IT was second time lucky for Tadcaster Albion as they got their NCEL premier division campaign back on track with a 2-1 victory at Maltby Main.

The Brewers were back in South Yorkshire less than a month after a floodlight failure had abandoned the sides’ previous scheduled fixture.

But whilst the pitch had survived the torrential downpours of the preceding week, but it would be hard going for all concerned.

With less than a minute played, Joe Wilton needed all his concentration to get down to his right to foil an early goal-bound shot from the hosts - but perhaps that was the wake-up call that the Brewers needed.

Maltby’s Levi Owen was called into action to deny Tadcaster from a corner, with Crosby and Ollie Norman then trying their luck, the latter seeing his cross from the byline lack power.

Kieran Greenway went close to breaking the deadlock with 20 minutes, Norman meeting the subsequent corner but clearing the bar. Nevertheless, he was causing all manner of problems down the flank.

Just before the half-hour mark, Crosby saw a penalty claim denied before Maltby had a rare shot on goal when Currie launched a 25-yard strike, but Wilton was ready and waiting.

The away supporters could have been forgiven thinking that the game was going the same way as their last match as the team pounded the home side but could not find the net.

And they were left feeling even more aggrieved when Norman was brought down cynically inside the box, only for the referee to instead book the forward for a dive.

Maltby has their best attack with five minutes of the half remaining as Luca Grant failed to make the best of a chance with just Wilton to beat, instead firing straight at the ‘keeper.

At the other end, a Greenway corner found Dan Thirkell at the back post, but the header was wide, leaving the score goalless at the break.

But it proved to be a different story in the second half, with Tadcaster taking the lead within a minute of the restart.

Jordan Hines crossed the ball over the Maltby defence into the box where Crosby collected before screwing an unstoppable shot into the far corner of the net.

With Albion pressing home their advantage, it was all attack. Norman sped into the box only to see his shot just off target, whilst Crosby could have doubled his tally but was twice adjudged offside in as many minutes.

However, Norman got his just reward on 54 minutes as after a poor back pass, he found himself one-on-one with Owen, coolly lobbing the goalkeeper to double the visitors’ lead.

With an hour played, Norman drilled the ball across the six-yard box, before Norman’s shot following a free-kick cleared the bar.

Another Greenway corner on 63 minutes was well met by the marauding Conor Qualter but his nod down was cleared before Hines could convert.

Luke Stewart replaced Hines with 20 minutes remaining as Tadcaster continued to take the game to their hosts, but Maltby were far from finished.

The home side screaming for a penalty, but although not given, it signalled an uneasy final10 minutes.

Ethan Hobson outjumped the Tadcaster defence to halve the deficit, with Wilton then producing an outstanding save with eight minutes remaining to preserve his side’s lead.

In the final moments, Maltby had another chance when substitute Hakim Johnson headed wide, before Malachie Bailey launched a rocket from 30 yards that narrowly cleared the bar.

Three vital points sees Tadcaster rise to 16th in the table ahead of their visit to Albion Sports on Saturday (3pm).