Mixed fortunes for Albion as back-to-back victories are followed up by 'weak' display

Tadcaster Albion lost out 3-0 at home to Morpeth Town on Bank Holiday Monday. Picture: Matthew Appleby

The Brewers looked to have put their opening-day loss to Carlton Town behind them after recording back-to-back victories, only to produce a "weak" display on Bank Holiday Monday that saw them beaten 3-0 in Evo-Stik East by newly-promoted Morpeth Town.

They had edged out Sheffield FC in a seven-goal thriller then followed that result up with an impressive 4-1 FA Cup victory over Northern League high-flyers Shildon on Saturday, but were so poor against the Highwaymen that assistant boss Si Collins suggested his players need to "have a good look at themselves".

“I felt like we’d gone back to the Carlton game. It was a weak performance and lazy again,” he reflected.

“I dont want to use playing Saturday [in the FA Cup] as an excuse because players who are fit should be able to do two games in 24-48 hours, but we looked leggy. I can only describe it as weak.

“They [Morpeth] were miles better than us all over the pitch. There was nobody talking, nobody leading. It just isn’t good enough.

“The lads need to have a look at themselves and decide whether they’re going to come and put performances in.”

Albion fell behind on Monday to a Sean Taylor strike after 17 minutes and the Morpeth lead was doubled just past the half-hour-mark when Romanian Iulian Petrache poked home.

Any hopes of a comeback were then dashed five minutes into the second period as Ben Sayer added Town’s third, his corner kick finding its way directly into the back of the Taddy net.

The Brewers were far more impressive 48 hours earlier, Joe Lumsden’s brace helping his side see off Northern League outfit Shildon and advance into the first qualifying round of the FA Cup.

An early strike set them on their way at the i2i Stadium, Billy Whitehouse sending Lumsden clean through on goal where he rounded Shaun Newbrook and rolled home.

The lead was doubled on the stroke of half-time when Lumsden played a one-two with Whitehouse before finishing confidently.

Shildon defender Daniel Moore pulled a goal back on 56 minutes, heading home a Keith Graydon free-kick but Whitehouse picked out the bottom corner to restore the hosts’ two-goal cushion.

Casey Stewart then added a fourth late on, converting Aiden Savory's cut back from eight yards out.

Tadcaster will be aiming to get back on track on Saturday when they travel to Gresley, 3pm kick-off.