Brighouse Town manager Vill Powell has made a double swoop on two players with Bradford City connections and both are expected to play in the opening game on Saturday away to Ashington (3pm).
Coming back to the club is 19-year-old wide player Jack Wilson who has been given a free transfer by the Bantams and also coming on board for a Youth Loan spell from Valley Parade until October 1 is centre forward Sam Bentley.
Wilson impressed in his loan spell last season until he was injured in the West Riding Cup tie with Campion and taken to Pinderfields Hospital with an ankle injury. He recovered after some two months and went back to Bradford’s academy squad.
Powell has been on Bentley’s case for the past three weeks and finally nailed him down on Monday of this week. He had impressed in the first half of the pre-season friendly against Town back in early July before being substituted.
Town have also signed Manchester-based central midfielder Aderemi Efunnuga, 21, who has played for Stoke City and more recently Matlock Town. He showed up well last Saturday in the 2-0 home defeat to Guiseley in Town’s last pre-season friendly along with a trialist frontman Shohaib Mazir.
Town’s management and their fans were pleased with the workout against the strong NPL side who included for the first half former FC Halifax Town and Chesterfield striker Tom Denton and in the second half former Brighouse striker Laurence Sorhaindo.
Guiseley took the lead after 11 minutes through Jameel Ible who struck home in a crowded goalmouth to beat Harry Garman.
It wasn’t until the 86th minute that Guiseley got their second, this time through Leigh Whelan.
Town’s players showed pace and skill and certainly worried the visitors on many occasions but just couldn’t find the back of the net.
EBAC Northern Division One Champions Ashington prepared for Town’s visit with a 4-0 home win in the Emirates FA Cup Extra Preliminary round over relegated NPL East Division side North Shields.
Town also found out last Saturday from that round of the cup who they will now play in the Preliminary round on Saturday week, August 19 and its a trip to the Holt House Stadium, Colne, famous for its sloping pitch and former home of Colne Dynamoes. A coach will leave the Dusty Miller at 11.30 on that day.
Colne, now in the North West Counties League Premier Division, beat another former NPL side in Glossop North End with a 90th minute goal for a 2-1 victory.
North Ferriby, visitors to The Heffernan Utilities Stadium on Monday (7.45), defeated Crook Town 2-1 in their Extra Preliminary round tie. That game will be sponsored by Town’s major sponsors and the town’s largest employers Quickslide Windows and Doors Ltd who are on a major recruitment drive.
There will be a minutes applause ahead of the game for Town’s former long serving secretary, Malcolm Taylor who passed away on July 18.
His funeral will take place the day after at Park Wood Crematorium, Elland at 11.45.
