Tadcaster’s away trip to Bottesford resulted in a 5-3 defeat at the Barrett Steel Stadium. A poor first hour saw Albion go 4-1 down before an attempted comeback with two goals was put to rest when the hosts got another with just four minutes to go.

It was an all too familiar story in the first half as The Brewers started brightly but then succumbed to three goals within the first 35 minutes.

On 11 minutes Bottesford opened the score when Jonny Nyantou broke away from Elliot Holmes in the box with pace and side-footed home into the bottom right. 1-0.

Albion rallied but when Hines appeared to be hacked down in the box following a corner, the referee blew the other way as the frontman was judged to have struck Cody Collins first on the turn. Straight down the other end, Green was tested by Josh Eccles, whose long-range effort forced him to spill the ball before Holmes finally cleared.

Luke Ayris was next on the scoresheet at the half-hour mark, when after Thirkell blocked his initial shot, he drilled home the rebound with an outside-the-boot first-time strike which swerved into the bottom left corner. 2-0.

Further misery was piled onto the away side via another Nyantou goal on the break on 34 minutes. After a poorly executed corner routine by the Brewers, Bottesford launched a brutal counterattack which resulted in the striker bagging his second, and Bottesford’s third.3 – 0.

There were vocal reactions of frustration from Tadcaster players at the restart, who became a more stable team from this point forward. 3 minutes later they were awarded a penalty when home keeper Ben Voase upended Luca Bolino in the box. Elliot Andrew stepped up from the spot and slotted home into the bottom left. 3-1

The Tad bench screamed for another penalty on the stroke of halftime when they were denied as Bolino attempted to latch onto a long pass back to the goalkeeper, but his ankle was caught by the gloves of Voase- surprisingly, a free kick was subsequently given to Bottesford.

Half-Time Bottesford Town 3-1 Tadcaster Albion

Tadcaster started the half with a reshuffled line-up, including three changes in Charlie Owen (taking on the captain’s band), Cassius-Gill, and Knowles, who replaced Wilson, Hines, and Thirkell. Greenway would also replace Ellington shortly after. Despite the mountain to climb, The Brewers were revitalized!

Andrew was hungry for more, attempting an audacious chip in the 57th minute as the number nine spotted the keeper off his line from around 20 yards out, however, his lob went just wide of the post. Bolino was denied by Voase on 55 minutes.

Nevertheless, against the run of play in the second half, Bottesford’s attacking prowess would strike yet again. In the 68th minute, a cross from the left by Nyantou was met by Ayris, whose looping header sank into the net to give the full-back his second goal of the game. 4-1.

Fatlum Ibrahimi replaced Sam Kitchen, and it was Deja vu for the Brewers who once again found themselves with 20 minutes to go, winning a penalty after conceding. Elliot Andrew stepped up and buried the ball into the net off the crossbar. 4-2.

Suddenly, it was game on. Greenway and Bolino had further chances to score, the latter latching onto a through ball and shooting toward goal, but before it could cross the line, his strike was blocked by Mason Chaffer who deflected the ball back into the hands of the goalkeeper.

The momentum of the game continued to be in Tadcaster’s favour before the inevitable happened in the 84th minute as Cassius-Gill pulled Bottesford’s lead back further. Despite the home defence blocking several efforts in the build-up, the ball pinballed to the winger who smashed a first-time finish past keeper Voase at the near post. 4-3

The feeling in the stadium was that a remarkable comeback was really on the cards, but it was an own goal which broke Taddy hearts at the end - Luke Ayris put the ball in the box but it fell to the unfortunate Owen who couldn’t get his footing right in time as he bundled the ball into his own net with four minutes to go. 5-3.

Albion had the final action in 6 minutes of added time but Bolino’s effort was tipped onto the post and away

Full-Time Bottesford Town 5-3 Tadcaster Albion

The loss puts Tadcaster in an uncomfortable league position as Bottesford now go ahead of the Brewers, who now sit in 17th, just four places above the foot of the table. A tough away trip next Saturday to Beverley follows – they have only lost once at home this season.

Green (GK), Wilson (Owen 45’), Tweed, Thirkell (Knowles 45’), Holmes, Kitchen (Ibrahimi 66’), Bolino, Shepherd, Andrew, Hines (Cassius-Gill 45’), Ellington (Greenway 63’)

Report from Felix Cox - Photos Courtesy of Keith Handley