down the right wing led to a reckless challenge from Callum Rudd to get the latter into the book.

A back and forth second half came into it’s last ten minutes with Parkgate on the front foot. Substitute Jacob Pearson snatched at his chance and put an effort wide whilst Isaac Askwith got on the end of an excellent cross and thundered his effort against the crossbar with Lewis Binns arriving just in time for Tadcaster to clear the rebound.

The pressure carried on piling up as Parkgate pushed to level the tie with a cross again worming its way into the box and being heroically blocked by Aaron Pilkington after Burnett was beaten.

Into added time Tadcaster managed the final few minutes as Parkgate’s frustrations resulted in Harley Moore being booked for jumping into the back of Pilkington and several fouls brought the game to an end.

Tadcaster have got their season up and running and will be hoping to carry that momentum into Saturday’s clash at home against Thackley

Burnett, Pilkington, Gothard, Shepherd, Qualter (Cassama), Binns, Brown (Campbell-Baldwin), Clarke-Thompson (Halliwell), Green, Owen ©, Clark

Report from Kieran Crook - Photos Courtesy of John Clothier