Evo Stik Division One North
Tadcaster Albion 1-2 Lancaster City
Tadcaster striker Tom Corner scored
It’s the same old story again for Tadcaster Albion as a number of missed chances saw them fall to defeat against Lancaster City, which included an extraordinary end to the first half.
Tom Corner gave the home fans something to cheer in stoppage time at the end of the first half as he smashed in his tenth goal of the season.
The celebrations were short lived though as Lancaster replied a matter of seconds later through Ryan Winder.
Jacob Bradley’s strike six minutes into the second half turned out to be the winning goal as Taddy’s poor run of results continues.
Tadcaster chief Billy Miller made two changes to the side that lost to Clitheroe as Adam Baker and Josh Barrett came back into the starting line-up.
Dan Thirkell had the first shot at goal of the afternoon but the former Harrogate Railway man blazed over the new main stand.
After an even opening, it was the visitors who recorded the first shot on target as Billy Akrigg’s effort bounced up awkwardly hitting Leon Wrigglesworth’s chest as Josh Barrett mopped up the pieces.
Taddy however should have taken the lead inside half an hour as they carved Lancaster open at the back.
It went from back to front in five touches as Wrigglesworth’s goal kick was flicked on by Carl Stewart and driven across the face of goal by Corner, but Baker strangely went with his right foot and flicked wide of the mark from eight yards with the goal at his mercy.
Missed chances has been the theme for Miller’s side in recent weeks and it was materialising once again as Stewart beat the onrushing goalkeeper to the ball but just couldn’t slide past Hale in the Lancaster goal.
However, Taddy did in fact take the lead in the 45th minute as Rob Youhill drove down the right-hand side and curled in a perfect cross putting it on a plate for Corner who empathically guided past Hale.
A perfect time to score, or was it. It’s only a perfect time to score if you see it out to the half-time break but unfortunately that wasn’t to be as Lancaster equalised immediately.
Craig Carney marauded past Josh Grant and Andy Milne before pulling back to Ryan Winder who made no mistake sliding home from close range.
The visitors may have taken the impetus into the break but it didn’t seem to have an immediate affect as Taddy began the second half on top.
Corner rose like a salmon to flick on target and past the goalkeeper but Mercer kept the scores level hooking off the line.
The chances were certainly free flowing for the Brewers as another opportunity to retake the lead was passed up on. Stewart’s free-kick was unconvincingly parried by Hale who recovered well to deny Baker from a simple tap in.
The aforementioned chances were to be highlighted even more as against the run of play Lancaster took the lead.
Jacob Gregory drove across the edge of the penalty area before rifling into the bottom left hand corner leaving Wrigglesworth with no chance.
This goal certainly gave the Dolly Blues a new lease of life as Louis Mayers header was cleared off the line by Barrett before Wrigglesworth made a super double stop to deny Gregory a second.
Taddy continued to look dangerous going forward as the time ticked by with Lancaster not looking overly comfortable at the back.
With eleven minutes to go, Hale was finally beaten in the City goal but, the woodwork was not. Substitute Conor Sellars slid in Stewart who sized up his man and clipped a cheeky effort over the goalkeeper which agonisingly kissed off the underside of the crossbar and ran to safety.
The last big chance for Taddy came in the second minute of injury time as Sellars’ terrific diagonal ball was chested beyond Adam Sumner by Stewart who opted to shoot instead of rolling in Josh Greening but again, he couldn’t find a way past Hale.
The Team
Tadcaster Albion: Wrigglesworth, Barrett, Grant (Shepherd 61), Milne, Anderson (captain), Mycoe, Youhill (Josh Greening 79), Thirkell, Corner, Stewart, Baker (Sellars 61). Subs Unused: Ibrahimi, Armstrong.
Thanks to Jay Taylor for this report.