Chances galore in Tad-Brighouse draw

Evo Stik Division One North

Tadcaster Albion 1-1 Brighouse Town

Returning Tadcaster striker Josh Greening cancelled out Luke Parkin’s opener as the local derby with Brighouse Town ended in a stalemate.

Paul Quinn’s Brighouse broke the deadlock after just five minutes. Gary Stevens originally punched a corner kick clear but as it was regurgitated back into the box it was headed across and acrobatically fired in by Parkin.

This early setback seemed to spark the Brewers into life however as Rob Youhill came close to levelling things up just five minutes later.

The winger drove from the edge of his own box past Tom Haigh into the oppositions half before letting fly from thirty yards forcing goalkeeper Tom Taylor to make a good save to his left.

Youhill then curled the perfect ball into an area behind Brighouse’s backline and forward Greening cut inside Alex Low with ease and fired past Taylor at the near post.

Josh Grant has been very impressive at left-back since moving to Tadcaster and the former Frickley man started another attack as the home side continued to probe. Grant drove forward, cut inside and shifted to Adam Baker who took his time, glided past two tangerine shirts and shot low but again Taylor was alert to push away down low to his right.

The visitors looked very assured in the opening five minutes but as soon as Parkin netted the only goal, Taddy looked much the better side.

Just like Tuesday night, Tad were up against another goalkeeper in inspired form, Tom Taylor. A teasing cross from Youhill was unconvincingly cleared by Adam Field only as far as Fatlum Ibrahimi who volleyed straight at Taylor.

Billy Miller’s men continued the second half where they left the first and came within a whisker of taking the lead two minutes in when Gregg Anderson rose highest but glanced Sellars’ corner narrowly wide.

The Brewers continued to be the team asking all of the questions but on the other hand, Brighouse did still look threatening on the counter.

And they almost retook the lead eleven minutes into the second half, but Stevens was lightning quick off his line to block out Tom Dugdale’s shot.

Chances were certainly free flowing on a brisk afternoon at the i2i stadium but once again actual goals were proving to be a struggle.

For Tadcaster, Youhill slotted Adam Baker in down the right-hand side and shot on target but Taylor parried and Youhill’s follow up was belted off the line by Adam Field.

Devonte Morton, Brighouse’s debutant, almost capitalised on an error at the back but Stevens recovered well to push to safety.

Back up the other end and frustration around the i2i was only increasing as two more chances came and went. Youhill’s fizzing ball across the face of goal was on a plate for someone to tap-in, but Ibrahimi arrived just a second too late.

The aforementioned Ibrahimi was inches to putting Tad in front a minute later when the former Railway man shaved the crossbar with a brilliant left-footed effort from the edge of the area.

As good as Taylor was for the visitors, Stevens was also keeping his side in it. The stopper was quick to react once again blocking substitute Jack Stockdill from three yards out.

Taddy’s best chance to nudge in front came eleven minutes from time as substitute Liam Shepherd hung up a terrific cross to Greening who volleyed wide from just four yards out.

There was to be one final big chance in injury time as Grant’s crunching tackle fortunately ran over the top of the defence and in behind to Baker who raced through and struck low across goal but Taylor got down and held well.

The Teams

Tadcaster Albion: Stevens, Mycoe, Grant, Barrett, Anderson (captain), Thirkell, Youhill (Armstrong 89), Ibrahimi (Binns 88), Baker, Greening, Sellars (Shepherd 65). Sub Unused: Hansen.

Brighouse Town: Taylor, Field, Pearson, Pollard, Low, Atkinson, Bunch (Osborne 79), Haigh (Stockdill 63), Parkin, Morton (Robinson 90), Dugdale. Subs Unused: Illingworth, Ashforth.

Thanks to Jay Taylor for this report