A LATE leveller from Desmond Okoro secured Tadcaster Albion a 1-1 draw at Golcar United in midweek.
Tadcaster earned another point on the board after Golcar's pitch survived a midweek full of postponements, and were very nearly rewarded for their groundsmen's efforts if it had not been for Okoro's late equaliser.
When travelling to Golcar last season, Albion's away match ended in a 2 – 1 defeat - any lack of memory of what to expect this time around was washed away within 30 seconds of the start when Tadcaster had Nathan Heaton to thank for a goal line clearance.
Taddy's first attack arrived on five minutes when Laurence Sorhaindo shot wide on the end of Andrew Shepherd’s through ball.
With the home side largely dictating play the Brewers next meaningful attack saw Oli Norman fouled as he ran at the Golcar defence, resulting in the first yellow card of the evening.
Golcar’s Jerome Bedeau found himself with a one-on-one with new shot stopper Alfie Burnett, who used his feet to good effect to keep the score level with 13 minutes played.
It was Bedeau again five minutes later, but Burnett was well placed.
Almost immediately Norman was away down the left flank and despite the home defence’s best efforts they could do nothing about the spinning cross which clipped the top of the upright and bounced behind for a goal kick.
Callum Petch was dismissed with ten minutes of the half remaining following a dangerous tackle on Spencer Harris – it looked for a few moments as if that would be the end of the game for Harris but after help from the physio, he was able to carry on.
This appeared to galvanise the Albion players who almost ended the half on an equal footing, Sorhaindo twice denied and Shepherd just wide from the 18-yard line.
However, with virtually the last kick of added time, Golcar took the lead when George Doyle was waiting at the near post for a corner ball which he duly converted.
Golcar started the second-half as they had the first, almost doubling the score in the first minute.
This time, however, Tadcaster quickly settled. Norman’s short corner on 48 minutes was crossed into the box by Jayden Clarke-Thompson but goalkeeper Hugo Bennett did well to collect at his second attempt to foil the incoming Joe Billet.
Sorhaindo headed wide whilst Jack Lane was off target on the end of Clarke-Thompson’s pull back. Bedeau missed a tap in with ten minutes of the half played.
On the hour, Noel Nfonkeu and Miguel Cassama replaced Shepherd and Sorhaindo. They straightaway combined, but the shot was no problem for Bennett.
Okoro was on for Clarke-Thompson on 66 minutes, just before Ollie Green had a penalty appeal waved away.
With just seconds of normal time remaining Taddy broke back; the move started from defence on the right flank, eventually arriving with Jack Lane - under pressure he crossed the ball into the six-yard area where Okoro applied the finishing touch at the near post.
It was a tense six minutes of added time, but the Brewers held tight to take a point against tough opposition.
It sees them back up to fourth place in the league just one point behind Handsworth and Beverley Town, but with games in hand over both.
There is no first team game this Saturday, but Tadcaster are back in home action next Tuesday at the Young Guns Arena for the rearranged league game against Rossington Main (7.45pm).
TADCASTER ALBION: Burnett, Pilkington, Clarke-Thompson (Okoro), Schofield (Billet), Heaton, Harris, Norman, Shepherd (Nfonkeu), Sorhaindo (Cassama), Green (Peltier), Lane
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