Tadcaster Albion 1-1 Steels
Stocksbridge Park Steels fought back to get a point against Tadcaster Albion but they could have got more.
Tadcaster struck first when they got an early goal through Donald Chimalilo. The Steels got their equaliser early in the second half when Josh Nodder converted a penalty after a foul on Ben Partridge.
The Steels got off to a better start in this game. An early header from Lee Cooksey would be deflected over the bar as Stocksbridge came close to ending their corner hoodoo. Partridge, making his first away start, would also drive a shot wide of the post.
But despite this bright start, Tadcaster scored with their first attack of the game. Jordan Deacey did well to evade the defenders before picking out Chimalilo. Coming off the back of scoring twice against Lincoln United, he made no mistake as he put the ball onto his left before striking past Michael Roxburgh.
From here, Tadcaster took control of the game and had the chances to go on and extend their lead. Mark Ferguson would have made it two had he connected with a Jack Crook cross while the woodwork was rattled when Crook smashed his header off the bar. Kieran Burton was first to pounce on the rebound but the Steels did well to block the shot and clear the ball.
There was a bit of promise at the other end, notably when Partridge hit a shot wide when getting on the end of a throw-in, it was Tadcaster causing all the problems and looking likely to be the next goalscorer. Another scramble caused plenty of issues in the Stocksbridge defence with Deacey’s shot initially being blocked before Chimalilo’s shot bounced wide. Tadcaster would keep on coming and even hit the outside of the post through Chimalilo but Stocksbridge were able to keep it to just 1-0 down at half time.
It was immediately a good start for the Steels in the second half. Good play between Nodder and Partridge got them into the box and when the former Ollerton Town man tried to force the matter, he was tripped in the box and the penalty was given. With usual penalty taker Luke Mangham out with suspension, it was Nodder who stepped up to take the penalty. He made no mistake, sending Harry Fisk the wrong way and equalising.
Stocksbridge would then take that momentum and be the better side in the second half. Nodder tried to get a second but after his first shot was block, his second would end up being right at Fisk. Then after Burton was booked after hauling down Nathaniel Crofts, Nodder would also hit a free kick just over.
That didn’t mean Tadcaster weren’t out of the game as they would continue to show they were a dangerous side. Chimalilo broke the ankles of Cooksey with a quick turn and his cross would be header over at the far post by Crook when it seemed easier to score.
Instantly at the other end, the Steels would have thought they could have taken the lead. Partridge worked hard on the right hand side and found Nodder in the box. The winger shifted it onto his left foot and found the space to curl the ball goalwards and it went just over.
Both teams fought to the end as both sides looked to get all three points. Tadcaster had a lot of set pieces which were nervy for the Steels but Stocksbridge were able to deal with them all. Nodder then also had an identical chance to his earlier one towards the end but unfortunately it had the same result as that would go over too. In the end, a draw was probably the fair result.
MOTM: Ben Partridge
