The Rams travel to North Yorkshire to tackle Tadcaster Albion looking to bounce back to winning ways after a defeat and draw in their last two league games.
But they will travel to the Global Stadium on Ings Lane with a very good record against The Brewers across the three seasons we have met.
“Taddy” were one of the sides that we did meet twice last season. A trip across the Roses border saw the Rams come from 2-0 down at half-time as Bokinji Mbeka Lebrun and Donald Chimalio eased the home side ahead. However, Richie Baker’s second in successive games having opened his Rammy account in the 5-1 win over Marske United and a first ever strike for Daniel Naidole, his coming twelve minutes from time made sure we took a point back home.
It was an easier ride back at the HWRS on 8 February this year when Nic Evangelinos grabbed his 22nd of the season before Ruben Jerome, continuing his impressive season with his 16th strike and Ben Richardson scored within seven minutes of each other to seal a 3-0 win.
We missed each other in 2018/19 season as Tadcaster were moved to the East division while we remained in the West.
There does seem to be a pattern in the matches between us – a Rammy win and a highly competitive draw. In the 2017/18 season, Jerome Wright’s double secured a 2-1 win at the HWRS, his winner coming with only four minutes left on the clock after Tom Corner had equalised for the visitors while in the pre-Christmas game, Wright cancelled out Conor Sellars’ 25th minute goal to make sure we sealed a 1-1 draw.
Lee Gaskell’s 80th minute penalty brought us an unconvincing win at Ings Lane – this match certainly didn’t match up to the exciting game at the HWRS some four month previously in the 2016/17 campaign.
Ryan Salmon opened the scoring after just two minutes before Sellars equalised on the quarter-hour. Grant Spencer restored the Rammy lead and Salmon added his second and our third before the interval. With just five minutes of normal time left, Josh Barrett made things interesting. And as added time ticked over to five minutes, the Rams tried to run the clock down in the corner flag. It didn’t work as they lost possession, Tadcaster launched one last chance and the ball fell to Tom Corner who swept the ball home through for a dramatic equaliser.
The sum total of matches between the Rams and the Brewers is that it is three wins to the Rams, three draws and no wins for the men in yellow. However, despite the history being in the Rams favour, it will mean nothing when it comes to the action on the park this weekend.
Something of a quirk of the fixture list means that Saturday’s game will be just Tadcaster’s second at home this season but that sole previous saw them thump Pontefract Collieries 3-0 on a Tuesday evening at the end of September.
It will be a difficult game, that is for sure but we hope for a positive result!
Come on the Rams!
