Tadcaster Albion’s push for a top-four finish to their debut Northern Counties East League premier division campaign gathered fresh momentum.

They expected to have the beating of hosts Hallam, who lie a distant second from bottom of the top flight, but Albion’s hopes were dealt an early blow after they conceded a goal in the ninth minute.

But Albion, boosted by the return of several players including Matty Howgate and Nick Thompson, were level by half-time thanks to an own goal just after the half-hour.

Just on the hour mark Albion stashed away all three points when Carl Stewart pounced for what proved to be a worthy winner, the wide-man turned striker crashing home a 20-yard volley.

That win elevated Paul Marshall’s men to fourth place to the satisfaction of the Albion boss.

“It’s got us back to fourth spot even though the performance was not great on a pitch which has a noticeable slope and in a match which was spoilt by some odd decisions, especially in favour of us,” he said, He was referring to the late dismissals of two Hallam players allowing Albion to concentrate on playing keep-ball to see out the win.

One of the three teams above Tadcaster, second-placed Parkgate, emphasised their superiority with a resounding 5-1 triumph at Pickering Town.

The Pikes trailed 2-0 by the interval to a brace of Chris Wood goals. By the hour the deficit was five and the only consolation for the hosts was a stoppage-time penalty from Nathan Cook.

Selby Town ended a sorry sequence of seven successive losses when they prised all three points from their clash at home to Brighouse.

The only goal of the game was plundered by the Robins’ Paul Jones midway through the second period.

Goals were in shorter supply at Harrogate Town, where the Blue Square Bet North tussle against Vauxhall Motors ended in a blank share-all.

Harrogate Railway also took a share of the spoils with Steve Palfrey on target in the first half fn their Evo-Stik first division North outing to Salford City.