The only thing not soaked on Saturday was the pitch at Beverley but conditions in the driving rain and strong wind made for the most difficult of games. New signing Nathan Heaton was straight into the defence forming an instant partnership with Steve Smith whilst Oli Norman had to wait for the hour mark before making his return debut.

The Beavers had the wind to their backs in the first half but in the early stages the Brewers battled well. Nevertheless, they were undone on 17 minutes when Beverley Captain James Piercy put a 30-yard defence splitter through to striker Connolly who hammered the ball from just inside the box into the far corner. 1-0.

Tadcaster responded almost immediately with Smith’s cross into the danger area to Elliott Andrew but the shot was cleared. Andrew Shepherd blocked a goal bound strike on 22 minutes whilst on the half hour Dan Thirkell’s intervention in the six-yard box avoided what looked like another chance for Beverley.

Having weathered the storm (?) Albion equalised in the thirty eighth minute: Luca Bolino raced down the right flank and from just behind the half way line put an inch perfect ball through to the advancing Andrew who , with two defenders on his tail, waited for keeper Dash to come off his line before coolly placing the ball in the near corner of the net. 1-1.

With the momentum now switched in Taddy’s favour, they had two more chances before the break. On 42 minutes Kieran Greenway played a “one - two” with Andrew but could not get the bouncing return away, while Junayd Cassius-Gill put Greenway through again but the keeper saved from a narrow angle.

And that should have been that so far as the first half was concerned but Beverley went ahead again with virtually the last kick three minutes added time. As the hosts attacked Connelly put a pass through to Stockhill some twenty-five yards out and as he turned there was slight contact with Ben Tweed; Referee Trevethan awarded a direct free kick which Snelgrove pitched over the wall and into the corner of the net. 2 – 1.

With the weather getting progressively worse, the second half got under way and on 50 minutes Tadcaster were so close to another equaliser when an inch perfect cross in to the box from Fatium Ibrahimi was met with a header from Dan Thirkell; it looked on its way but Dash finger tipped it over the bar.

Just two minutes later the Beavers got a third when Albion, with six players in the box, failed to clear a cross into the danger area which then gave the incoming Piercy a simple toe poke. 3 – 1.

On 57 minutes The Brewers again narrowed the score when a mix up between two Beverley players enabled Bolino a penetrating cross into the box met by Cassius-Gill ten yards out; his shot struck the post bouncing out to Tweedy whose effort from close range was cleared. In the meantime, Andrew had been upended as he also tried to get a shot in - again the Referee pointed to the spot. Andrew dusted himself down giving Dash no chance . 3 – 2.

With Oli Norman on for Bolino, Andrew went for his hat trick on 65 minutes - Shepherd found Smith in space on the right and the cross was straight into the six-yard area but inches away from the striker’s boot as he threw himself into the fray.

Despite substitutions (Albert Ibrahimi for Cassius Gill, Jordan Hines for Shepherd and Mason Wilson for Greenway), Albion could not find a way through and it was the hosts who put the lid on the match in the eighty second minute , poor defending allowing Snelgrove his second of the day.

Our fourth from bottom position in the league is starting to look precarious and points are needed straightaway to ease the pressure. The upcoming games at home to Eccleshill next Saturday and the two subsequent away fixtures against Winterton and Frickley cannot be underestimated.

It was a baptism of fire for new defender Nathan Heaton but he acquitted himself admirably. Ditto new players Steve Smith and Oli Norman

Green, Smith, Cassius-Gill (Ibrahimi A), Ibrahimi F, Heaton, Thirkell ©, Bolino (Norman), Shepherd (Hines). Andrew, Tweed, Greenway (Wilson) Sub Not Used, Charlesworth.

Report and Photos John Clothier