Joy and despair: Tadcaster Albion hero Calum Ward wheels away after scoring the winner for in their FA Vase fourth round victory over Brocton. Picture: Ian Parker
Calum Ward propelled Tadcaster Albion into the last 16 of the FA Vase and a step closer to Wembley with the winner in the tense 3-2 victory over Brocton at a bouncing i2i Sports Stadium.
It was far from straightforward for the Toolstation NCEL Premier Division leaders, who were expected to easily beat the struggling Midland League outfit.
The script turned into a piece of improvisation, but Tadcaster made it through despite conceding after just five minutes.
Denny Ingram and Carl Stewart dug Tadcaster out of trouble to give their team a half-time lead before Brocton’s Carl Morris equalised straight after the break.
Stewart, along with the visitors’ Matthew Docherty, was then sent off for his role in a mass brawl, but Tad refused to let their emotions get to them and Ward sparked scenes of jubilation with the superb winner late-on.
Ward celebrated by running to the corner flag with the home fans jumping for joy in numbers behind the far end goal knowing that reaching the fifth round for the second time in club’s history was becoming a reality.
Tadcaster’s extra bit of quality showed at the end, but Brocton deserve some plaudits for their hard-working performance.
Brocton player/manager David Berks had said that his team would attack from the start, unlike teams slayed by Taddy in previous rounds such as Morpeth Town, and that promise was fulfilled.
Over 600 people turned out to watch the highly-publicised match – the Brewers’ biggest attendance in the modern era and most expected an easy home victory.
What they got was a close encounter as Taddy’s script was ripped-up within minutes.
The Brocton bench celebrate Sam Bell’s opener
Denny Ingram steers the ball home for Tadcaster’s equaliser
Denny Ingram and Tadcaster fans celebrate
Carl Stewart went from hero to villain after scoring and then getting himself sent off
Ingram’s mistake allowed Sam Bell to pull into fifth gear and sprint away from the Tadcaster defence.
Bell silenced the home fans with a cool finish, stunning Tadcaster.
The game-plan was successfully working and Taddy had a couple of rocky moments until the equaliser which provided redemption for Ingram.
Urged on by a cauldron of noise, Liam Ormsby’s corner was initially cleared, but the midfielder launched back into the box.
Stewart headed the ball down and former Halifax Town and Scarborough defender Ingram converted from inside the six-yard box.
Tadcaster struggled to break down a resolute Brocton defence until the second goal was scored on the stroke of half-time.
Paddy Miller’s cross from the left was nodded home by Stewart and Tadcaster were seemingly on their way.
But, Brocton refused to surrender and began the second half in the same manner as the first.
Tadcaster had narrowly escaped conceding from a chance that needed a goal-line clearance from Miller and they didn’t heed the warning.
Tadcaster allowed Bell to find Brocton captain Morris and he headed the visitors level.
More drama was to follow when a rash challenge by Charlie Jones on Josh Greening sparked a frenzy with players piling in from all angles.
Referee Harry Hawkins had the customary confab with his assistants and Docherty was the first to depart for head-butting Ward in the melee.
Stewart was dismissed for shoving a Brocton player in the chest, while Ward and Jones received yellow cards for their contributions to the mayhem.
Tempers flare after Charlie Jones’ rash challenge on Josh Greening. Picture: Ian Parker
Stewart sees red for allegedly shoving a Brocton player. Picture: Ian Parker
Calum Ward had the last laugh by scoring the winner
The incident pulled the best out of Ward, whose powerful performance in the final 30 minutes was a key factor in the victory.
Brocton couldn’t handle the former Glasshoughton striker, who held the ball up and bullied the away side, and his efforts were rewarded during a period of Tadcaster dominance.
The goal was coming, but it took some forcing because Brocton goalkeeper Callum Barrett was making save after save.
The Brewers were causing problems with the ball over the top and Ward was the beneficiary in the build-up to the winner.
The Brocton defence managed to catch up with him, but couldn’t prevent him passing to Ormsby.
Ormsby, the hero in the second round win over Morpeth, saw his low shot parried away by Barrett.
Ward reacted quickest to the rebound and smashed the ball in without a second thought from a tight angle to the right of the goalkeeper.
Tadcaster had the opportunities to totally kill Brocton off.
Substitute David Brown wasted the glorious chance after failing to score from only a few yards out two minutes into added time.
Some home fans must have worried when Barrett made the save and Brocton went on the attack.
There was an opening for Bell and fortunately for Tadcaster, Tom Morgan made the save and ensure that their name is in tomorrow’s draw.
It wasn’t the straightforward win that Taddy hoped, but a victory was all that mattered the Wembley dream is closer to becoming a reality.
Tadcaster Albion manager Paul Marshall:
“It was really tough. We knew it wasn’t going to be easy especially when you give away a goal in the first two or three minutes.
“I’m glad Denny made that mistake when he did because it gave us plenty of time to recover.
“We said we would score from a set-piece because I had watched them against Long Eaton and thought they looked vulnerable from set-pieces.
“To go in at 2-1 I thought we were comfortable because they only had the one upfront and it made it easy to pass out from the back and we playing some nice attractive football.
“But, we shot ourselves in the foot in the second half and I played hell with them because the moment you play backwards from a centre-kick you put yourselves under pressure.
“I was really annoyed with the goals we conceded.
“We upped the ante after the sending-offs because we didn’t want extra-time or a replay.
“We were always confident we could the win the game at half-time because we had seen what they had, but the FA Vase brings the best out of players and they responded in the second half.
“I’m just pleased to get through. At this stage you’re never going to get easy games.”
On the mass brawl:
“It was a bad tackle on Josh Greening and his ankle has ballooned up again so he is going to be out for a week or so.
“But, Carl has reacted and shoved him in the chest and their man has head-butted Calum.
“Carl is saying he shouldn’t have been sent off, but when you get involved and push somebody in the chest, you’re likely to get sent off.
“We have to be smarter than that because we can’t afford in competitions like this to do stupid things.
“You’re discipline has to be spot on all the time and it could have cost us, but Calum pulled us out with an absolute worldy of a left-foot shot.”
Tadcaster Albion: Morgan, Bissett, Miller, Ormsby, Milne, Ingram, Thompson (captain) (Patterson 68), Claisse, Ward (Dhesi 88), Stewart, Greening (Brown 72). Subs unused: Lawrie, Sparkes.
Brocton: Barrett, Rudd (Edwards 74), Hardiman (Lees 31), Doherty, Booth, Jones, Lomas (Ablewhite 54), Morris (captain), Bell, Berks, Evans. Subs unused: McMahon, Fife.
Referee: Harry Hawkins
Ref Rating: 6/10
Attendance: 637
Man of the match: Calum Ward (Tadcaster Albion)
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