TADCASTER Albion and Pickering Town may have to wait until after December 19 before they can resume their Northern Premier League north/west division campaigns.

Matches on December 5 and 12 had already been postponed following a club vote across the 'Trident Leagues' - comprising the NPL, Southern League and Isthmian League - to extend the pause to the season brought on by the second national lockdown.

Yesterday, the league announced the break "has now been extended until at least December 19".

A statement continued: "However, please note that if in the interim, the Government make any changes to the current Tier restrictions that allows the return of fans to all NPL fixtures, the league will approve the reinstatement of any scheduled matches where both clubs are in agreement."

Ahead of their return to action, Tadcaster beat Garforth Town 1-0 in Saturday's friendly at Ings Lane.

Managed by former Brewers boss Paul Marshall, Garforth ply their trade one division below Taddy, in the North East Counties League premier division.

Bailey Thompson netted the only goal of the game.

Albion started the brighter and Ifi Ofoegbu so nearly opened the scoring on 13 minutes when he collected an inch-perfect through ball from Corey Roper and skimmed the crossbar as he cut in from the right.

Michael Ingham, back between the sticks for the first time since his injury in September, needed all of his speed as he rushed off his line to prevent a one-on-one as the visitors retaliated .

Kevin Santos put Jack Crook away in the box but having taken it around a defender, the dink over the keeper just wide, while James Burgess, spearheading the Garforth attack, launched a 25-yarder but Ingham was well placed. The visitors' Sam Barker went close.

At the midway mark, Garforth were enjoying their best spell of the game and Burgess battled his way through a packed box before seeing his effort saved by Ingham.

On 31 minutes Junayd Pandor went agonisingly close after good work from Dan Hartley as the half closed goalless.

Ian Maddox, in goal for Albion in the second period, was fortunate to survive a one-on-one with Barker, while Derick Ngwana was caught offside.

On 53 minutes, Tadcaster took the lead when Kain Rogerson charged down the left flank before dispatching a perfect cross into the six-yard box, where Thompson was waiting to guide the ball beyond keeper Aaron Burn.

The lead could have been doubled when Rogerson was awarded a penalty. However, this time Burn was equal to Thompson’s low drive to the near corner.

Garforth reacted positively to this early second-half pressure with a 25-yarder skimming the crossbar. Their next attack saw the ball in the net but Maddox was adjudged to have been fouled.

Manager Paul Quinn was happy with the performance, saying: “We got out of the game just what we needed. Apart from an early substitution - when in the second minute James Ngoe felt a hamstring pull and sensibly made way for Dan Hartley - all our 20 players came through unscathed.

"There was a little rustiness from most of the squad but having not started a match for six weeks, that was hardly surprising.

"As it was, the first-team players and a number from the 'Emerging Talent Squad' had at least 45 minutes' game time.

"It was important that our young ETS players had the opportunity to play alongside the established squad and they all acquitted themselves extremely well.

"Marco Basic showed he was almost fully recovered from the ankle injury which has side-lined him for five months; Michael Ingham came through his first game for 10 weeks with flying colours; and Bailey Thompson took his goal superbly after a terrific cross from Kain Rogerson."