TADCASTER Albion's bid for a league and cup double was thwarted as Jon Oglesby’s goal for Cleethorpes with 17 minutes remaining proved to be the winner in an entertaining League Cup final at Garforth.

The Brewers – despite finishing as Northern Counties East League champions – were underdogs with ten senior players unavailable or injured, but were only narrowly beaten 3-2 by their rivals.

The Owls had the first sight at goal when Tadcaster's Gregg Anderson dawdled on the ball, allowing Brody Robertson to steal in and fired a shot on target.

Apart from Robertson’s early effort, though, Tadcaster had the better chances as Adam Baker’s volley was blocked and Carl Stewart’s looping header was cleared off the line.

From a set piece, Tom Corner’s sharp turn and shot was scooped off the line but only as far as Josh Greening, who picked out Baker in space. However, the winger blazed over the crossbar.

Josh Greening almost gave Tadcaster the lead after 20 minutes, dribbling into the area and comfortably beating full back Tim Lowe, but shot over from close range.

Anderson then missed with a powerful header before Tadcaster took a deserved lead.

A clipped ball in behind Clee’s defence was impressively flicked over Lowe by Corner and into the path of Josh Greening, who evaded the stretching Kieran Wressell and coolly side-footed past Liam Higton for his 28th goal of the season.

From the restart, Lowe’s positioning was spot on to hook the ball off Stewart’s toes in a dangerous position.

Tadcaster's 18-year-old goalkeeper Charlie Murphy stepped in to make his competitive debut and wasn’t looking short of confidence. First, he claimed a high raking cross with ease and then impressively tipped over Marc Cooper’s rasping half volley.

Cleethorpes began to take the game to Tadcaster, earning a swift equaliser as midfielder Luke Mascall lashed his shot into the bottom left-hand corner from 22 yards.

Clee were in the ascendency for the second part of the first half and could have netted a few themselves.

A glorious chance was squandered on the half hour mark as Cooper fired across the face of goal where Robertson just couldn’t stretch enough to tap in. Murphy then did well to save from Oglesby's deflected effort.

Cleethorpes turned the final around in the 34th minute when they took the lead. Oglesby delivered an incisive cross from the left and Robertson ghosted in unmarked to tap in from three yards.

Tadcaster missed a golden opportunity to equalise five minutes before the break as Stewart found Corner, but goalkeeper Higton stopped well.

Both teams started the second half in cagey style. The Owls spurned a chance as Oglesby forced his way to the by-line, pulling back to Cooper but his strike was beaten away by Murphy.

The final took another intriguing twist when Tadcaster equalised after 65 minutes – a ball over the top saw Stewart cleverly use his body to usher Lowe out of the way before firing under Higton’s legs and into the net.

However, the final was decided when Oglesby picked the ball up on the left, and shaped to take on Conor Sellars but opted to go for goal bending it into the bottom right corner.

Taddy pushed hard to take the match into extra-time. Substitute Ryan Woodhead drilled a ball to the back post to Anderson who headed into the side-netting before promising youngster Marcel Chigumira dragged his effort wide.

In stoppage time, a bouncing ball in the box seemed to hit the hand of Oglesby. It was a hard one to call for the referee but no penalty was given and Cleethorpes held on to lift the cup.

l SELBY Town have confirmed pre-season friendlies against Northallerton Town on Saturday, July 9 (3pm), and a Hartlepool United XI on Friday, July 15 (7.45pm) – both to be played at the Fairfax Plant Hire Stadium.