REPORT | No Goals At Colls

Billy Whitehouse and Aiden Savory both saw their close range strikes superbly blocked in the first half with Colls’ best chance coming in the final minute as a jet-lagged Michael Ingham saved well to keep out Burnett.

Albion boss Michael Morton made three changes to the side that drew at Ossett Albion in midweek as Michael Ingham returned, Harry Sheppeard was recalled and there was a first start for midfielder Mitch Langton.

Tadcaster started the brighter of the two sides in the Lancashire sunshine as Pete Davidson blasted narrowly over before Aiden Savory’s header was comfortably collected by former Albion keeper Greg Hartley. Adam Farrell had the home side’s first sighting at goal heading off target on the stretch. Nevertheless it was the travelling Brewers who continued to look the more likely to break the deadlock in the opening stages as Pete Davidson drove to the by-line and pulled back to Billy Whitehouse who’s strike from seven yards out was brilliantly blocked by Glenn Matthews. On an extremely bobbly pitch, Aiden Savory was next to go close as his header looked destined for the back of the net only for it to deflect inches wide.

From the resulting corner Greg Hartley dropped the cross but neither Langton nor Barrett could turn goalwards and Whitehouse’s strike never had enough pace on it to trouble. Fresh from his brace at Ossett Albion on Tuesday, Casey Stewart was incredibly close to adding to his tally here but the forward saw his strike from 22 yards swirl away. The final action of the half arose a couple minutes before its completion with Stewart heavily involved again. The tricky winger drove beyond full-back David Sherlock before feeling a challenge from behind which led to half-hearted penalty appeals but Mr Rooney allowed play to go on. Stewart was able to pull back across goal after going to ground however and it rolled invitingly for Aiden Savory who saw not one but two of his blasts well blocked by Danny Lafferty and Danny Lambert.

With the 100+ watching on at the Kensite hoping for a more entertaining spectacle in the second half, it’s fair to say that they weren’t exactly encapsulated with proceedings as the game ebbed and flowed. The first mentionable moment in the second forty five came on 64 minutes when Jack Kenny was dangerously close to turning into his own net prodding a free-kick inches wide of the upright. The game had a real end of season feel to it and almost seemed certain to finish goalless as Farrell flashed a looping volley across goal. Albion’s best chance of the half came six minutes from time when Mitch Langton cleverly released Stewart in behind but his half volley swerved comfortably wide of the near post.

Morton went all-out attack in the final five minutes sending Josh Greening and Will Annan on as well as ordering defender Josh Barrett to join the front line. The aforementioned Barrett flicked a corner goalwards after making a near post run but Hartley was equal to it once more. With the uninspiring affair almost over, Atherton carved out the clearest chance of the afternoon right on the full-time whistle as substitute Gary Burnett was released in behind one on one but Michael Ingham was alert to beat away the effort.

The first two games between the sides have produced two extremely uneventful encounters this season.

Full-Time: Atherton Collieries 0-0 Taddy

Atherton: Hartley, Sherlock, Matthews, Lambert, Lafferty, Grimshaw, Hardcastle (O’Neil 75), Cooke©️, Kenny (Hurst 60), Farrell (Burnett 80, Cusani

Unused: Messer

Tadcaster: Ingham©️, Sheppeard, Hardy, Roper, Mycoe, Barrett, Langton (Howarth 85), Davidson (Annan 77), Stewart, Savory (Greening 70, Whitehouse

Unused: Milne, Barkworth