Tadcaster Albion ease to 4-0 win over Yorkshire Amateur

The visitors agreed to step in at late notice after Rotherham United were forced to pull out of the pre-season friendly, with Mick O’Connell’s side keen to continue their preparations for the new season at the Young Guns Arena.

Strikes from Luca Bollino, Shaun Hudson, Charlie Owen and a trialist saw the Brewers come out on top against a Yorkshire Amateur side who play their football at the same level as Selby Town, who Tadcaster also previously beat 4-0.

It was the perfect start at the Young Guns Arena, as Josh Hardcastle’s superb cross was met by the onrushing Bollino, arrowing his header past the Ammers’ goalkeeper.

Alfie Dean has impressed in pre-season as his pass through to Hudson almost saw the Taddy man through on goal, only to be cut out by a last-ditch challenge.

Tadcaster’s trialist goalkeeper was in action on 18 minutes with an applaudable save, before Bollino was denied a second with a fierce strike.

Elliott Andrew headed off target from a Hudson cross, before Dean agonisingly saw a low effort skim the outside of the Yorkshire Amateur post.

The visitors almost drew level when Hardcastle provided a superb block to deny an initial strike, before the rebound was scuppered over the crossbar.

Dean was again involved as his well-timed through ball saw Andrew in behind, but the former Nottingham Forest striker couldn’t keep his effort from rising.

Tadcaster Albion's penultimate pre-season friendly ended in a 4-0 victory. Picture: Keith Handley (Image: Keith Handley)

Sam Kitchen’s pass to Dean saw the attacker shift the ball onto his left foot before being denied by the Ammers’ shot-stopper, before Dean soon saw an effort rise over the bar.

Heading into the second 45, Yorkshire Amateur were keen to find a route back into the contest when skidding an effort just wide, before the Taddy trialist between the sticks parried a volleyed strike around his post.

With just over an hour played, the Brewers doubled their advantage. Elliot Holmes saw his initial effort brilliantly kept out, with Hudson the quickest to react to net Tadcaster’s second of the evening.

Another opportunity fell to the Ammers after breaking the offside trap, but the trialist goalkeeper was again in fine form to produce a superb stop.

A penalty shout for a foul on Bollino was ignored by the referee, before the resulting corner saw Holmes power a header just wide of the target.

Tadcaster were able to add a third after an error at the back for Yorkshire Amateur allowed a trialists substitute to take full advantage, tucking home coolly.

Just one minute later, O’Connell’s side added a fourth. A cross from the same trialist was slid into Owen at the back post, who forced the ball over the line from close-range.

Two Taddy trialists combined late on but saw their effort rattle the crossbar, before the referee brought an end to the Brewers’ penultimate friendly of pre-season.

TADCASTER ALBION: Trialist, Wilson, Hardcastle, Thirkell, Knowles, Ibrahimi, Bollino, Kitchen, Andrew, Dean, Hudson