BRIGHOUSE TOWN have been reinstated in the Buildbase FA Trophy at the third round stage following Kendal Town, who beat them 1-0 two weeks ago, being found guilty of playing two incorrectly registered on loan players from Carlisle United.
As a result the FA Cup Committee removed them from the competition on Tuesday after they failed to appeal last Friday’s hearing and the outcome has given Town an unexpected home tie against Pitching In NPL Premier Division club Buxton on Saturday (3.0).
The players who should not have been playing against Town were centre half Charlie Barnes and striker Charlie Birch.
Town officials have had to move swiftly to get the game on and chairman James Howard has also managed to engage two sponsors in Queens Road-based company Halifax Bathrooms (AAR Commercial Ltd) and Town Hall Dental who already sponsor Leeds Utd. There will be more on them in next week’s edition and on the club’s website.
Town expect a big crowd to stretch their capacity of 400 that is allowed right now under the NPL rules and ask spectators to come early.
They will be without wideman Shiraz Khan who was dismissed for a third time this season in injury time in the 2-0 home win over Pontefract Collieries last Saturday. He has also been handed a five match ban.
A Jack Boyle double in the first half secured Town’s valuable three points and pushed them four places up the table. The former Clyde and Huddersfield Town midfielder struck in the ninth minute after a cutback found him near the penalty spot and he beat the visiting custodian and skipper Mike Emery.
In the 39th minute Boyle struck again following some clinical approach work in the Pontefract half and he curled a left foot shot from the edge of the area into the corner of the goal.
The match was a real derby affair with strong challenges which kept Manchester referee Simon Kells on his toes.
Town’s defence held firm throughout and celebrated a clean sheet for the first time this season.
Town manager Vill Powell was delighted with performance and also to get the first win on the board.
He was also making sure yesterday (Wednesday) that his Salford City loanee Will Shepherd was correctly registered with the FA following Kendal’s misfortune with the paperwork.
Town should have been at Marine this Saturday but they are also in the FA Trophy and the first round of the FA Cup so that game has been put back to Tuesday, November 24 (7.45).
