Steels 2-0 Tadcaster Albion

Ian Richards continued his good start as Steels’ manager as his resilient side saw off a second half 10-man Albion onslaught and came out with a 2-0 victory on a foggy Tuesday evening

Joe Lumsden’s second half brace was enough to provide the Steels’ with victory. The first coming within minutes of his entrance onto the field with a low curled shot inside the box, the second following a visiting defensive mix-up.

The first half sprung into action almost straight away, Tadcaster’s Jack Crook registered their side’s first shot on target with an effort which flew straight down Ed Hall’s throat.

Incensed by the early start, Tadcaster continued to press and almost found a breakthrough 13 minutes in, Des Amponsah couldn’t believe his luck when he found himself through on goal but couldn’t challenge the Steel’s custodian with anymore than a shot straight at him.

It was to be the Steels however, who almost got the upper hand with a blistering effort from just outside the box being deflected over the bar with a goal line clearance courtesy of Albion’s Dan Hartley.

Tadcaster’s skillful possession-based play created a couple of chances in the latter stages of the first half, most notably Romario Vieira letting loose from 40-something-yards which rocketed harmlessly over the Steel’s net.

Stocksbridge almost went into half time with the lead, last week’s scorer Lewis Whitham thought he’d got his second goal in as many games but it catapulted agonisingly over the crossbar.

With the referee’s whistle to signal the start of the second half, the game restarted with as much life as the first half. Albion’s Romario Vieria was plucked out in the box and seemed to have all the time in the world, too much time perhaps, as Michael Trench flew into the rescue and pulled off a stunning block, preventing an almost certain goal.

With the fog settling down on Bracken Moor, the game was doing anything but. Albion’s Dan Hartley was sent off for an off the ball incident involving Steels’ Michael Trench, the referee deeming the Tadcaster player to have kicked out.

A plethora of chances for Tadcaster weren’t enough to capitalise on their dominant second half performance. Des Amponsah will be kicking himself after firing wide whilst completely unchallenged inside the Steels’ box.

It wasn’t long before it came back to sting Tadcaster. Second half sub Joe Lumsden keeping his composure inside the box and curling a low effort into the bottom corner just beyond the keeper’s gloves.

It wouldn’t be long before the Steels struck again putting the game beyond doubt, the scorer of the first pouncing onto a defensive mix up which saw Albion keeper Harrison Davison Hale competing for the ball outside the 6-yard box, the ball fell to Lumsden with the goal at his mercy to which he showed none with an absolute belter into the top corner.

The Steels’ held on to see the game through and fell to the ground with exhaustion at the sound of the final whistle following a battling display. A return to Bracken Moor against Shildon up next for Ian Richards’ men.

Man of Match: Reece Fielding