TADCASTER Albion are up to third in the Evo-Stik League east division after convincingly beating visiting Stamford 3-0.

Goals from Casey Stewart, Joe Lumsden and Billy Whitehouse helped the Brewers extend their unbeaten league run to seven games.

James Hodges made his debut for Taddy as manager Simon Collins made two changes to the side that won 3-1 at Belper Town last week, with Stewart recalled to the starting line-up.

Stamford stopper Danny Haystead was the first called into action, tipping Stewart’s cross-cum-shot wide of the goal, but Taddy's short corner broke down and set off a dangerous counter-attack that ended with Hodges pushing over from Bradley Fortnam-Tomlinson's fierce 12-yard effort.

The stand-out stand-in stopper was called upon once more from the resulting corner, flinging a right hand out as Liam Adams lashed goalwards.

A frantic end-to-end opening continued, with Joe Lumsden seeing a hurried effort kicked clear by Haystead shortly before Harry Coates in the Brewers' backline helped prevent Stamford’s Fortnam-Tomlinson from getting a shot away after the latter latched onto Chris Salt’s raking ball in behind.

As the frenetic nature of the encounter calmed down slightly, Taddy started to gain a clear foothold. With the contest almost half an hour down, Stewart went close as he guided a Jack Walters cross narrowly wide of the near post.

And Tadcaster drew first blood just after as Stewart confidently stroked past Haystead from a Whitehouse ball through.

Collins’ men were well on top at this point and should have been two goals up six minutes later, with Paddy Miller escaping his man from a corner, but flicked just the wrong side of the far post after bouncing off the defender’s back.

The second goal arrived just two minutes later after Pete Davidson cleverly took a quick free kick to release top-scorer Joe Lumsden in behind and he slid through Haystead's legs.

With Stamford looking to pull one back before the close of the half, Michael Armstrong tried his luck from distance striking hard and low but Hodges got down smartly to his right to hold again.

Three minutes after the break, Taddy effectively had the points wrapped up as more quick-thinking saw Whitehouse exchange passes from a corner with Davidson for the flying winger to drive into the box and rifle into the back of the net.

The hosts came close to a fourth shortly after the hour mark as Haystead parried Stewart’s fierce drive and the angle was too tight for Lumsden to turn in the rebound.

Tadcaster’s intensity dropped following the third goal and Stamford enjoyed their best spell of the match following a double substitution.

Huge centre-back Henry Eze was pushed up front by Stamford and he teed up Ollie Brown-Hill, but his side-footed effort was never going to trouble Hodges.

At the other end, some superb interplay between Ellis Barkworth and Whitehouse down Taddy’s right-hand side allowed the latter into the box but his cross agonisingly evaded substitute Aiden Savory.

Stamford almost got their consolation goal on 71 minutes when Adams was played through and squared the ball beyond Hodges but Barkworth made an excellent block to deny Brown-Hill.

With the contest petering out, Savory had a close-range header tipped over and Adams headed well wide.