The rain which had eased on route was back again for the whole match as Tadcaster took on Golcar, a team with a 100% home record this season and who knew that a win would take them to the top of the table with still a game in hand on Penistone and Albion Sports.

The Brewers were without the injured James Knowles, Jordan Hines and Junayd Cassius Gill whilst Charlie Owen remained on the sick list.

As they did in last Saturday’s match at Rossington, Tadcaster looked for an early strike with Ethan Kachosa leading the charge with a pulsating run down the left flank but the cross into the six-yard box eluded Albert Ibrahimi. On 5 minutes he had a one on one with keeper Harry Stead who saved with his feet.

Golcar stalwart Shane Killock hobbled off after just six minutes with what looked like a recurrence of an earlier injury, whilst another burst from Kachosa ended with a foul on Callum Petch. A Kieran Greenway corner was safely headed away , whilst on the quarter hour Ben Tweed’s run down the left flank was interrupted by James North who received a yellow card from Referee Jackson for his trouble.

At the mid-way point of the first half the hosts were in the ascendency and Albion had Sam Green to thank for a point blank save on 24 minutes. Petch then tried a twenty – five yarder which was easily taken by the Tad shot stopper.

With half time beckoning Tweed’s late tackle resulted in a yellow card and then with two minutes to go before the break Tadcaster were caught out; Jake Kelly’s run down the flank ended with a corner, the cross from which sailed over the Brewers defence for the simplest of tap – ins to the far corner from centre forward Alfie Wilkinson. 1 – 0

In added time Luca Bolino seized on a poor back pass to Stead but could not get a shot away, whilst the last action of the half fell to Greenway who skyed his long-range effort.
It was a disappointing way to end an opening half in which although the hosts had the better of the play, Albion failed to take their chances.

It was now the turn of Golcar to take the game to the visitors with North putting a tremendous through ball into the box but just beyond Wilkinson, Things, however, were about to turn ugly when Tweed was needlessly brought down by Petch leading to a degree of chaos which saw both Petch and Elliot Holmes booked.

Bolino burst through the Golcar defence just passed the hour mark in a rare second half attack but was dispossessed by Clee, at which point Manager O’ Connell started to ring the changes with Sam Kitchen and Elliot Andrew replacing Greenway and Ibrahimi (A).

Against the run of play The Brewers equalised with eighteen minutes remaining – Fatlum Ibrahimi’s long cross pitch free kick found Bolino in space on the right flank where he cooly slotted the ball into the far corner. 1 – 1.

The comeback turned to despair as Golcar came straight back from the restart. They broke quickly down the right flank as Holmes was adjudged to have fouled in the box which resulted in his dismissal and , after consulting with his assistant, the referee awarding a penalty. Video will show whether of not the incident was actually in the area. Kitchen was then sin – binned.

Wilkinson made no mistake in restoring the home lead on 75 minutes whilst Tad were (temporarily) reduced to nine men. 2 – 1
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Dan Thirkell was on to stabilise the defence quickly followed by Shuan Hudson as the nine men survived the ten minutes until Kitchen was waved back on.

With eight minutes added time Ibrahimi saw his free kick from thirty yards well over the bar but there was no way back. Another disappointing scoreline albeit the opposition is now top of the league, their home record intact.

Taddy must now focus on this Friday’s home league match when Campion are the visitors – Kick Off 7.45 pm.

Green, Hardcastle, Wilson, Holmes, Qualter, Ibrahimi (F), Bolino, Tweed, Ibrahimi (A) Greenway, Kachosa. Substitutes All Used : Kitchen, Ellington, Thirkell, Andrew, Hudson.

Report from John Clothier - Photos Courtesy of Craig Dinsdale