MEMORIES of their only heavy defeat of the season is motivating Tadcaster Albion to ensure they don’t suffer the same fate against Cleethorpes Town in the Northern Counties East League premier division tomorrow.

The Brewers were hammered 3-0 - thanks to three goals in five second-half minutes - when the Lincolnshire side came to Ings Lane last December and it remains the biggest loss in the league this season for manager Paul Marshall and his men.

The Albion chief conceded that setback had been mentioned this week as Tadcaster prepared to face Cleethorpes twice in three days - at home last night in the semi-final of the NCEL League Cup and then again tomorrow.

Marshall is aware that his side are still in the hunt for the title - they trail leaders Shaw Lane Aquaforce by four points with three games remaining - but believes it is unlikely their rivals will drop enough points to let his side in through the back door.

That leaves the runners-up spot up for grabs and Marshall said of the Cleethorpes league encounter, which pitches third against fourth: “It’s a big game and it will decide who finishes second, third or fourth. We want to finish as high as possible. It would be nice to finish second and that’s what we are looking at.”

Asked which was the more important match, the league or cup clash, Marshall added before last night’s game: “Tomorrow’s game is more important. The league is still alive. We will still be trying our hardest to get to a final and give our support a day out.

“Cleethorpes are the only team that have beaten us by a margin of three clear goals (in the league).

We lost 3-0 the last time they came to us and we will want to put that right. It has been mentioned by the players and no-one has hammered us this season apart from Cleethorpes. We don’t want them to do the double over us.”

Tadcaster warmed up on Tuesday night with a 5-0 destruction of Staveley Miners Welfare in the league. A brace of penalties from Liam Ormsby and goals from David Brown, Denny Ingram and Calum Ward completed the rout.

Shaw Lane needed to net in the last five minutes to squeak past Albion Sports and they host Nostell Miners Welfare tomorrow. Marshall isn’t expecting that game to be straightforward but, with the title chasers needing just four points to be crowned champions, he isn’t really expecting them to slip up.

He explained: “Nostell have picked up and they have had some good results. When you are twitchy and nervous it is not as simple as people make it out to be. They have also got Cleethorpes.

“But they have got Glasshoughton, who are relegated, and that is going to be three points. They only need a draw then and they should be able to manage it.”

Elsewhere, Pickering Town go on the road to Liversedge for their final game of the premier division season, while, in NCEL division one, Selby Town host Grimsby Borough and Knaresborough Town travel to Eccleshill United.

Harrogate Town visit Stockport County in Conference North. Harrogate Railway and Scarborough Athletic, both in the Evo-Stik League first division north, play Lancaster City and Kendal Town respectively.