Adam Baker slides home his goal in Tadcaster’s 4-1 win over Pickering. Picture: Ian Parker
Apart from a specially made steak dinner, there was no birthday treat for returning Paul Marshall as four first half goals eased Tadcaster Albion to a 4-1 victory.
The win sent his former side back to the top of the Toolstation NCEL Premier Division table.
Marshall was serenaded with ‘happy birthday’ and presented with a posh meal in the bar, but he didn’t have the same smile on his face at half-time when his Pickering Town side were staring down the barrel of a heavy defeat.
All the build-up was about Marshall’s eagerly-awaited first return to the i2i Sports Stadium since his departure in May. However, all that was for nothing as his patched-up side were blown away inside 30 minutes in font of the bumper 579 crowd.
Without Denny Ingram, Tony Hackworth, Ged Dalton and Calum Ward, Marshall had to ring round at the last minute to gather a team together.
He managed to prise veteran forward Danny Gray, who hasn’t played all season, from Tadcaster on Thursday night so he did have someone leading the line.
However, his side looked tired after a recent busy schedule and Tadcaster took advantage. The speed of Josh Barrett broke them down for the opener and Josh Greening was on hand to score a simple tap-in.
Paul Marshall was manager of Tadcaster for seven years until his departure in May
Pickering goalkeeper Arran Reid, another ex-Taddy player and also someone who has not featured for a few weeks, then conceded a penalty after taking out Greening.
Jimmy Beadle missed a late spot kick at Barton Town Old Boys on Saturday, but he did not make any mistake on this occasion.
Pickering heads were dropping and Tadcaster piled more misery on with Adam Baker racing through to slot home a low drive.
Tadcaster were then awarded a second penalty when Barrett was taken down. Beadle added his second by hammering the ball into the roof of the net.
The second half was a different story as former Tad defender George Bissett missed a sitter in front of goal before Ryan Cooper pulled a goal back for Pickering.
Tadcaster Albion manager Billy Miller: “For me personally, the three points was all that mattered.
“To race into a 4-0 lead was brilliant for us. It is always difficult to maintain the momentum when you kill a game off as quick as that.
“Fair play to Pickering because they had a go in the second half and they had a couple of half-chances and got a consolation goal.
“We can move on from this because it was built up to something it probably wasn’t. Both sides can now settle down and move on.”
Pickering Town manager Paul Marshall: “I think ten games in 31 days has finally caught up with us.
“I have a lot of admiration for the lads for the second half because some of them must have been out of legs, but we did really well.
“I feared the worst at half-time because the Tadcaster front four were outstanding and Tom Claisse and Jason Mycoe were getting too much of the ball.
“We said to step up and stop them playing and we did that in the second half. It was a different game.”
Tadcaster Albion: Stevens, Armstrong, Clayton, Milne, Heath, Mycoe (Ormsby 82), Barrett (Stewart 90), Claisse, Baker (Conway HT), Beadle (captain), Greening. Subs unused: Black.
Pickering Town: Reid, Foster, Danby, Taylor, Turnbull, Tilsley (captain), Bissett, Cooper, Gray, Bennett (Richardson 71), Kamara. Subs unused: Heads, Lawrie, Dalton, Lake.
Referee: Duncan Street
Ref Rating: 8/10 (easy game to referee, gave a couple of harsh yellow cards)
Attendance: 579
Man of the match: Josh Barrett (Tadcaster Albion)
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