TADCASTER Albion were made to regret a string of missed chances as they crashed out of the FA Vase at home to lower league opposition.

The Brewers dominated the first hour of their second qualifying round clash with Easington Colliery on Saturday, but went down 3-2 after the visitors from the Northern Alliance premier division scored three times in six second-half minutes.

A miserable afternoon for the home side also saw Paul James red-carded late on, apparently for swearing at the referee.

Albion chairman Kevin Derry said he was "absolutely gutted" and the result had damaged both the club's finances and pride.

He said: "We should have had it sewn up in the first half, but in the second we did not want to know.

"That defeat has cost us £1,000 and also credibility."

Albion controlled the first half but could not get the breakthrough, James coming closest when his header from a Dale Waddington corner was cleared off the line.

Phil Biscombe, Andy Green and Giuseppi Downing also threatened, but a combination of poor Albion finishing and impressive goalkeeping kept the scores level.

Steve Ward almost got the opener with two minutes remaining in the first half, but Easington's Craig Leach denied him with a point-blank save.

Three minutes into the second half, Ward did break the deadlock when he headed Waddington's corner in off the bar.

It was the striker's fifth goal in three games, but Albion failed to build on the lead. Easington came back into the match, and levelled the scores on 71 minutes, when Kevin Lane bulleted a header in from a corner.

Four minutes later, substitute Scott Newbegin gave the visitors the lead with a low drive, and the smash-and-grab was completed two minutes after that, when Tom Orchard rifled a shot into the top corner from 18 yards.

James was dismissed with eight minutes remaining, and although Waddington scored an 88th-minute penalty, Albion were left cursing their first-half profligacy as their FA Vase dreams ended for another year.


Robins go out

Selby Town went out of the FA Vase, beaten 2-0 at follow Northern Counties East League premier division club Garforth Town in the second qualifying round.