The Brewers bounced back from a disappointing defeat in midweek which saw them exit the FA Cup with a battling draw in an entertaining tie in South Yorkshire at the ‘Home of Football.’

There was no sign of a hangover from the midweek defeat to Tow Law Town as Tadcaster started brightly; in the fourth minute Jack Crook drove into the box, beating the keeper to the ball before being impeded and winning Tadcaster an early penalty.

After a little delay with the hosts not being happy with the decision, up stepped Brett Agnew who was denied by the keeper diving to his right but Jack Carr was in the right place at the right time to coolly side foot the rebound into the far corner to give Taddy the lead.

In the 14th minute Kesi Omolokun was well placed on the goal line to hook the ball away as Sheffield pushed and came close to an equaliser.

Three minutes later Stevie Smith drove down the right playing a clever one-two with Mark Ferguson - the full back drove into the box before seeing his cross blocked and ricochet off the Tad man and out for a goal kick.

Little before the half hour mark the referee was again pointing to the spot, this time at the other end of the pitch in favour of the hosts. Jack Johnson was the man who was adjudged to have handled the ball and was subsequently shown his second yellow of the afternoon after an earlier foul brought the former Scarborough man his first and the Brewers were reduced to ten men.

Steven McDonnell stepped up but he was denied by the former Sheffield keeper Ryan Musselwhite who parried - the ball fell back for McDonnell but he headed wide of the mark.

One minute later Tadcaster almost doubled their advantage, Agnew flicked a header on from a Ferguson long throw into the box, Carr lurked at the back post and beat the keeper with his effort but a sliding clearance off the line prevented him netting his brace.

The hosts levelled the game in the 44th minute. Harry Mitchell won the ball back in the midfield before giving the ball to Nodder who was perhaps lucky to still be on the pitch after an altercation with Cody Cromack went unnoticed, the Sheffield man however, fired a powerful shot in from outside the box.

In added time at the end of the first half Musselwhite stayed big to deny a header from McDonnell from point blank range, the striker then missed the follow up as the sides went in level at the break.

In the 51st minute Carr was doing his usual foraging, chasing a loose ball over the top before brilliantly managing to get around his man and into the box; the winger then just failed to get the shot away as Sheffield recovered and cleared .

A minute later Musselwhite again was called into action doing well to take a header and hold onto the ball at the second attempt. He was again on hand to rescue Tadcaster in the 60th minute - at full stretch, the keeper was down smartly to save an effort from inside the box.

After the hour mark the game became more stop start with a second drinks break and substitutions breaking up play.

John Deacey turned to the bench to introduce Pete Davidson for Brett Agnew, new arrival Nathan Curtis for Jack Carr and Sam Barker for Cody Cromack.

As the game ticked towards the final fifteen minutes the Tadcaster backline stayed resolute and defended well as a unit dealing with Sheffield’s increasing pressure.

The final action of the game saw Musselwhite punch out a corner, the ball fell the way of the hosts but a number of white shirts were quickly out to block as the referee called time with honours even.

A well-earned point for Tadcaster who had to play for over an hour with ten men in sweltering heat away from home starting the campaign off almost identically to last season with a draw against Sheffield.

Next up for the Brewers is the first home game of the season as Cleethorpes Town are the visitors to the SoTrak Stadium on Tuesday 16th August, kick off at 7:45pm.

Away Supporters Man of the Match ; Ryan Musselwhite

Musselwhite, Smith, Hartley, Beaston, Omolokun, Crook, Cromack (Barker), Johnson, Ferguson, Agnew (Davidson), Carr (Curtis)

Subs not used: Jessop, Grant.

Report by Olly Wood. Picture Courtesy of John Clothier