Report by Olly Wood

"THE best team won," conceded Tadcaster Albion manager John Deacey magnanimously following his side's roller-coaster 3-2 defeat at home to Ossett United.

Ossett took a 1-0 lead into the break courtesy of a 29th-minute Aaron Haswell finish before second-half goals from Jack Carr and Eddie Church put the Brewers in control.

But the pendulum swung again after the hour and on-loan York City striker Reon Potts restored parity for the Sheepicorns in the 65th minute, 10 minutes before Charles Wood bagged the winner.

Taddy have now slipped all the way down to 17th in the Northern Premier League east division, just one place and four points above embattled Yorkshire rivals Pickering Town, whom they visit on New Year's Day.

"Ossett deserved it," Deacey said. "They were quicker to the ball all the way through the game, they won the second ball.

"We never controlled the ball to their front players and their number nine was winning free kicks all day long. We never really coped with him.

"We did well to get ourselves back into the game at the start of the second half.

"We showed some character again, which is pleasing, but overall, the best team won the game."

Deacey named the same starting 11 for the second consecutive match, making no changes from the side that fought back to beat Sheffield last time out. Ellis Farrar, Oliver Metcalf and Carr were all handed their home debuts but new arrival James Burgess will have to wait a little longer before making his start after isolation made him unavailable.

The game started in a scrappy fashion which was how much of the first half played out, neither side managing to get a hold on proceedings.

The first sighter of the game went the way of the visitors; James Walshaw got his head to a corner at the near post but the flicked effort went over. A minute later Walshaw again was involved narrowly missing the far post with a shot which deflected off Kieran Burton’s boot.

On 29 minutes, after having had more of the chances, the visitors took the lead. Haswell got in behind the Tad defence and slid the ball passed Ben Bottomley.

Tadcaster responded with their first shot of the half, Des Amponsah driving a powerful strike which looked to be sneaking in, but a smart save denied the winger.

Just over five minutes before the break, Walshaw won a penalty for Ossett but his powerful effort was brilliantly denied by Bottomley.

Half time brought about a change for Tadcaster as skipper Simon Russell came on to replace Metcalf - and with it came a change of impetus. In the first minute of the half, Russell linked up with Jack Crook on the right wing before the latter looped in a deep cross which was met with a brilliant acrobatic volley from Carr, who rifled into the bottom corner to level the game and open his account for the Brewers.

Ten minutes into the second half, Church fired a deflected effort in after Carr pressed the Ossett back line and, after charging down a defender’s clearance, got the ball to land at the Church’s feet in the box.

The visitors were back level after Dan Hartley did well to initially clear the ball off the line as Bottomley was beaten, but the Brewers did not fully clear their lines. A cross into the box was headed out by Farrar, a shot came in from Louis Beckett, and the effort deflected in off Reon Potts. 2 – 2.

With 15 minutes left, the visitors re-took the lead. A free kick was launched into the box, an Ossett head knocked the ball on and, at the far post, Wood managed to sneak in and find the back of the net.