MANAGER Paul Marshall hailed a “brilliant result” as his title-chasing Tadcaster Albion side kicked off 2012 with a 2-0 win at Nostell Miners Welfare.

Former York City junior Jamie Hopcutt fired a stunning hat-trick to keep the Brewers in second place in the Northern Counties East League premier division.

A superb seventh-minute left-foot Hopcutt strike from more than 20 yards gave Albion a 1-0 half-time lead.

After the interval, right wing-back Hopcutt cut in from the flank, pushed the ball past two defenders and dinked a 65th-minute finish over the goalkeeper.

The treble was rounded off five minutes later when the Nostell left-back gave the ball away to Hopcutt and the Brewers star man ran in from an angle and found the net.

Tadcaster ’keeper Arran Reid rounded off a superb team performance by saving a late Nostell penalty after Rob Pell had handled in the area.

Marshall said: “It was a very good performance and a brilliant result. Jamie Hopcutt has got one or two all year and then goes and gets a hat-trick.

“We defended well in the first half and dominated in the second half and Jamie’s goals made sure it was pretty much game over.

“We played well as a unit. Terry Taylor was awesome in midfield, along with Nick Thompson and Jamie Williamson.”