New Tadcaster Albion boss Andy Monkhouse suffers defeat in first game at the helm

New Tadcaster Albion manager Andy Monkhouse suffered a 3-0 defeat to Brighouse Town in what was his first game in charge of the struggling Brewers. Picture: Submitted

The former Hartlepool United stalwart took the reins at Ings Lane following the departure of Craig Ogilvie and Neil Sibson last month, but was unable to save the Northern Premier League East Division’s bottom side from a 3-0 home defeat to Brighouse Town on Monday.

Monkhouse is no stranger to Tadcaster having turned out for them briefly at the end of his long playing career, before going on to act as former chief John Deacey’s number two last season.

He worked as first-team coach under Ogilvie and Sibson, but has now taken over in the managerial hot-seat having accepted the challenge of trying to save the still-winless Brewers from relegation.

Following a decent start to proceedings, Albion fell behind late in the first half of what was their first outing of the New Year.

Brighouse’s Jack Wilson broke the deadlock after 37 minutes when a ball in behind afforded the visiting winger the opportunity to calmly beat the exposed Max Culverwell for 1-0.

Just five minutes later, Town doubled their advantage through Jack Boyle, who netted with a fine free-kick from 25 yards out.

Brighouse were fast out of the blocks in the second half adding their third and ending the game as a contest in the 51st minute.

Town had chances to add to their tally before Taddy went close to pulling a goal back late on, Theo Hudson hitting a free-kick wide of the mark from 25 yards out before Dan Hartley headed straight at Jamie Hassall.

It was Wilson again who did the damage, scoring his second of the afternoon with a neat finish off the upright following a clever one-two with Boyle.

Having lost 2-0 in their previous game - away at Bridlington on Boxing Day - Monday’s defeat was Albion’s seventh in nine matches and leaves them winless in 22 league outings this term.

They now sit eight points adrift of second-from-bottom Shildon and are a whopping 14 behind 16th-placed Lincoln United.

This Saturday the Brewers visit promotion-chasing Cleethorpes Town, currently fifth in the table, for a 3pm kick-off.