A screamer from George Conway brought Tadcaster level against Bridlington
Tadcaster Albion went top of the Toolstation NCEL Premier Division as the quality of finishing prevailed in the 4-1 victory over Bridlington Town.
Lewis Clarkson returned to the i2i stadium with Brid and as always when a player returns to his former club he scored, after just nine minutes. George Conway levelled things up just before half-time with a screamer and another goal by centre-back Andy Milne got Taddy in front in the second half before Adam Baker wrapped the three points up with two brilliant goals which were identical.
Clarkson who marked his trade at the i2i stadium towards the end of last season was given too much space as he entered the penalty area and his low powerful strike had enough on it to creep under Gary Stevens in the Taddy goal.
The Brewers were struggling to get going in the first half and the young Bridlington side were impressing and excelling and spurned several decent chances. Firstly a cross from the left by Duka bobbled all the way through to Joel Sutton waiting on the edge of the box who struck well but was deflected narrowly over the crossbar. Duka on the left wing for Brid was standing out for the away side; small, agile and rapid wide man who wasn’t afraid to commit men and it was his cross in the 22nd minute which found Sutton again who prodded wide of the mark.
Clarkson came close on several occasions in the first half as his lofted header dropped just wide and then with just six minutes until half-time he beat goalkeeper Stevens to the ball but his shot was cleared off the line by Milne.
With Taddy creating very little in a disappointing first half, it took a moment of sheer brilliance from Conway in the 43rd minute to get the home side back in it. Conway picked the ball up 27 yards out, looked up and got just the right amount of dip on the strike to incredibly loop over James Hitchcock in the Brid goal.
Into the second half and Tadcaster had to improve if they were going to get the three points but it was the visitors once again who nearly gained a foothold as that man Duka saw his shot hooked off the line from a dangerous corner.
An hour gone and the NCEL match had an exciting cup-tie feel about it, none stop end-to-end action and that was proved as Bridlington went straight up the other end and played a lovely one-two to get in behind Tad’s defence which saw skipper Ash Allanson just have Stevens to beat but the goalkeeper pulled off a phenomenal point blank save to keep the score line level.
Tadcaster did score the crucial second goal of the game with 17 minutes left of normal time. Josh Greening floated a free-kick into the danger zone which fortunately dropped to Milne who blasted into the back of the net from close range to give the Brewers that lead to build on.
The visitors never stopped testing Albion’s back line however as soon after Duka surprisingly broke the offside trap but again Stevens to the rescue as he kept the winger at bay with a superb touch.
As the game entered the last ten minutes it started to become more and more stretched and the three points were wrapped up seven minutes from time. The dangerous Baker broke down the right-hand side, cut back onto his left-foot and smashed a shot with his weaker left-foot which thundered into the top corner to send that sigh of relief all around the i2i stadium.
Baker made it then 4-1 with a carbon copy of his first goal which rounded off another terrific victory for The Brewers.
Tadcaster Albion: Stevens, Armstrong (Barrett 89), Miller, Milne, Heath (captain), Claisse, Greening, Ormsby, Conway (Black 74), Beadle (Clayton 89), Baker. Subs unused: Woodhead, Beestin.
Bridlington Town: Hitchcock, Hesseltine, Whittingham, Allanson (captain), Nicholls, Jenkinson, Ruhanduka, Hawkes, Clarkson, Sutton, Waudby.
Referee: Mark Dywer
Attendance: 306
Thanks to Jay Taylor from Tadcaster Albion for this report.