Scott Phillips scored a last minute penalty for Barton against Tadcaster. Picture: Steve Hope
Tadcaster Albion’s title hopes hang in the balance after a 3-2 defeat at Barton Town Old Boys in the Toolstation NCEL Premier Division.
Scott Phillips’ last gasp penalty snatched a late victory for Dave Anderson’s men and complete a truly bad eight days for Tadcaster.
It started with the 2-1 reverse to Thackley last week and then the FA Vase exit on Saturday added to the woes before last night.
Phillips put Barton in front early on with a strike from a Barton free kick.
Jonathan Greening, back in the Tadcaster team for the first time since his coaching appointment at York City, hit the crossbar as the visitors responded.
Liam Ormsby levelled the scores from the penalty spot before Danny Gray had a header cleared off-the-line.
Barton took the lead straight after the interval with Danny Chambers scoring the goal.
Tadcaster created a lot of pressure and eventually forced the equaliser in the 80th minute with Andy Milne scoring.
But there was late heartbreak for Tadcaster as a foul on Phillips meant a penalty was awarded and Barton’s talisman stepped up to score.
There was still time for more late drama as Tadcaster had a goal disallowed for a foul on the Barton goalkeeper Rick Watson.
Tadcaster Albion manager Paul Marshall:
“You’re never to say that (the title hopes are over) until it is mathatically clear that you can’t win the league.
“It has made it very difficult. We said if we could win at Barton and Pickering we would still be in the race. It is going to be tough, but Barton have just said to us that they have all the top teams to play.
“You never know, you should have to keep going. I said nine wins out of the last eleven games, now we need nine wins out of the last ten games.”
Barton Town Old Boys: Watson, Owen, Gowan, Belcher, Dexter (captain), Ricketts, Norton, Kirk, Phillips, Chambers, Lattimore. Subs: Mortimer, Gill, Baker, McKay, Parker.
Tadcaster Albion: Lawrie, Bissett, Miller, Ormsby, Stimpson, Milne, Thompson (captain), Jonathan Greening, Gray, Patterson, Barrett. Subs: Ingram, Dhesi, Ward, Clarkson, Brown.
Referee: Simon Porter
Attendance: 126