Brighouse Town FC ask that vehicle drivers who visit the Yorkshire Payments Stadium, park in a considerate manner towards other road users, pedestrians and occupants of local housing.
There have been complaints about irresponsible parking and the police will issue fixed penalty notices to any drivers who park illegally or cause an unnecessary obstruction on the road or adjacent footpaths.

By Dave Parker
BRIGHOUSE TOWN, now unbeaten in nine games and the NPL form team for the past two months, gave the League leaders and East Division champions Liversedge, a real fright on Easter Monday before the final whistle went on a 1-1 draw.

The majority in a bumper holiday crowd of 1,235 were baying for goals and hadn’t planned in their minds for the opposition taking the lead after 25 minutes after a frantic end-to-end opening period.

Just after Liversedge blew a golden oppotunity to take the lead, Town struck on the counter as Jack Boyle advanced and then sent a superb ball out to Javelle Clarke on the left and he went round his man, Alfie Raw, and then put a ball across the box and coming in on the right, wideman Darius Smith latched on to it from 15 yards out, and finished with a great hooked shot that easily beat Town’s former goalkeeper Jordan Porter.

This silenced the crowd and Town, playing some good football, were giving centre back Kevy Tarangadzo and former Town skipper Kurt Harris plenty to think about.

Town’s defence, with Mohammed Ibrahim, Josh Grant, Harrison Beeden anbd Harry Wilkinson in battling mood, saw to it Liversedge’s hopes for an equaliser were falling well short.

Town’s players left for the half-time break to huge applause and cheers.

Liversedge, who were keeping an eye on Marske’s game, wanted nothing less than a point to take the title on the day if the Teesiders were kept to a draw, and they did look to get the ball forward and stretch the Town defence, even to the point ahead of the game widening the pitch, two foot either side.

Town’s keeper Brett Souter was far more busier in this half and there was the feeling a goal might come and it did in the 61st minute when substitute Oliver Fearon, nephew of ex-Halifax Panthers RL player Danny, struck to the left of Souter and found the net.

Two minutes later and Shiraz Khan came on for Smith to add experience and skill up front as Town looked to counter and take the lead again.

Sam Reed came on for Grant in the 74th minute and Elliot Harrison three minutes later replaced striker Laurence Sorhaindo to add to strength into midfield.

Both skipper Tom Haigh and Clarke had chances just blocked and saved respectively ahead of Town going down to 10 men with nine minutes left. Corey Gregory was carried from the field and was later taken to hospital with a suspected serious ankle injury. However his colleagues with all the substitutes used up had to battle frantically to save the point they had more than deserved against a side that had only lost one game all season.

On Saturday, Town entertain play-off side Stockton Town (3.0) who are bringing upwards of 200 with them, many in fancy dress as secretary Rob Sexton says this is what they always do for the last game of the season.

Town have two excellent sponsors in Rastrick Constitutional Club and Andrew Nunns Joinery, Brighouse, and his snooker colleagues from Thornhill Briggs WMC.

THE BRIGHOUSE Town end-of-season run continued at the oldest home of English football, Shefffield FC, as they won 2-1 with a late goal by runaway leading goalscorer Laurence Sorhaindo.

Town now take their eight match unbeaten run to the Clayborn Stadium, Liversedge, on Easter Monday (3.0) to take on the leaders of the Pitching In NPL East Division. Liversedge, who will be Town’s West Riding County FA Senior Cup opponents at the Yorkshire Payments Stadium on Friday, May 6, have a tough encounter on Saturday away to Marske United who are level on points but behind on goal difference. Whereas Town have a Saturday off and more time to recover from what was a tough game at Dronfield last Saturday. In front of a 539 crowd, which included former successful player and manager Ronnie Moore, the home side threw everything at Town who took time to settle on a bumpy pitch, dryng out by the minute in the sun and strong northerly wind.

It was 0-0 at the half-time break with home keeper Ryan Musselwhite tipping a Sorhaindo header over and Town’s Brett Souter denying James Baxendale and Nathan Modest, while Sam Greenhouse blew a great chance with a weak effort when one-on-one with the visiting custodian.

Town had the wind behind their backs for the second half but it was Sheffield who went ahead in the 59th minute when Town’s midfielder Corey Gregory brought down Modest in the box. Skipper Marc Newsham made no mistake from the spot to beat Souter and put his side a goal up as they battled for their lives at the foot of the table.

Town had already brought on Zander Edwards for Darius Smith and the next substitution in the 67th minute proved a turning point as the experience and strength of Zeph Thomas, on for Javelle Clarke, really aided Sorhaindo to get into the game and shake off his markers. Five minutes later and Town were level thanks to right wing-back Mohammed Ibrahim who received a ball some 20 yards out headed back to him from the dead ball line by Edwards and he moved forward and then unleashed a shot across goal to beat Musselwhite which sent Town’s large following into raptures.

Three minutes later and Ibrahim, who has been a revelation in his new position since coming back from a long term groin injury, sent another 20-yarder just over the crossbar.

Manager Vill Powell wasn’t finished with the changes and on came Shiraz Khan after 77 minutes following three weeks on the sidelines injured, and in the 84th minute he came in from the left, beat his man and then sent a precision cross into the six yard box and a diving Sorhaindo met the ball beautifully and left Musselwhile no chance of defending his net and Town were 2-1 up.

That is how it stayed despite the home side trying their utmost to salvage a point as they slipped to second from bottom, with Pickering Town propping them up and just above them Lincoln United and Bridlington Town.

FOOTBALL BINGO UPDATE – 06.04.2022

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OneTownOneTeam

TOWN CONTINUED their six-match unbeaten run with a 3-2 home win over relegation threatened Lincoln United to take them to eighth place in the table but agonisingly short of making the play-offs.

Eight draws and some at the death defeats have robbed them of staking a claim to pursue a Premier Division place for next season.

Against Lincoln, Town were in the lead after just 12 seconds as leading goalscorer Laurence Sorhaindo was gifted a great ball from the kick off into the box and his shot just glanced a defender and was in the net to shock all and sundry in the ground.

The visitors were level aft 19 minutes when Max Baker beat everyone in the box to a cross and leave Town keeper Brett Souter gasping fresh air.

Town lost their experienced centre half James Hurtley with a though injury after 27 minutes, Harry Wilkinson coming on in his place.

Both sides had chances up to the break and it was a tight affair into the second period until manager Vill Powell brought on some fresh legs.

Zander Edwards and Redmond Lee added some pace and gaps were appearing in the Lincoln defence.

Town restored their lead in the 76th minute when Jack Boyle was brought down in the box and Sorhaindo stepped up to blast home the spot kick,

Two minutes later and Boyle beat Jack Steggles with a 25 yard left-footer that gave him no chance to make it 3-1.

Lincoln were awarded a penalty with three minutes left on the clock and Matthew Cotton sent Souter the wrong way, and some anxious moments then followed. However, Town with defenders Mohammed Ibrahim, Sam Reed and Harrison Reed ensured the three points were justifiably banked.

TOWN MADE it seven games unbeaten at Bridlington on Tuesday night as they defeated the relegation-threatened seasiders 4-1.

Manager Vill Powell had to make four changes from the Saturday with Elliot Harrison and Laurence Sorhaindo fulfilling holidays they had booked when thinking it was a clear week on the fixtures and with centre back James Hurtley (thigh) and fullback Sam Reed (flu) also ruled out.

The original fixture back in mid-February was snowed off after the team had travelled. The end result on Tuesday night showed clearly the developing in strength of Powell’s squad but the run has come just too late for the club to make the play-offs.

Town were on the board after 12 minutes when a Harry Wilkinson header was handled on the line by left fullback Benn Lewis and Northallerton referee Jonathan Gill showed him an immediate red card. Jack Boyle stepped up and give home keeper James Hitchcock no chance with his fiercely driven spot kick.

Two minutes later and Town were two goals to the good when man of the match Javelle Clarke dinked a lovely ball on target and HItchcock could only flap at it and on hand was Redmond Lee to steer home the ball and his first goal for the club.

The home side, boosted with two players on loan from Hull City and in ex-professional striker Brett Agnew free of his managerial shackles after resignation, lifted their game in the hope of reducing the two-goal cushion Town had, but keeper Brett Souter was hardly in action as Joshua Grant, Harrison Beeden, Wilkinson and Corey Gregory worked tirelessly across the pitch while Mohammed Ibrahim, Clarke and Darius Smith took the ball forward.

Town made their first substitution after 56 minutes when experienced Zeph Thomas came on for Lee.

The scoreline remained 2-0 until the 70th minute when Clarke came in from the left, beat two defenders and turned a third and then let fly from 15 yards out to find the net.

Zander Edwards for Boyle and then Alex King for Darius Smith followed in the next five minutes as Powell went for fresh legs.

In the 83rd minute Bridlington pulled a goal back through subsititute Andy Norfolk, but four minutes later former full time professional striker Thomas hit a trademark goal from 20 yards out to seal the game and points for in form Town.

On Saturday, Town travel to another struggling side in Sheffield FC, England’s oldest club, (3.0), and on this showing as players come back the manager will have a selection headache.

A GOAL either side of half-time at Tadcaster Albion on Tuesday night was enough for Town to continue on their good run up the table.

The 2-1 scoreline was not a true reflection of the game after the first 20 minutes as Town were well in control.

They had gone behind to a controversial 15th penalty converted by Mark Ferguson and failed to convert their own spot kick award after 32 minutes for hand ball. Albion’s 17-year-old loanee goalkeeper from Hull City, Harry Fisk gave a hint of what was to come for the rest of the half and certainly in the second 45 minutes. He saved Laurence Sorhaindo’s spot kick and then went on to deny Town with some brilliant saves.

Town did equalise in the 41st minute when Javelle Clarke fired in after the ball had been parried out and a defender failed to clear.

Three minutes into the second half leading goalscorer Sorhaindo made amends with a superb goal from 20 yards out. He saw off three defenders, turned and then sent a bullet of a shot flying beyond the reach of Fisk.

Then it was the `Fisk Show’ after that as accurate shots targetted his domain. He denied Jack Boyle with two superb one hand saves, Tom Haigh, Sorhaindo, Clarke and Corey Gregory. The scoreline by the 80th minute could easily have been reading 7-1!

Veteran James Hurtley led the back four well to snuff out the odd home effort, supported by Harrison Beeden, Mohammed Ibrahim and Sam Reed.

Town have secured another three players for next term on top of tying down leading goalscorer Laurence Sorhaindo and tigerish, yet skilfull midfielder Corey Gregory two weeks ago.

Skipper and midfielder Thomas Haigh is on board along with wide player Javelle Clarke who was monitored pre-Christmas by National League Woking and striker Jack Boyle who ahead of coming to Town two years ago was on the books of Clyde and Huddersfield Town.

The way the team is playing at the moment suggests other players are pressing to be on the retained list.

Last Saturday af Yorkshire Amateur club in the Harehills district of Leeds, Town came away with an excellent 3-1 victory to take them well into mid-table and with five matches left the opportunity to press for a higher place than 10th in the table pre-Tuesday night’s rearranged game at Tadcaster Albion.

After 12 minutes Town were a goal down when from a corner that went across the face of the goal, former Gibralter international and Farsley Celtic striker Adam Priestley lashed at the ball and it came off Town defender Harrison Beeden and beat Michael Acquah

Town’s heads didn’t go down and they started to attack the home goal. A ball into the box from the right was just too high for Sorhaindo to head on target but it dropped perfectly for Javelle Clarke to latch on to and drive into the net.

On half-time, and a perfect time to score, Jack Boyle was on hand to drive home a ball into the box and make it 2-1.

Town took control of the second half and could have had several goals but had to settle for a third on 63 minutesd from right wing-back Mohammed Ibrahim who came into the box and then sent a firece shot into the back of the net.

Town’s workaholic frontman Elliot Harrison, easily man of the match, was denied a penalty when pushed over going in on goal. Substitute Zander Edwards on two occasions, after great skill and pace, could have added to the scoreline but wanted an extra touch too many and the chances were lost.

On Saturday for the visit of Lincoln United (3.0), Town are playing host to their main sponsors Quickslide Windows and Doors whose family and fiends from the workforce are coming in numbers to support the side.

They will be having a penalty shoot out and also be entertained at the end of the game by live band Psycoslinkys.