BRIGHOUSE TOWN’S weekend of woe in going out of the Emirate FA Cup preliminary round at Shildon, ended 48 hours later with them getting their second home draw of the season in the 5th minute of added time in a thriller with Sheffield FC.
Town looked to be heading for a nerve-jangling victory in Durham and the first round draw only to see, first a penalty awarded in the 86th minute, then right back Jack Tinker sent off, before giving away a free kick some 22 yards in the fourth minute of added time which was dispatched by late substitute Daniel Craggs with some aplomb over the wall to beat keeper Brett Souter.
Overall Town deserved their 1-0 lead, given to them by Jack Boyle in the 44th minute with a 20-yard screamer after dominating large parts of the first half. In fact Elliot Harrison was handed a gift just two minutes in but from 10 yards out he blazed over the bar. Boyle also had two good chances his outstanding work deserved.
The introduction of Javelle Clarke for the second half in the place of Mikey Starkey and his teaming up with outstanding fellow teenage full-back Sam Reed ensured Town did have numerous attacks up the left and they were unlucky not to add to their total. Both Clarke and Boyle should have found the target but as the 90 minutes approached, and having lost Boyle with a dead leg and Thomas Haigh with fatigue, Town also found themselves under the pump.
From a borderline area penalty box collision of bodies, Sunderland referee Martin Conroy awarded Shildon a penalty on the stroke of full time which another substitute Dean Thexton converted, although Souter did go the right way. Visiting supporters were in dismay and talking of a replay but that was only for three minutes before the referee awarded Shildon a free kick for James Hurtley allegedly fouling in a tackle. Craggs, only on the field for minutes did the rest and Shildon now have a home tie with South Shields on Saturday week when Town will, like this Saturday, be without a league game unless the NPL rearrange a league game for them.
In the game with Sheffield on Monday night Town, where Town manager Vill Powell had made two changes from Saturday, had much the better of the second half and fully deserved to get something out of it after going 2-0 down.
They were a goal down after just two minutes when there was a mix up in defence well inside the box and nippy Marc Newsham slid in to beat Souter. There were claims Town defender Matty Nebard had his ankles clipped and a free kick should have been awarded but the goal stood.
It was pretty frantic at both ends but the 1-0 scoreline remained on 45 minutes.
Only a minute into the second half Laurence Sorhaindo was only inches off heading in a hard cross from his right wing and the home support reckoned on another game of deserting luck and valuable points. Town did not give up the cause and battled away and played a lot of decent football but there was no reward, and then a rare attack on the home goal saw Souter penalised for bringing down a Sheffield attacker.
He more than atoned with a great save to his right from Newsam but Jordan Walshaw was quicker than the Town defence following up and he made in 2-0 in the 69th minute.
Two minutes later and Town had pulled a goal back from leading goalscorer Sorhaindo who beat former Halifax Town keeper Jonathan Hedge after receiving a good ball into the box. The home crowd were up for a deserved second and cheered successive advances on the away goal. They had to wait until the fifth minute of added time before in a busy goalmouth former FC Halifax Town wideman Shiraz Khan, a 57th minute substitute for Hurtley, flicked the ball wide of Hedge to jubilant scenes.
Town host Ossett United on Bank Holiday Monday (3.0) looking for their first win of the season against Wayne Benn’s charges who won two league games ahead of their 1-0 defeat against Stockton Town last Saturday.
Manager Powell was proud of the way his boys had come back from 2-0 down against Stockton but just wants his charges to tighten up on defence and then game manage, as he and his colleagues on the bench can see plenty of chances created for the goals to come.
Two days after the Ossett game, Town’s Youth team are at home in the preliminary round of the FA Youth Cup to Farsley Celtic and manager Simon Ward is appealing for support to cheer his boys on hopefully to the next round.
Ossett couldn’t go ahead with their Tuesday night game with Worksop Town as the Nottinghamshire club had to complete their Emirates preliminary round tie with the City of Nottingham club Eastwood Town which had been postponed on the Saturday.
Ossett have a game on Saturday at home to Hebburn Utd who beat Yorkshire Amateur 7-0 in the cup last Saturday and then surprisingly drew with bottom club Pickering Town on Tuesday night.
Town’s match on Monday is sponsored by Hipperholme company Halifax Steam Brewery and their adjoining hostelry, Cock Of The North. The ball sponsor is Chesterfield Candle Company
