Ideal conditions at the Global Stadium heralded the first warm up match prior to the anticipated start of the new season in the 19th September. The last time The Brewers played a match was on the 14th March, over five months ago.

Albion Sports were the visitors for the game, the Bradford outfit playing in the Northern Counties East league, one step below Taddy in the Northern Premier Division One North West.

Jack Vann was missing whilst Mitch Pattinson was rested following a minor injury in training. Manager Paul Quinn, otherwise had his full squad ready for action and played virtually two different elevens in each half.

Junayd Cassius-Gill unleashed a 20 yarder after only 4 minutes which brought out a brilliant save from the visiting keeper whilst Adam Porritt dragged another chance wide and for the opening 10 minutes the “lions” were very much on the back foot.

On 12 minutes Ify Ofoegbu had the ball in the net but was adjudged offside whilst James Ngoe suffered the same fate having collected a nod on from Cassius -Gill and lobbed the keeper. You felt, nevertheless that it was only a matter of time before Tadcaster would edge in front.

That said is was Albion Sports who very nearly opened the scoring on 20 minutes with a textbook curling free kick from just outside the area which need all of Michael Ingham’s experience to push the ball away to safety.

Ioan Evans' cheeky lob was met with a brave save from the keeper who then thwarted Omar Sanyang following a dangerous cross from Cassius-Gill. Guy Bolton put Ofoegbu through on the half hour but again the goalie got there first. However, the pressure was made to tell on 33 minutes when Ropers in swinging corner caused havoc in the Sports defence and Cassius Gill got the necessary touch in the goal mouth struggle. 1 – 0.

Albion’s centre forward hit a superb effort which was only a whisker above the crossbar although Ingham followed it all the way and was well positioned , whilst the striker could not capitalise on a miscued clearance which spun viciously back into the danger area.

The Brewers , however, doubled their lead on the stroke of half time as Omar Sanyang squeezed the ball through to Rafa Ferreira who took it wide before drilling a tight angled shot into the far corner. 2 - 0 .

A two-goal advantage at the interval was a fair reflection of the first half performance from the home side.

It was a completely different Tadcaster team who started the second half and almost immediately Bailey Thompson and Marco Basic combined well to put Kevin Santos through but the shot was too high. Simon Russell tried his luck but his low drive lacked pace whilst Dan Hartley put a peach of a ball through to Santos but he could not get a clean shot away from close range.

The visitors were far from finished – a dangerous cross which needed only a touch went begging whilst with half on hour to go a goal bound curling effort smacked against the upright.

The lively Santos having switched wings forced a good save as he shot from within the box but when Jamal Stewart put Bailey Thompson away on a run, he calmly slotted Taddy’s third into the near corner of the net from 12 yards out. 3 – 0. A cool finish and he could have doubled his tally almost immediately but for brave goalkeeping at close range.

Jake Rose half volleyed from distance but the keeper was equal to it and almost immediately after the drinks interlude, Russell and Basic played a terrific “one-two” but the shot cleared the bar.

With 20 minutes to go Kain Rogerson saw his free kick again just too high following a foul on Derick Ngwana, and moments later he put Ofoegbu away for a one on one but having rounded the keeper the big striker could not unleash the shot. However, on 77 minutes Ofoegbu raced through the centre of the park, beat the last defender on the edge of the box and thumped home number four. 4 - 0 .He too almost doubled his tally minutes later when Thompson played him through but the referee blew for offside – a tight call!

Rose set up the final goal when Cassius – Gill got on the end of his pinpoint pass and coolly rounded a defender and keeper before guiding the ball into an empty net. A classic goal.
5 – 0.

Despite the score line – Albion Sports gave everything to a hard-fought game and can take away many positives for their own new season preparation.

On Tuesday evening Tadcaster are at home again, this time to Knaresborough Town who also play in the Northern Counties East League. That match too will be played behind closed doors in accordance with Government legislation

Tadcaster First Half
Ingham ©, Porritt, Swift, Roper, Evans, Milne , Ngoe, Bolton, Ofoegbu, Sanyang, Cassius-Gill, Ferreira, Foster.
Tadcaster Second Half
Burn, Rose, Rogerson, Russell, Hartley, Crook, Ngwana, Stewart, Thompson, Basic, Santos

Report from John Clothier Photos Courtesy of Mathew Appleby