With the pitch passing its fitness test during the afternoon, it was a slightly different Albion who turned out for the first meeting between the sides for several years. Raeece Ellington made his first start whilst Jayden John looked more at ease in a wing back role on the left flank. Skipper Dan Thirkell was back in the heart of defence but Conor Qualter, Luke Stewart, and Cody Collins (Still suffering with concussion from Saturday’s game) were all missing.

It was a blistering start from Tadcaster with John testing the keeper in the very first minute after Joe Crosby had blocked a clearance in the area. However, on seven minutes, Tad took an early lead when Goalkeeper Parkin completely missed Ben Tweed’s through ball and with a look of surprise, Crosby walked the ball in from close range. 1 – 0.

With just seven minutes played, Crosby put a peach of a cross over from the right met by John whose header hit the far post and rebounded straight into Parkin’s arms. Albion kept up the pressure and on eleven minutes Olli Norman got on the end of a precision pass from Ellington, gliding beyond a defender before slotting in number two. 2 – 0.

Norman headed wide under pressure from another Ellington cross, Crosby robbed Fewkes in the box but was denied by Parkin, whilst on twenty Minutes Handsworth had their first attack when Bagley shot from outside the area, but Wilton was well placed to collect. Parkin needed the physio as play was temporarily stopped, although there had been no contact.
Just past the mid-way point of the half, Crosby unleashed a goal bound screamer from outside the box but was denied by Parkin with a spectacular fingertip save. Tweed’s corner found Thirkell, loitering with intent, but he could not get his shot away. The “ambers” broke out with a decent lob, but Wilton saw it coming.

On the half hour Norman crossed from the right finding Elliot Holmes twelve yards out but again the fingertips of Parkin won the battle as he touched the shot over. Norman put in a run towards the byline but the pass into the six-yard box eluded the front men. Crosby set Ellington on his way, but the shot was straight at the keeper.

With five minutes to the break, Holmes was hacked down by Turner who received a yellow card; Sam Kitchen blasted the free kick well over the bar.

Two goals to the good was okay at the interval but it could have been more!

Albion restarted on the front foot with Crosby smashing a close range, acute angled shot, again denied by Parkin. Nevertheless on 57 minutes the pressure told with Holmes in the six-yard area nodding in to increase the lead and record his first league goal this season. 3 – 0.

Tweed was flattened on 59 minutes by Fewkes who was duly yellow carded, but the Taddy midfielder received the same punishment for reacting – harsh treatment which would have repercussions later in the match. On the hour junayd Cassius – Gill replaced the tiring Ellington but within five minutes Handsworth had clawed one back when Moxam was well placed to head home a free kick from close in. 3 – 1.

On 71 minutes, Crosby, on the end of a typical Norman charge, was instrumental as Albion looked to restore the difference and although Parkin saved the shot, it spilled to the waiting John who turned through 180 degrees to hit it home from close range. 4 – 1.

On 74 minutes Mick O’Connell was about to make a double substitution, Nelson and Hines for Crosby and Tweed when the Referee yellow carded Tweed again, effectively reducing The Brewers to ten men. It left the home contingent scratching their heads as the player had done nothing more than jogged towards the dugout as soon as he realised that he was to be subbed.

The ten men kept up the pressure: Norman hit the side netting from a difficult angle whilst in a rare amber’s attack Wilton saved well at the second attempt with ten minutes normal time to go.

On 90 minutes Cassius-Gill completely missed a sitter with just the keeper to beat, but the referee had seen an infringement and awarded Tad with a penalty, Junayd sending Parkin the wrong way with a bullet into the near corner. 5 – 1.

Six added minutes did nothing to change this decisive win which takes the Brewers up to 13th place in the league.

There is no game this coming Saturday as Hallam are in cup action, but next Tuesday we are away to Silsden KO 7.45 pm in a league match. On the 17th February we travel to league leaders Emley and on the 24th its our next home match when Penistone Church visit.

Priory Vodka Man of the Match Josh Hardcastle

Wilton, Hardcastle, John, Thirkell ©, Owen, Holmes, Ellington (Cassius-Gill), Kitchen, Crosby (Nelson), Tweed, Norman (Hines); Sub Not Used Romero

Report from John Clothier - Photos Courtesy of Craig Dinsdale. `