Bridlington Town 0 Tadcaster Albion 1

TADCASTER Albion left it late for the second time in a week, but Josh Greening's header with the last passage of play five minutes into injury time put the Brewers back on top of the Toolstation Northern Counties East League Premier Division table after an otherwise uneventful afternoon.

Albion manager Billy Miller made two enforced changes to the side that beat Pontefract Collieries in midweek as Matt Heath and Dan Clayton, who both picked up knocks, were replaced by Andy Milne and Liam Ormsby, with the latter, who is a central midfielder, filling in at left back.

It was also the visitors' annual fancy dress day, so Batman and Robin, Super Mario and five men who made a less than passable imitation of the Spice Girls being among the crowd.

Town did superbly to get the game on – it was the only Premier Division fixture to survive the torrential rain – but the Brewers fans, who were understandably in good voice, were almost celebrating a goal as early as the second minute.

Adam Baker picked out Nick Black's intelligent run behind Brid's defence but the striker was pushed wide and his effort on goal was deflected wide by the sliding Danny Brunton.

The visitors were certainly the brighter of the two sides, and nearly took the lead in the tenth minute, Jimmy Beadle setting Baker off down the right, who then drive at the home defence before cutting the ball back for Beadle, who, sliding in, shot a whisker wide of the left-hand upright.

The same pair combined again, with Baker's whipped cross being inches away from Beadle's head. The Seasiders' first real attack didn't happen until the 16th minute, keeper Gary Stevens doing well to keep hold of the ball after a Brid raid down the left.

Truth be told, there weren't many chances in the first half but Bridlington full back Benn Lewis had to be alert in clearing a Taddy corner which visiting defender Andy Milne may otherwise have fired home.

Eddie Birch came closest for the hosts with a 30-yard shot which ended up in the car park but there was more fun being had in the stand occupied by Tadcaster fans, a loudspeaker making an appearance to magnify a variety of songs, such as Tad All Over, We All Love Tad and Take Me Home.

There was wind on the pitch too, which was increasingly cutting up and making good football difficult, and Bridlington started the second half the better, Birch curling a free-kick narrowly over from 25 yards.

Town carved out another chance ten minutes in, captain Tom Fleming getting in behind Gregg Anderson and pulling the ball back to the unmarked Joel Sutton, who was denied by a magnificent block by Milne, who was outstanding alongside Anderson.

It looked all over a 0-0 draw with 15 minutes left, and the first shot on target didn't happen until the 86th minute from Birch, and that was comfortably saved by Stevens.

However, Greening and Beadle nearly combined to break the deadlock in the 85th minute, a scooped pass finding Beadle, whose effort went narrowly over the bar.

But Albion got their late sucker punch when midfield maestro Jason Mycoe, in the inside-right position, picked the ball up 30 yards out and fired the perfect cross to Greening, who guided his header into the back of the net. Cue pandemonium among the cross-dressers and the super heroes.

Tadcaster Albion: Stevens, Armstrong, Ormsby, Milne, Anderson, Mycoe, Baker (Stewart 86), Greening, Black (Barrett 77), Beadle (captain), Greening. Unused substitutes: Unused Subs: Heath, Clayton, Sellars.