Evo Stik North
Tadcaster Albion 5-0 Bamber Bridge
Tadcaster celebrate during their memorable 5-0 win over Bamber Bridge. Picture: Matthew Appleby
A scintillating second half display saw Tadcaster Albion return to winning ways over title-chasing Bamber Bridge to keep their play-off dreams alive.
Aiden Savory and Aaron Hardy put Albion in control before the inspired introduction of substitute Will Annan, who had a debut to remember recording two goals and setting up Harry Sheppeard for goal number five.
The visitors ended the contest with ten men after Macauley Wilson saw red with the score at 3-0.
The three points for Tadcaster keeps their play-off hopes alive ahead of Monday’s mouth-watering clash with rivals Scarborough Athletic.
Albion boss Michael Morton named the same eleven that narrowly lost out to high-flyers Hyde United last week.
It should have been a glorious spring day over the long Easter Weekend, but this was far from the reality as it was a bitterly cold and murky day in Tadcaster.
There wasn’t much to shout about in the whole of the first half, for either side that is.
Taddy number one Michael Ingham tipped two efforts around and over the woodwork but both of which may not have been finding the target anyway.
The Brewers were keeping the ball as well as ever, but not in the areas where it matters.
A goal never really looked likely, a legal one anyway as Casey Stewart gambled on Savory’s flick-on a fraction too early before curling into the net and being greeted by the linesman’s flag.
Bamber Bridge, who have recently toppled South Shields and Scarborough, sent several dangerous set-pieces into Albion’s box but the likes of Mycoe, Roper and Barrett continued to clear.
However it was the Brewers who broke the deadlock twelve minutes into the second forty five. Casey Stewart waited for the overlapping run from Hardy before rolling it to the full-back who’s cross was right on the money allowing Savory to head into the back of the net.
The second half was a much more free-flowing and open encounter as Taddy went through the gears at tremendous pace.
Casey Stewart came close to doubling Albion’s lead when he cut inside Wilson in the box before seeing his close range strike well saved by Lloyd Rigby.
Brig boss Neil Reynolds was clearly not impressed with his side’s showing as he made a triple substitution on 63 minutes, something you don’t see every week.
One of the players he sent on in Michael Potts almost levelled proceedings immediately but his strike from distance cannoned off the crossbar and away to safety.
The Brewers were well on top in the second half and causing their opponents serious problems before they did eventually double their lead, and deservedly so too.
Sticking with the substitution theme, it was a Taddy change that stole the headlines on Easter Weekend. Step forward, -Annan on loan from Hull City.
He picked up the ball from Savory’s flick-on before driving forward and shifting back to Taddy’s number ten who fed Hardy and the full-back cut inside a slipping Macauley Wilson and curled into the bottom corner.
This kicked off a quite extraordinary eight minutes which saw Taddy torment their opponents with goal after goal.
-Annan, who was only making his second appearance for the club, picked the ball up deep inside his own half and with encouragement from the watching on Taddy faithful, carried the ball confidently into the opposition half before jinking in-between two red shirts and getting it back of -Savory before reversing a shot into the bottom left-hand corner. A simply sublime solo run from the Hull City loanee.
Things went from bad to worse for Bamber Bridge soon after as they were reduced to ten men, Wilson the man to be shown a straight red card for a wild lunge on Annan.
Not to be deterred after being kicked, Annan continued his rise in popularity around the ground as he netted his second since coming on and Albion’s fourth. Billy Whitehouse switched the play to Annan, who was on the far left flank, drove at the Brig captain Matt Lawlor at pace who just could not handle him as he carefully pushed into the bottom corner with his left-foot.
Taddy weren’t finished there either as they capped off their five-star second half display with a fifth goal.
Will Annan, who was on a hat-trick at this point, received the ball in the box before jinking past a defender but opting to tee up right-back Sheppeard who neatly bent into the back of the net.
The Team
Tadcaster Albion: Ingham (captain), Sheppeard, Hardy, Roper, Mycoe, Barrett, Howarth, Davidson, Stewart (Annan 69), Savory, Whitehouse. Subs unused: Milne, Sellars.
Thanks to Jay Taylor for this report.