Saturday’s entertaining pre-season clash saw the hosts bag a late equaliser through Matty Mulhearn on the 78th minute, seeing the sides leave the Young Guns Arena at a stalemate. Ossett United proved a tough challenge for the home side given they will be situated in the Northern Premier Division One next season, one division above Tadcaster.
The game started at a reasonably slow pace, much as would be expected from an early pre-season friendly, with Tadcaster posing their largest threats down the left-hand side. It was clear from very early on that the match would be won and lost through a difficult physical battle in the midfield between the two sides as the opening 20 minutes saw very few chances created as a whole.

It was Ossett who had the first effort of the match in the 22nd minute through their right defender with a driven shot across goal from just outside the box on the right-hand side, requiring a good stop by Tadcaster’s number 1, Ally Hughes. Despite this, it was Tadcaster who took control of the half from here, producing two good chances a mere 5 minutes later with the first being an unfortunate volley from number 10, Kieran Greenway following a break from midfield. The second of these chances emerged from a free kick delivered from the right-hand side of Ossett’s half that fell to the feet of Spencer Harris, 10 yards from goal which flew just over the bar from a controlled and unlucky half volley.

The hosts took the lead just before half time through attacker, and matchday captain, Oli Norman with a sublime, sweeping finish into the far-left top corner after a great cross by fellow forward, Oliver Green.

Half Time saw a flurry of subs by both sides as each manager sought to give game time to many of their players but shortly after the break, Ossett struck twice in little under ten minutes to take the lead at 1-2.

A slightly more disjointed Tadcaster second half performance grew more controlled as the half went on, especially in attack as the substitute attackers began to create chances around the 70-minute mark to have the Ossett defence slightly worried.

But it took the home team until the 78th minute to grab an equaliser through their substitute, Matty Mulhearn, as he calmly poked home from a knocked down header at the back post after a pinpoint cross picked out the right attacker.

The game looked to have more goals in it but some great work from Tadcaster’s number 1, in the dying moments of the game kept the score level at the full-time whistle.
Tadcaster will be hoping to take the standard of today's first half into Tuesday's pre-season friendly away to Selby Town. The next pre-season home game for the Brewers is on Thursday 7.30pm against Bradford Park Avenue, another tough test for The team.

Charlie Ashworth.