On Saturday Tadcaster welcomed Garforth Town to the Global Stadium in a hastily arranged friendly following the introduction last week of new Government restrictions on non-league football during the current crisis. With a sunny but cold day the pitch was in remarkable condition after the downpours from the previous day.

With the Brewers in eighth place in the Northern Premier North West Division and The Miners joint second in the North Eastern Counties (one league below) this looked an exciting but tight encounter and so it turned out to be.

Both teams used most of their squads with notable changes at half time. It was nice to welcome Garforth’s Manager, Paul Marshall, back at Tadcaster whom he manged for several years up to 2014/15. It was also good to see both Aaron Burn and Ryan Foster in the visitors line up – both are dual registered with Taddy

Albion started the brighter and Ifi Ofoegbu so nearly opened the scoring on 13 minutes when he collected an inch perfect through ball from Corey Roper and skimmed the cross bar as he cut in from the right. Michael Ingham , back between the sticks for the first time since his injury in September, needed all his speed as he rushed off his line to prevent a one on one as the visitors retaliated .

Kevin Santos put Jack Crook away in the box but having taken it around a defender , the dink over the keeper was just wide. James Burgess , spearheading the Garforth attack launched a 25 yarder but Ingham was well placed, whilst another effort within a minute from Sam Barker was too close to the far post for comfort .

At the midpoint of the half Garforth were enjoying their best spell of the game; Burgess battled his way through a packed box but Ingham produced a fine save to keep the score level.

On 31 minutes Junayd Pandor was agonisingly close after good work from Dan Hartley, whilst the Miner’s shot stopper was first to the ball as Ofoegbu steamed in after a peach of a pass from Ioan Evans. At the other end Charlie Marshall blasted over from the edge of the box whilst the best chance for Albion came almost with the last kick of the half but Santos’s close-range shot was saved by the keeper’s legs

Goal less at the interval was about right as both Managers started to re arrange their squads for the second half. With eight changes just for starters it was a vastly different line up for the Brewers.

Ian Maddox, in goal for Albion, was fortunate to survive a one on one with Barker as his shot went close whilst Derick Ngwana was caught offside as he looked well positioned to open the scoring

Nevertheless on 53 minutes Tadcaster took the lead when Kain Rogerson charged down the left flank before despatching a perfect cross into the six-yard box where Bailey Thompson was waiting to guide the ball into the back of the net beyond keeper Aaron Burn 1 – 0.

It could have been doubled when Rogerson was clattered just inside the box and the Referee, without hesitation, pointed to the penalty spot. However, this time Burn was equal to Thompson’s low drive to the near corner.

Garforth reacted positively to this early second half pressure with a 25-yarder skimming the crossbar before their next attack saw the ball in the net but Maddox was adjudged to have been fouled. With attacks flowing freely from both teams Garforth were unlucky when a free kick cleared the Taddy defence but rebounded off the bar

So, it ended with just the single goal separating the teams but it was as hard game played in the best of spirits with little involvement from the officials – just what the Managers wanted

Paul Quinn was happy with the performance;
“We got out of the game just what we needed. Apart from an early substitution when in the second minute James Ngoe felt a hamstring pull and sensibly made way for Dan Hartley, all our 20 players came through unscathed.
There was a little rustiness from most of the squad but having not started a match for six weeks that was hardly surprising. As it was the first team players and a number from the Emerging Talent squad had at least 45 minutes game time. It was important that our young ETS players had the opportunity to play alongside the established squad and they all acquitted themselves extremely well.
Marco Basic showed he was almost fully recovered from the ankle injury which has side-lined him for five months and we will see a lot more from him on the road to recovery. Michael Ingham came through his first game for ten weeks with flying colours – great to have him back.
Bailey Thompson looked up for the game and took his goal superbly after a terrific cross from Kain Rogerson - a well worked goal !”

First Half Team
Michael Ingham, James Ngoe (Dan Hartley) Ioan Evans, Andy Milne, Declan Racher, Corey Roper, Marko Basic, Jack Crook, Ifi Ofoegbu, Junayd Cassius Gill, Kevin Santos
Second half Team
Ian Maddox, Alex Foorde, Ioan Evans (Charlie Gore), Dan Hartley, Kain Rogerson, Romario Vieira
Simon Russell, Rinor Ejupi, Hass Gorji, Derick Ngwana , Bailey Thompson

Report from John Clothier Photos Courtesy of Mathew Appleby