Garforth Town 4-1 Tadcaster Albion

It was to be an evening to remember for the Miners, as the
biggest crowd at the Bannister Prentice stadium for over a
decade watched us defeat local opposition Tadcaster in a
dominant display.

The visitors arrived boasting an 8 game unbeaten streak over
Garforth, stretching back to 2005, but the eventual 10 men of
Tadcaster were swept aside on the night in a match that
could have seen us score double.

Paul Marshall’s side began the match well, battling for every
challenge and looking to gain a good spell on the ball. A few
half chances fell our way early doors, but things settled soon
after and we looked to take control of the game.

Garforth continually pressed Tadcaster in hopes of a forcing a
turnover, and eventually our work rate would be rewarded.

Dan Coupland won the ball high up the field before threading
Matt Ancliff into the area, where the forward steadied
himself and fired Garforth into the lead.

After the opener the Miners kept their foot on the gas and

set about trying to double the advantage. Ancliff tried his luck
from range, but Joseph Wilson saved comfortably.

Ancliff would later find himself running through on goal after
nicking the ball away from Tadcaster’s back line, but Joshua
Hardcastle recovered well and forced Garforth’s goalscorer to
shoot off target.

However, the visitors were struggling with balls in behind,
and when Charlie Marshall found himself in a similar situation
only a moment later, he made no mistake in finding the
bottom corner and grabbing Garforth a well deserved second
goal.

Tadcaster were then reduced to 10 men on the stroke of half
time, after Sam Barker was brought down on the edge of the
box by Dan Thirkell - which the referee deemed to be a
second bookable offence.

Ancliff stood over the set piece and he fired it low and hard
towards the opposite corner, but it was just the wrong side of
the post and with that came to an end a very good opening
45 for the Miners.

HALF TIME: Garforth Town 2-0 Tadcaster Albion

The second period got underway and immediately we looked
to carry on from where we had left off.

Barker received the ball off Jordan Emery down the left wing
and his accurate delivery picked out Jason Davis at the far
post, where he forced a save out of Wilson.
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Later, there was an opening for Davis down the flank and the
winger fizzed a dangerous ball across the face of goal, which
Conor Qualter was fortunate to not turn into his own net and
put Paul Marshall’s side out of sight.

Still in firm control of the game, we came close once again.
Emery was found in space by Dexter Ball out wide and the
fullback took it past his man with some nice footwork before
cannoning a shot from an awkward angle off the bar.

With 20 minutes to go, Paul Marshall turned to his bench and
brought Nash Connolly onto the field in place of Ancliff. The
winger was involved almost instantly, and having been found
inside the box, the substitute curled a left footed effort past
the goalkeeper with his first touch of the ball.

Tadcaster, now surely beaten, were now trapped within their
own half facing a barrage of efforts on goal from blue shirts
all over the pitch. Charlie Marshall drilled one low from
distance which the goalkeeper spilled but quickly gathered.

A fourth and final goal did eventually come for Garforth and it
was scored by the captain Dan Coupland, who met a cross
into the box with a glancing header than nestled in the
bottom corner.

Entering the closing stages of the game, foul magnet Sam
Barker again won the Miners a freekick in a dangerous area.
This time it was taken by Emery, who once again went
agonizingly close to grabbing one for himself by curling an
effort around the wall that smacked against the post.

Tadcaster were gifted one back late on in unfortunate
circumstances for Harry Flatters, as the goalkeeper
miscontrolled a pass back and couldn’t prevent it from
trickling over the line.

However, that was just a small blemish on what had been a
stellar Garforth performance from all involved as the referee
brought an action packed evening to a close.

FULL TIME: Garforth Town 4-1 Tadcaster Albion