Evo-Stik Division One North: Tadcaster Albion 2 Mossley 3

TADCASTER Albion rounded off their debut season in Evo-Stik Division One North with a lacklustre home defeat at the hands of Mossley.

The Brewers' manager Billy Miller made two changes to the side that lost in the last minute against Scarborough Athletic on Easter Monday, with Jono Greening and Tom Corner back in the starting line-up.

And it was Albion who threatened to break the deadlock first as Piteu Crouz jinked inside and curled a shot onto the top of the crossbar from the edge of the penalty area.

Nevertheless, it was the visitors who found the net on 20 minutes as Tom Pratt’s sliced effort wickedly deflected over the hapless Chandler Hallwood.

Lively winger Crouz was looking most dangerous for Miller’s men.

He beat the Mossley full back for a second time and hung a cross up for Josh Barrett to attack, but the defender headed wide of the mark.

There was certainly an end-of-season feel to Tadcaster’s performance as the Lilywhites threatened to go further in front.

Hallwood made sure that, for the time being, they did not as the Taddy stopper stood tall on three occasions in the last five minutes of the half.

Danny Byrnes and Matty Burke were thwarted but the best chance fell to Pratt as he raced clean through but failed to find the net for a second time.

The Lilywhites did, however, go two goals up inside the first minute of the second half as Elliott Harrison’s strike also deflected into the back of the net.

Taddy responded positively though as Corner burst into the box and forced Will Jones into a good low save.

The reaction then resulted in the Brewers pulling a goal back as Jono Greening’s inviting free-kick was headed powerfully into the back of the net by Barrett.

The positivity continued after the goal, and it was almost even seven minutes later.

Corner did tremendously well down the by-line to break through two white shirts before Crouz and Carlos Djalo both were unable to turn in the cross.

Mossley, however, were still looking incredibly dangerous as they looked to exploit the space with Taddy pushing for an equaliser.

Byrnes missed a good opportunity before Mason Duffy’s strike beat Hallwood but Josh Grant recovered well to hook the ball off the line.

You can only miss a certain number of chances at goal, however, as the visitors restored their two-goal deficit. Mossley struck on the counter attack, with some miscommunication at the back allowing Pratt to tap in his second of the afternoon.

Top scorer Corner did give Taddy hope five minutes from time when he sprung the offside trap and kept his cool, tucking the ball into the far corner for his 17th of the season.

But, unfortunately for them a late equaliser could not be found and Mossley held on to all three points.

Tadcaster Albion: Hallwood, Armstrong, Grant, Barrett (captain), Heath, Thirkell, Djalo (Josh Greening 65), Jonathan Greening, Corner, Ibrahimi (Youhill 53) (Shepherd 72), Crouz. Unused substitutes: Sellars, Mycoe.

Mossley: Jones, Henson, Quansah, Harrison, Dean (captain), Johnson, Burke, Duffy, Ellis, Byrnes, Pratt. Substitutes: McLoughlin, Stapleton, Ali.

Att: 375.

Referee: James Price.