It was a cool summer evening that greeted players for the pre-season friendly between Tadcaster Albion and Hallam FC on Tuesday evening and it would be a cool head that the Brewers needed to keep, in a match that was bound to be challenging against a team in the league above.

The match made a fast-paced start, with a Hallam free kick well saved by Ally Hughes in the first minute of play, and then a second attempt three minutes in from the Hallam number 16, Bradbury, also saved by the Tadcaster keeper..

Hallam did not completely dominate possession in the early part of the game, however, with a hesitant cross in the sixth minute from the Brewer’s Oli Norman kept out by the Hallam keeper, Warhurst.

Two back-to-back corners taken by Hallam number 18 thirteen minutes in, and the Premier league team was starting to demonstrate its prowess in the game. It was not long before the Countrymen’s first goal - an opportunistic long shot from fifty yards by Bradbury on eighteen minutes flew over Hughes and straight into the back of the net. Hallam 1- Tad 0.

With frustrations among the Tadcaster side rising, a foul against the Hallam’s Blakley led to an unsuccessful free kick taken by the Countrymen’s number 12 in the nineteenth minute. However, as the ball rocketed to the other end of the pitch the Tadcaster number 11 made a serious attempt at the goal just seconds after Hallam looked to be in the running to double their advantage.

A substitution for Tadcaster in the twenty-fifth minute brought on the number 16 and a fresh pair of legs for the Brewers.

Three unsuccessful attempts from the Countrymen in quick succession saw the Brewers battling to stave off another Hallam goal. A collision on thirty-three minutes left the Hallam number three, Aguas slightly injured, and the rest of the players with a moment to quickly rehydrate on the sidelines. Aguas was as a result substituted by Howard, just as the Tadcaster number 11 went just wide.

With only three minutes until the half time whistle, Hallam increased their lead to 2-0 with a goal from striker, Troke, who followed up on a chance from Lichfield that had been well saved by Tadcaster shot stopper, Hughes.. 2 - 0

Half time and the Brewers trailed 0 – 2 despite a good performance in the opening forty-five.

Changing to a different set of players in the second half, the home team had a mountain to climb to overcome the deficit. For their part Hallam brought on Howarth and Day replacing Lipka and Litchfield. Play was back and boisterous as soon as the whistle blew, with calls for a Tadcaster penalty denied by the referee only one minute into the second half.

After some back and forth on the pitch a chance for Tadcaster number 7, Mulharn, was kicked out by the Hallam keeper. The Brewers then took up the offensive, with two corners and another attempt on goal in the following few minutes of play but scoring was always just out reach. An injured Connor Ryan was substituted by Albion’s number 15 in the sixty-fifth minute.

Two back-to-back saves from the Hallam keeper after a great header and then a follow up from the home team meant that the pressure remained high going into the final twenty minutes of play, but with the Countrymen retaining their 2-0 lead, the likelihood of the Brewers scraping a win was starting to go down along with evening sun, as the floodlights were turned on to light up the pitch.

The final goal of the game was scored in the eighty-fifth minute by the Hallam substitute. Ward, who put the ball in the back corner with an impressive half volley.

The pre-season friendly ended with a 3-0 win to Hallam FC. Both teams played great football, and their respective supporters have much to look forward to in the upcoming season.

Taddy are in action again this Thursday when Nostell Miners Welfare visit the Young Guns Arena KO 7.30 pm.

Report from Annie Roberts - Pictures Courtesy of Keith Handley