PROMOTION-CHASING Tadcaster Albion are reeling from their heaviest league defeat in more than 15 years.

The Brewers were thumped 8-1 at Northern Counties East League premier division title rivals Brighouse Town on Saturday.

The Brewers were 5-0 down after 25 minutes as they conceded eight goals in a league match for the first time since December 1998.

Brighouse are playing catch up in the table but they ended the day only six points behind second-placed Albion with seven games in hand.

The prolific Tom Matthews bagged the first of his hat-trick of goals after only five minutes and Ernest Boafo got the second on ten minutes.

A crazy spell of three goals in three minutes left Tadcaster floundering, with Ben Thornton and Matthews netting before Joe Jagger’s 25th minute goal.

Matthews completed his treble two minutes before the break and although Danny Critchlow pulled a goal back on 63 minutes, Thornton immediately made it 7-1.

Jagger rounded off the rout with ten minutes left on the clock.

Pickering Town conceded three second half goals in their 3-0 home defeat to Long Eaton United.

Ben Watkiss, Gerome Palmer and Michael Armstrong, from the spot, were the marksmen.

Selby Town hit back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with Flaxley Road visitors Emley in division one.

Paul Sykes and Doran Jordan put Emley in control, but Danny Gray pulled a goal back a minute before the break and Steve Lyon levelled with nine minutes remaining.

Knaresborough Town’s game at Hallam was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

Harrogate Town’s trip to Colwyn Bay in Conference North was postponed, along with Harrogate Railway Athletic’s home match with Burscough in Evo-Stik League division one north.

In division one south, Scarborough Athletic lost 2-1 at fifth-placed Sutton Coldfield Town.

Scarborough trailed to goals by Joel Kettle (56) and Gary Hay (66) before Gary Bradshaw struck in the 73rd minute.