BARTON TOWN OLD BOYS 2
TADCASTER ALBION 2

05-03-10

Attendance 255

Jason Moody (1)
Gareth Barlow (6)

In front of the biggest crowd of the season, Barton Town Old Boys and Tadcaster Albion had to be content with a point apiece, a fair reflection over the 90 minutes. In an archetypical game of two halves, Town came roaring out of the blocks in the first half, going two goals up in the first six minutes, only to be pegged back in the second half as promotion-chasing Albion turned the screw.

Barton took the lead within the first sixty seconds, Ryan Morton beating three men down the right flank before Jason MOODY, given his first start in the absence of the injured Adam Crane, turned in Morton's cross at the far post. Five minutes later, it was joy unconfined for Town as Gareth BARLOW powerfully headed home from Moody's pin-point cross from the left.

And it could have got worse for Tadcaster as Bill Law, having chested the ball down, poked the ball just the wrong side of keeper, Craig Cammage's upright.

The visitors, stung into action, responded as Town keeper, Dave Bramley went down well to gather before action resumed in the Tadcaster penalty area as Barlow saw his shot blocked. The Swans' top scorer then turned provider, his great turn and through-ball releasing Law in the inside left channel. Law's sweetly-struck effort from just inside the area beat Cammage, only to hammer against the far post and rebound away to safety.

Undeterred, Law let fly again, just minutes later. The power on the shot saw Cammage only punch the ball away, but no Barton player was able to follow up.

As the referee blew for half-time on what had been an excellent first half showing, the big question for Town was would two goals be enough? The answer to that was apparent within the first minute of the re-start. After a great effort had come back off Bramley's bar, Andy Sunley expertly tucked the loose ball home to give Tadcaster manager, Paul Marshall just the response from his players he had no doubt been looking for. Town responded. From Morton's free-kick, Law hooked the bouncing ball over Cammage's bar before Barlow nearly profited from some hesitancy by the Tadcaster central defenders, firing against the legs of Cammage as the keeper raced out, the ball ballooning up in the air before being unceremoniously hoisted to safety.

But the longer the second half wore on, the more likely the visitors looked like equalising. And so it proved in the 63rd minute, Tadcaster skipper, Graeme Whitehead heading powerfully home to restore parity.

It was then a question of whether either side could conjure up a winner, substitute Lee Moulds going close for Town before Bramley saved a point for Barton, blocking superbly with his legs before the Tadcaster follow-up was blasted well over.

As the final whistle sounded, both sides were left to reflect on a tale of two halves. For Barton, it was all about that elusive third goal in the first half. For Tadcaster, although still in pole position regarding the promotion places, it was more a case of why did it take until after half-time before they imposed themselves?

Town are at Dinnington Town on Thursday night for a twice-postponed League Cup tie, before returning to league action next Saturday, when Worsbrough Bridge are the visitors to The Euronics Ground ( kick off 3pm ).

TEAM: Bramley; Nielson ( White ), McKay, Tomlinson, Day; Morton ( L.Moulds ), Gordon, Taylor, Moody ( Masterton ), Barlow, Law. All subs used.