TADCASTER Albion surrendered the lead twice at the i2i Stadium as two goals in two second-half minutes saw Pontefract Collieries snatch a 3-2 victory.

The Brewers could have found the net within two minutes as a short corner caught out the visitors but Joe Lumsden smashed over the bar from eight yards out.

It was a fast and frenetic opening to proceedings and the away side went close on eight minutes. Paddy Miller was adamant he was elbowed by Eli Hey, yet play was allowed to go on with Rothery flicking Nick Guest in behind who helped over James Hodges but Chris Howarth was on hand to head clear.

Taddy were looking dangerous in the early stages as another big chance fell at the feet of top scorer Lumsden.

Casey Stewart used his touch and pace to power beyond Conner Smythe down the right-hand side before his cross cannoned off Aiden Savory perfectly into the path of Lumsden whose side-footed effort flew agonisingly wide.

Lumsden made it third time lucky in front of goal when he broke the deadlock on 21 minutes.

A lovely ball over the top from Stewart was latched onto by the Taddy front man who flicked it past the onrushing Musselwhite for his 23rd goal of the season.

Pontefract responded well with Vaughan Redford sliding Guest in behind, but Hodges stormed out to to thwart the forward.

Albion almost doubled their lead in fortuitous fashion. Savory played it back to Ellis Barkworth from a throw-in before the full-back’s cross looked to be sailing into the far corner, but dropped wide.

Pontefract levelled on 36 minutes, though. Redford beat Barkworth in the air before pulling back to Guest whose hooked shot bounced past Hodges and Mycoe on the line.

Colls almost turned the scoreline completely on its head five minutes before the break when Hey and Redford played a clever one-two but Hodges was alert to deny the division’s top scorer.

It was Taddy who started the second half in the ascendency as Lumsden squandered a glorious opportunity to regain the lead. Stewart floated a corner onto the head of the unmarked striker and, with the goalkeeper stranded, he powered a header wide of the mark.

However, the Brewers were back in front on 55 minutes as Will Annan scored one of the goals of the season.

After seven confident passes, Jason Mycoe fired into Annan who turned 25 yards from goal and unleashed an unstoppable strike into the top corner.

With 20 minutes to go, Colls bounced back again. Hey and Redford combined once more only to be denied by the impressive Hodges for a third time.

However, the unrelenting Pontefract pegged their Yorkshire counterparts back on 75 minutes. Tricky substitute Michael Dunn twisted and turned before a loose leg from Barkworth saw referee Akeel Ahmed point to the penalty spot. Vaughan Redford stepped up and coolly sent Hodges the wrong way.

Things went from bad to worse for Simon Collins’ side as Pontefract netted a second goal in two minutes to take the lead for the first time.

Substitute Michael Dunn robbed Barkworth of possession before pulling back to Rothery who drove into the bottom corner.

Taddy went all out in search of an equaliser. Barkworth sent Lumsden racing away, Musselwhite came off his line which allowed the striker to round the goalkeeper but, with the angle acute, he could only fire off the post before blasting off target with his second attempt.