Evo Stik Division One North
Brighouse Town 3-3 Tadcaster Albion
Adam Shaw scored a dramatic late equaliser for Brighouse against Tadcaster
Super sub Adam Shaw equalised for Brighouse Town late-on in an end-to-end game to deny Tadcaster Albion back-to-back league victories.
The Brewers stormed out of the blocks taking the lead after two minutes. Buoyed from his first goal of the season on Tuesday night, Gregg Anderson doubled his tally for the campaign impressively volleying into the back of the net from a teasing Conor Sellars free-kick.
However, less than a minute later and the home side were back on level terms to bring back memories of Trafford away.
Ex-Mossley striker Mike Fish jumped on a loose ball and delicately flicked beyond Chandler Hallwood to respond immediately.
It was fast and frenetic end-to-end action at the Dual Seal Stadium on a gorgeous sunny spring afternoon in Huddersfield and the home side were inches away from taking the lead shortly after ten minutes.
Daniel Grimshaw’s shot-cum-cross was latched onto by Fish but Liam Shepherd worked wonders to block on the line and scramble to safety.
Moments after and the Brewers had an effort of their own hacked out of the six-yard box with Tom Corner coming close to scrambling over the line.
Taddy were playing expansive and free-flowing attacking play and they reaped their rewards taking the lead in the 17th minute courtesy of Sellars.
Sellars was standing out from the rest with his quick-feet and ability on the ball and he put Taddy in front again by chesting into an empty net after some good hold-up play from Corner and a perfect set-up from Rob Youhill.
Albion were looking incredibly dangerous every time they ventured into Town’s half and Carl Stewart almost got himself on the score sheet with an outrageous strike tipped onto the crossbar by Tommy Taylor.
Taddy did increase their lead six minutes from the half-time break though with top scorer Corner netting his 14th of the campaign.
Sellars’ clearance allowed Tom Corner to chase in behind, beat Sam Hewitt for pace and then trickery before driving through the legs of goalkeeper Taylor.
On a fine afternoon in Yorkshire, the home side really should have gone into the break just a goal behind but Ben Atkinson glanced wide from six yards.
Tadcaster’s Tom Corner jumps for a header with Brighouse captain Adam Field. Picture: Matthew Appleby
Billy Miller would have undoubtedly asked his side to keep it tight for the first 15-20 minutes of the second half but Brighouse had other ideas as they did in fact reduce the deficit two minutes into the half.
The Brewers lost the ball cheaply on the half-way line which lead to Ben Wharton getting the better of Thirkell and squaring to Tom Haigh to tap in making it 2-3 and game on.
The goal certainly galvanised the home side as Chandler Hallwood had to be at his very best to react rapidly to tip over Fish’s close-range header.
The referee was very popular all game, but not for the right reasons though as the huge moment of controversy came in the 71st minute.
Stewart rounded Taylor and hung up a cross for Corner who headed goalwards but saw his effort cleared with what looked like the arm of Kurt Harris.
It also looked as though the defender was a couple of steps beyond the goal line meaning Corner’s header may well have been in but unfortunately the officials didn’t give anything or felt that they weren’t 100%.
The controversy wasn’t finished there though as eight minutes later another big decision was waved away by the man in the middle.
Former Manchester United midfielder Jono Greening burst from his own half before knocking it past and outpacing Adam Field.
The same player that looked to handle the ball on the line was the same player that looked to bring Greening to the ground after he cut inside Harris. Again, the referee was unmoved.
Brighouse turned it around and equalised six minutes from time. Substitute Shaw came off the bench to deftly flick in Thomas Dugdale’s free-kick at the front post.
In a grandstand finale; there was one final chance for either side. First of all substitute Fraser Hansen won the ball back on the edge of Brighouse’s penalty area before teeing up Stewart but the striker side-footed narrowly off target.
And then during injury time up the other end Fish steered agonisingly wide of the target with Hallwood rooted to his spot.
The Team
Brighouse Town: Taylor, Harris, Grimshaw (Dugdale 79), Field (captain), Hewitt (Baker 64), Pollard, Atkinson, Haigh (Shaw 79), Wharton, Fish, Parkin. Subs unused: Day, Stead.
Tadcaster Albion: Hallwood, Armstrong, Shepherd, Thirkell, Anderson (captain), Ibrahimi, Youhill (Grant 60), Jonathan Greening, Corner, Sellars (Hansen 89), Stewart. Subs unused: Pohls, Heath.
Thanks to Jay Taylor for this report.