After even more rain, the Young Guns Arena was ready on another cold February evening as the Tadcaster Albion players faced off against Golcar United. Sitting at seventh in the league, a win against 16th placed Golcar would push the Brewers up to a very respectable fourth in the play-offs. Safe to say, this would be a tense game with even higher stakes than usual.

A rowdy start to the match; players sprawled left and right as the ball gained a mind of its own. In the early minutes Tadcaster were looking for gaps with Golcar on the defensive, their first chance coming from Oliver Norman barely a minute into the game, with a decent shot just caught in the wind. However, things took a turn for the worst when the Taddy attacker came down injured and had to be replaced by Noah Kiwomya just 4 minutes in.

The first real attempt for the away team came from a free kick on the 10 minute mark that was narrowly kept out of the net - a reminder that the game could swing either way.

On twenty-two minutes there were further problems for Albion when Jayden Clarke-Thompson also went down, forcing the home team to make a second early substitution, bringing on Matty Mulhearn to replace him. After losing two key players before the midpoint of the first half, the match was turning into an uphill battle. On the half hour another chance fell for Golcar as Arbouin fired wide.

Tadcaster were feeling the heat as they struggled to turn the match in their favour. Keeper Ally Hughes made two fantastic back-to-back saves in the 33rd minute of the game, with Mike Morris clearing off the line. However, this proved a turning point for the Brewers, who started to regain control of the game.

An agonisingly close call for Tadcaster came 44 minutes into the game when a header from Kiwomya from George Pearson’s cross went just wide, causing a collective groan from the sidelines. Nevertheless, despite the 8 minutes of injury time after what had been a hectic first half, it was still goalless with all to play for going into the second half.

The Brewers started the second half with a third change, Mike Morris making way for Joe Billet. On the hour mark Tadcaster’s determination was rewarded with their first goal of the match, a high ball from a corner battered into the net by Miguel Cassama from close range after a mad scramble in the box.1 – 0.

Tadcaster’s final substitution occurred 73 minutes into play, with the tiring Cassama replaced by Desmond Okoro. Within a minute Okoro was on the score sheet, sliding a goal home off the upright under pressure in a packed box. 2 – 0.

In the 77th minute a scuffle broke out between the two teams as Curtis Senior battled for a header for which he was yellow carded, the incident causing a five-minute delay.

With two minutes to go Referee Shepherdson waived away calls for a penalty from the visitors, whilst skipper, Andy Shepherd, made one final effort for Tadcaster in the 90th minute, his header rebounding off the crossbar.

It had been a great victory that boosted Taddy up to fourth place in the league standings on the same fifty-one points as Barton Town who have a game in hand. Next Saturday, the 28th of February, the Brewers are at home to Penistone Church Kick Off 3.00 pm.

Tony Howarth Golf, Man of the Match - Spencer Harris

Starting XI: Hughes, Pearson, Senior, Shepherd ©, Harris, Morris (Billet), Norman (Kiwomya), Owen, Cassama (Okoro), Clarke-Thompson (Mulhearn), Green.
Substitute Not Used, Oliver Metcalfe.

Report from Annie Roberts – Photos Courtesy of Keith Handley