It was a sunshine filled Express Worktops Stadium that greeted Tadcaster as they travelled to Sheffield to face tenth placed Handsworth who stood ten points ahead in the league at the start of play. With three key players red carded at Campion, Mick O’Connell made several changes to the team with Jamie Tomlinson, Lewis Shillito and Dan Davy making their first appearances from the start.

Albion opened positively with Tomlinson denied by both keeper Parkin and the offside flag on two minutes. Haydon Habetz was a whisker away from a poor back pass before seeing his effort from the box safely taken by Parkin. In Handsworth’s first attack Mitch Dunne charged in from the left but Sam Green was ready for the shot, whilst on six minutes Shillito put Habetz through in the box but Carne was there first.

The Brewers took the lead on ten minutes; another back pass was cleared by Parkin but straight into the path, on a charge, to Habetz who blocked the clearance and watched the ball fly in off the far post . A real opportunist’s strike 0 – 1.

Olly Norman found Steve Smith in space but the volley cleared the bar, whilst on sixteen minutes the visitors were lucky not to have surrendered their lead as a curling corner sailed over the defence but was cleared off the line by Shillito. Norman created havoc as he beat three defenders on a charge down the left flank but Shillito could not properly connect.

Play was held up at the mid-way stage of the half when Davy and a defender both went down after a clash and although the Taddy man looked dazed, it was in fact, an ankle injury which ended his day, Sam Kitchen taking over.

Handsworth equalised soon after the restart of play when an Ambers attack resulted in a cross to the far post where the unmarked Alfie Dodds was waiting to hammer the ball home beyond the stranded Green. 1 – 1.

With ten minutes to go before the break, Kitchen had a chance with a low free kick following a trip on Shillito just outside the box, but it was straight to Parkin. Hayden caught an arm in the face but was able to continue and a shot resulting in a brilliant save from Green was offside anyway.

The score line was a fair reflection of the game at the half way stage.

Handsworth were quickest out of the box as play resumed, Dunne, cutting through the Albion defence but thankfully dragging his shot wide. Tomlinson was still causing problems down the left but what looked a dangerous cross on 49 minutes was too strong. A good move down the right from Norman saw his cross just cleared by Currie before Tomlinson could convert.

On 52 minutes Dunne put a powerful pass across the Tad six yard line to striker Scott Ruthven who had lost his defender but had slightly over run his approach, having to lean back to head the ball home and clearing the cross bar for his trouble – a let off for Tadcaster! Ruthven had another try a minute later but was adjudged offside by Referee Atkin.

Fraser Middleton - Tozer took over from Shillito on the hour, just before Dodsworth looking for his second , shot inches wide. James Knowles limped off to make way for Keiran Greenway on sixty-four minutes whilst Kitchen was perhaps fortunate to receive only a yellow for tripping Currie who collided with the perimeter fencing.

Green continued to dominate the goal mouth and produced an immaculate save on 73 minutes to tip a goal bound swerving effort from substitute Fewkes onto the bar.

As the game entered its final phase the home side had several chances to steal the game: Tavares was so close for the hosts on 82 minutes, whilst they had another chance in the penultimate minute of normal time, but Charlesworth threw himself at the ball to save the day. Substitute Jesse Omoregbee had a free header on 90 minutes but it hit the cross bar.

Olly Norman could have settled matters in added time but was fractionally wide whist Green was nothing less than superb as he parried a shot from the left before diving to clutch the subsequent shot.

A good showing from the Taddy team, in particular from all the new and younger players.

Next Tuesday 4th March we are away to Albion Sports (Kick Off 7,45 pm), on Friday 14th March we are at home to Albion Sports, we visit Barton Town on 21st March , whilst entertaining Hallam on the 29th of March. Our final league game of the season is at home on Saturday 5th April when Beverley come to Tadcaster.

Green, Smith, Charlesworth, Wilson, Knowles (Greenway), Ibrahimi ©, Norman, Davy (Kitchen), Shillito (Fraser Middleton-Tozer), Habetz (Cassius-Gill), Tomlinson (Owen)

Report and Photos from John Clothier