Toolstation NCEL Premier Division
Nostell Miners Welfare 0-5 Tadcaster Albion
Carl Stewart scored late-on for Tadcaster
Tadcaster Albion eventually wore down a tough Nostell Miners Welfare side to keep the pressure on league leaders Handsworth Parramore.
Andy Milne scrambled over the line from a corner to give The Brewers a slender lead at the break. Nostell then ran out of the steam in the second half and a couple of inspired substitutions from Tad led to a flurry of late goals.
Tadcaster Albion boss Billy Miller made three changes to the side that lost to Clipstone in midweek with Gary Stevens, Jimmy Beadle and Nick Black all coming back into the starting eleven in place of Leon Wrigglesworth, Nick Thompson and Adam Baker.
The deadlock was broken after just ten minutes.Jonathan Greening’s teasing corner was flicked on by a faintest of touches by Beadle and scrambled over the line by centre-back Milne for his fourth of the season.
The home side reacted positively after going a goal behind with Dev Morton and Simon Poole both hitting the target but not testing Stevens.
At the start of the second half, defender Gregg Anderson came close to doubling the Brewers’ lead. Jonathan Greening’s corner led to some pinball in the six yard box before Anderson’s blasted shot was deflected just over.
Nostell were never really threatening Taddy’s lead but they did nearly equalise however it wasn’t through a black and yellow shirt though. Ryan Sharrocks’ near post free-kick was awkwardly sliced behind him by Taddy skipper Beadle but Stevens did superbly to react and push it out for a corner.
With twenty minutes gone in the second half, Beadle had a glorious chance to put the game virtually to bed. Josh Greening raced through on goal but opted to cut back and roll the ball sideways to the onrushing Beadle whose effort was well stopped by Neil Bennett.
When Nostell did properly test Gary Stevens, Milne was on the ball reacting first and putting in a last ditch tackle to keep the Brewers in front.
With less than twenty minutes to go, Miller decided to make two substitutions, bringing on Adam Baker and Carl Stewart and this was the key for unlocking a flurry of goals.
Josh Greening found himself running unmarked up the by-line towards goal before pulling back to Stewart whose rasping strike was pushed away by Bennett.
Tadcaster did in fact double their lead from the resulting corner which gave them that breathing space. It was Jonathan Greening with another perfect corner kick which dropped onto Black’s right-foot and the attacker side-footed powerfully into the roof of the net for his ninth goal of the campaign.
With fifteen minutes to go it was well and truly game over now as Taddy turned it on and netted three late goals which saw them cruise to victory in the end.
The third goal of the afternoon started out with Jonathan Greening spraying it out to the right-hand side to Baker who beat his man and sent in an inviting cross and Josh Greening does not say no to them, even with his head, powering in from three yards out.
Stewart should have got on the scoresheet in the 82nd minute as Dan Clayton curled a gorgeous ball around the Nostell defence to Stewart who got the ball stuck under his feet slightly before the chance pass.
Stevens was making his return from injury after missing Tuesday night’s match and he pulled off another decent to keep the clean sheet. The stopper was out in a shot to thwart substitute Fidel Mhlolo.
Stewart did incidentally get on the scoresheet moments later with a stunning solo goal. The striker picked the ball up out on the left wing, he then surged in-field evading three players before arrowing a precise shot into the bottom right corner.
The fifth and final goal was scored in the final minute as Josh Greening scored his 20th goal of the season. Carl Stewart held the ball up well, waiting for more white shirts to flood forward before brilliantly reversing the ball in behind to the rapid Baker who squared perfectly to Josh Greening who again could not miss from seven yards out with the goal gaping.
Nostell Miners Welfare: N Bennett, Beaston (captain), Allsop, Zalo, Donoghue, Waldron, Sharrocks, Poole, Morton, Johnson, Smith. Subs: Judson, Mhlolo, Ferdandez, Ndlove, S Bennett.
Tadcaster Albion: Stevens, Mycoe, Clayton, Milne, Anderson, Ormsby, Sellars, Jon Greening, Beadle, Josh Greening, Black. Subs: Baker, Stewart, Thompson, Heath, Conway.
Thanks to Jay Taylor for this report.