The Brighouse Town performance at Grantham last Saturday was certainly a case of: `After the Lord Mayor’s Show’.
Forced into one change from the side that beat Liversedge 3-2 on New Year’s Day, manager Vill Powell also altered his back four, dropping Jamie Allsop completely out of the squad and bringing in the re-signed centre-back Josh Dacre who arrived 48 hours before the game back from Winterton Rangers via Goole.
Midfielder Jack Crook, who had played well alongside Cameron Bedford and Sam Drake against Liversedge, was placed on the bench as he was late coming back from a short holiday in Paris. Skipper Josh Grant, who was subject of interest from former club Ossett United during the week after being ill for the Liversedge game, replaced Crook. Ever present squad member Ash Butterworth, who had cried in sick in the morning, was replaced in the sixteen by Seb Bolton who has just signed a dual registration agreement with Wakefield.
Defences were on top early on but the Gingerbreadmen went ahead on 25 minutes when Town’s vice-captain Curtis Peters was alleged to have brought down a home payer in the penalty box. Bradley Munns made no mistake in firing past Jamie Hassell.
Matty Doyle then went close for Grantham, to be denied by Hassell, while Kieron Ceesay could have opened Town’s account.
Rodrigro Goncalves added a second for the home side in the 34th minute as the Town defence stood off him and then allowed a shot to easily beat Hassell.
Town did come out for the second half looking a little livelier and Mo Qasim just headed over when well placed. Town did have chances through Jack Normanton, Drake and Crook who had home custodian Curtis Hall beaten but after the partially saved shot the ball run up a post and over for a corner.
In the 86th minute Peters was again alleged to have fouled in the box and Munns stepped up again to drive home the spot kick.
To Town’s credit they did not give up and were awarded a penalty three minutes into added on time, which Normanton converted.
In the two training sessions this week, the players will no doubt have come under the pump as Powell was very disappointed with the showing against the bottom placed club and apologised to travelling supporters.
Grimsby Borough, who are one place and one point behind 14th-placed Town after their 2-0 home win over Newton Aycliffe last Saturday, are the visitors on Saturday to the Heffernan Utilities Stadium (3pm).
They were bottom ahead of the festive break and their secretary-director Nigel Fanthorpe said the board called the manager Daniel Barrett into the boardroom and asked for a major improvement. It appears to have worked!
