Evo Stik Division One North
Mossley 0-1 Tadcaster Albion
Tadcaster celebrate Tom Corner’s winner. Picture: Matthew Appleby
Mossley will be rueing a number of missed chances, but a mixture of man of the match performer Michael Ingham, a batch of heroic defending and some poor finishing kept the Lilywhites scoreless.
Tom Corner scored the only goal of the game with a fantastic touch and finish into the bottom corner which continues his prolific start to the season.
Manager Billy Miller made three changes to the side that beat Scarborough last week as Gregg Anderson, Adam Baker and Liam Shepherd all started.
It was the home side who started the brighter on what was an extremely dull day in Lancashire.
Tom Pratt raced in behind the Brewers’ back four, but Ingham wasn’t going to be beaten that easily as he pushed away the striker’s effort and Steve Jeff hooked the rebound clear.
he same three were all involved three minutes later. Pratt struck on target, Ingham saved and Jeff cleared.
Just like last week against Scarborough, Taddy got off to a somewhat slow start with Mossley looking dangerous.
However Miller’s side came close to taking the lead after 17 minutes as Adam Baker struck a first time half-volley into the ground which fizzed narrowly wide of the left-hand upright.
The home side broke immediately up the other end as Damise Kiwanda managed to unleash a close range shot on target but Ingham was equal to it with great reactions at the near post.
Taddy grew in confidence as the first half wore on which resulted in a frantically entertaining affair.
The Brewers struck the upright after 25 minutes as Corner’s cross was wickedly deflected onto the near post.
Following the woodwork hit, Taddy had a good shout for a penalty. The ball rolled up the touch line and Callum Warburton flew in at pace and wiped out not just Corner but Anderson also. Nevertheless nothing was given.
Ingham was to be the thorn in Mossley’s side once again as Javan Benjamin was invited to surge forward & try his luck only to see the former Northern Ireland international tip his long range strike over the bar.
For much of the first half it was a case of the Lilywhites vs Ingham and just a matter of minutes later he pulled out his best stop of the lot.
The ball dropped nicely for Kyle McGonigle on the edge of the area to smash goalwards to which he did but Ingham, who saw the shot late through a number of bodies pushed clear with two strong hands.
Mossley then finally found a way of beating Ingham, over him, only for Mike Fish’s impressive chip to hit the crossbar.
The home side were showing no signs of letting up as once again they beat Ingham but this time Andrew Keogh’s deft dink was terrifically cleared off the line by the backtracking Andy Milne.
Taddy’s resolute defending proved to be even more pivotal as they took the lead four minutes from half-time. Baker did well to control and touch around the corner to Corner who instinctively touched and fired in his fourth goal of the season.
What made it even more impressive was the fact that Corner didn’t once look up towards the goal, he knew where the goal was and executed the strike to perfection.
Into the second half and Baker put on his dancing shoes and almost doubled Taddy’s lead but Liam Flynn charged out & thwarted the run.
It was a game of many chances and Mossley carved out their best chance of the afternoon seven minutes into the second half.
An effective switch of play saw Pratt drive in down the left-hand side and square across goal to an unmarked Fish who somehow missed the target from eight yards.
Taddy’s skipper Jimmy Beadle never likes to score ordinary goals and the former Scarborough man almost added another blockbuster to his collection.
The ball dropped to Beadle 32 yards out and he struck it super sweetly with the outside of his foot and it flew incredibly high and over the hapless goalkeeper Flynn only to see his unbelievable effort kiss off the underside of the bar.
Beadle then came close to putting daylight between the two teams but his power blaster of a free-kick whistled agonisingly over the mark.
It was an action packed afternoon at Seel Park as both sides were fighting incredibly hard for the upper hand.
Taddy almost gained the elusive two goal cushion in the 68th minute as Flynn watched Jason Mycoe’s strike fly inches wide.
Ingham was determined not to be beaten as once again he showed his class by denying substitute Doug Carroll’s fierce low drive.
The Team
Tadcaster Albion: Ingham, Barrett, Jeff, Milne, Anderson, Baker (Youhill 75), Shepherd, Mycoe, Morgan, Beadle (captain) (Sellars 68), Corner. Subs unused: Ibrahimi, Binns.