Evo Stik Division One North
Tadcaster Albion 4-3 Trafford
Josh Greening scores the winning goal during Tadcaster Albion’s 4-3 win over Trafford
Josh Greening hit the last gasp winner as Tadcaster Albion stopped the rot on by coming from behind twice to beat promotion chasing Trafford at the i2i stadium.
The Manchester based side looked to be well on track to inflicting more frustration on the Albion after going two goals up at the start of the second half.
However, two goals in the space of two minutes from Carl Stewart and Gregg Anderson saw the sides draw level with less than twenty minutes remaining.
A composed finish from substitute Stewart put Taddy in front for the first time before the pendulum swung again with Mark Derbyshire thundering home.
The exhilarating second half drama wasn’t finished there though. Greening was the match winner in the final minute after nonchalantly stroking past Trafford’s number one.
Tad boss Billy Miller made one change to the defeat at Lancaster with Jono Greening coming back into the team.
It took just nine minutes for the deadlock to be broken as the visitors struck early.
Not quite as early as the last meeting ten days ago when three goals were scored in the first ten minutes.
Ash Woods surged down the left-hand side before playing across to Andy Keogh who saw his side-footed effort squeeze past Chandler Hallwood into the bottom corner.
Taddy were seeing the vast majority of the ball and working in the correct areas in the opening stages but only looked dangerous through Rob Youhill’s fizzing crosses from the right towards Tom Corner.
Third-placed Trafford have had greater joy on their travels this season, and you could see why.
Tom Baker’s side looked solid and organised at the back and in midfield and limited Tad to very few chances.
Craig Lindfield went incredibly close to doubling their lead with an audacious flick-up and volleyed effort bouncing inches wide.
Nobody saw what escalated in the second half to happen however.
Trafford did in fact double their lead six minutes into the second half.
A sliced clearance from Jordan Armstrong dropped to the aforementioned Craig Lindfield who volleyed home from close range.
These were now worrying signs for the Brewers who, in their current run needed to breakdown an impressive Trafford side to pick up some much needed points.
Corner would have been disappointed not to have reduced the deficit soon after, only making minimal contact on a free header from a corner.
Billy Miller was then forced into a reshuffle ten minutes into the half when Josh Barrett had to be helped off the field with suspected ankle ligament damage.
The substitution saw Jono Greening move back into the middle of midfield, Dan Thirkell back alongside Anderson and Stewart to come on to partner Tom Corner up top.
Stewart, who replaced the injured Barrett, marked his arrival with a timely goal in the 70th minute.
Josh Greening’s low drive was fumbled by goalkeeper Terry Smith and Stewart was in the right place at the right time to prod home from a yard out.
It’s amazing what a goal does as less than a minute later Tadcaster had come from behind to draw level.
Josh Greening the provider once again curling a teasing corner in for defender Anderson to powerfully head home his first of the season.
All of a sudden the momentum had drastically moved back towards Taddy with the fans becoming increasingly vocal.
After a pretty stagnant first half, the second forty five ignited the feel-good feeling back around the i2i stadium.
Albion were pushing hard to take the lead for the first time, and recent provider Greening had a glorious chance to do just that. The ball fell kindly to the forward inside the area but struck firmly over the bar.
However, The Brewers did score the fifth goal of the night to go 3-2 up with eleven minutes to play.
The substitute and the reshuffle in personnel appeared to be the turning point in the match as Stewart netted his second goal in the space of nine minutes.
Jono Greening’s lofted ball in-behind Trafford’s back-line was sharply latched onto by Stewart who drove in on goal and kept his composure slotting past Terry Smith.
Cue the Taddy roar again.
And just when you thought Taddy had completed a terrific comeback and were on track for a big three points, back came Trafford with an equaliser after 83 minutes.
6’5 centre forward Derbyshire was the man off the bench to produce another twist in a quite incredible topsy turvy second half.
The huge forward thundered in a ferocious strike into the roof of the net from the edge of the area leaving Hallwood with little chance.
Nevertheless, there was still to be one final twist in the encapsulating encounter as Taddy put an end to their recent run and scored the all-important seventh goal in the last minute.
Former Fulham and West Brom midfielder Jono Greening marauded forward and put in a crunching tackle to start the attack which got the fans going.
Stewart then showed fantastic vision and self-control to simply square to an unmarked Josh Greening who swept into the bottom corner with his luscious left-foot.
The Team
Tadcaster Albion: Hallwood, Armstrong, Shepherd, Barrett (Stewart 56), Anderson (captain), Thirkell, Youhill (Ibrahimi 84), Jonathan Greening, Corner, Josh Greening, Sellars. Subs unused: Grant, Hansen, Jeridi.