By Olly Wood

JOHN DEACEY'S unbeaten start at Tadcaster Albion came to an end on Saturday as the Brewers lost 4-0 at Stockton Town.

Having been appointed Taddy boss last month, Deacey guided Albion to three wins and two draws before the weekend's disappointment.

First-half goals from Alfie Conway, Mikey Roberts and Dan McWilliams, plus a 66th-minute finish from Adam Nicholson, consigned the Brewers to their first defeat in six.

Taddy remain 15th in Northern Premier League east division.

There was one enforced change to the starting 11, with Freddie Sass serving a one-match ban for his red card at Brighouse last weekend. In came the returning Romario Vieira after completing his respective suspension.

Tadcaster started brightly. Donald Chimalilo caused problems on the left wing, driving at his marker before cutting inside and letting fly just five minutes in, but his shot was comfortably taken by the keeper.

Des Amponsah was causing similar problems on the other flank and an early goal for the Brewers looked a distinct possibility.

But nine minutes in, the hosts drew first blood. A Tadcaster attack was cleared by Tom Coulthard and driven halfway up the pitch through the defence and 16-year-old Conway outpaced the Tad back line. In a one-on-one with Ally Hughes, the striker’s effort had enough power to find the back of the net despite a hand from the keeper.

Tad responded well, Amponsah showing good feet on the wing before driving forward to feed Chimalilo, who again cut inside but his shot lacked power. A quarter of an hour in, Vieira hit a free kick, won by Jack Crook, on the edge of the box but the strike on target was well held by the goalkeeper.

In the 22nd minute, the hosts threatened again, Nathan Steel this time had a strike which went just over.

And three minutes later, Stockton were awarded a penalty as Vieira impeded Roberts, who got up to take the spot kick and, though Hughes guessed right, he was beaten.

It went from bad to worse for the Brewers as the game was more or less put to bed a little after the half-hour mark as McWilliams, up from left-back, found the bottom corner with a shot from outside the box.

A minute later, Tad striker Eddie Church had his first sight of goal but he could not generate enough power with his shot to trouble the keeper.

At the break, skipper Simon Russell was replaced by Jordan Deacey, who had last featured away at Cleethorpes Town. A couple of efforts then went by from Stockton, nothing troubling Hughes though.

In the 57th minute, Charlie Marshall was brought on to replace Corey Roper as Tad changed system to try and force the issue. A couple of minutes later, Church had another effort which he could not keep down.

Not long after the hour, the hosts added a fourth through Nicholson, who stooped and headed in from a corner.

In the last 10 minutes, Tadcaster created a couple of good chances. Church firest curled an effort agonisingly past the far post from just inside the box before turning provider, when his brilliant ball over the top found Marshall, whose left-footed shot deflected just wide of that same post.

In between those chances, Hughes made a smart save down to his right to deny McWilliams.

As time ebbed away, Church also had the ball in the net, converting a Deacey corner but the ball had gone in off the striker’s arm and was ruled out.

Sam Barker scored four as basement side Pickering Town won their first east division game in five attempts, beating Sheffield 4-1 at Mill Lane.

Pikes man-of-the-match Barker netted penalties in the eighth and 90th minutes, with the other two coming in the 13 and 33rd minutes.

Sam Ackroyd replied in the 57th minute for Sheffield.

 

By Phil Dearnley

SELBY Town put in a season-best performance at Nostell Miners Welfare to notch their third victory on the spin.

Liam Flanagan scored a brace and Harry Clapham added a third to see the Robins claim a 3-1 comeback victory on a ground where they have historically struggled.
Selby remain eighth in Northern Counties East League division one but are looking up again after putting an end to their poor run of results.

Manager Christian Fox put his faith in the same starting 11 that beat Teversal the Saturday previously - and they rewarded his faith with an across-the-board superb performance.

Nostell started very much on the front foot, pressing Town back. They soon won a corner, which was well claimed by goalkeeper Tom Brown. A fierce shot from about 25 yards then whistled just wide. 

But Selby worked their way into the game. Charlie Clamp fired off target, after Flanagan set him up, and Chris Murray, under severe pressure, headed a free kick wide. Clamp had another effort, and Flanagan was wide with a shot. 

Just as it looked as if Town were making themselves comfortable, they contrived to give the ball away cheaply on the edge of their own area. The ball fell to Joe Wood on the left edge of Selby’s box, and he had no hesitation in advancing before rifling a shot across Brown and in. 

The Robins were clearly rocked, giving the ball away again just after the restart. This time, a wayward effort let them off.

Selby full-backs Harry Sheppard and Luke Sellers had distinguished themselves both in defence and attack, and it was Sellers who provided the springboard for the Selby equaliser. The left-back intercepted the ball and set Flanagan running behind the opposition defence. Wide on the left, and with defenders chasing after, the forward still had a lot to do, and he cut inside before unleashing a shot across the goalkeeper into the corner of the net. 

The goal to put Town ahead was remarkably similar to their equaliser. This time, a perfect pass from Kain Rogerson set Flanagan away and, once again, the pacey forward cut in from the left and struck into the corner of the goal.

Selby generally controlled the second half, creating chances, and the hard-working Clapham got his reward in the 63rd minute. A long ball went over to the right side of the penalty area and Clapham rushed out of the six-yard box to retrieve the ball. With the goalkeeper and defenders looking to shut him out, he was able to squeeze his shot past the keeper and into the net. 

Fox's men travel to Worsbrough Bridge Athletic tomorrow night (7.45pm).