Dave Parker

THE FA have informed clubs taking part in the Emirates FA Cup that replays will take place this season from the very first extra preliminary round expected on Saturday, August 7 and then extra time and penalties if the tie cannot be decided after the second 90 minutes. Last season because of the Level system and cutting back on excess travelling, the ties were decided on the day with penalties.

However, there will be no replays and then extra time or penalties in the FA Trophy or FA Vase ties, they will be decided on the day.

The Trident League covering steps 1-4 would also like to see county cups not played this coming season, so, if there is a break once more for any surge in the virus, then continuity of League fixtures can keep going instead of cup ties taking preference and clubs getting a backlog of fixtures.

The Pitching-In Northern Premier League have now got all they need from member clubns to start producing the fixture lists and hope to have them out much earlier than normal, which will help Town and their contemporaries in more ways than one but particularly in hauling in sponsors. Town already have their main sponsors Quickslide Windows & Doors wanting to bag a game in August for a works family fun day.

There is some football at the Yorkshire Payments Stadium this Saturday morning with the Women’s section taking centre stage. Their U-18 side will play Bradford City (10.30) in the West Riding County semi-final, the winners then playing Tingley on June 19, while also on Saturday on two other pitches at the stadium, and also with 10.30 kick-offs, their U-14s will play Garforth in their `semi’ and if they win they will head for Ackworth, and the third match sees the very promising Brighouse Town Oranges U12s take on Bradford City (10.30) and if they win, will also travel to Ackworth.

Off the pitch there is plenty going on with match day groundsman and former Brighouse senior referee Wally Hemingway having secured a large portakabin for the club from his Huddersfield-based employers Dual Seal Glass, a former sponsor at the club.Town have also ordered a new toilet block for spectators and stepped up work on replacing some perimeter fencing ahead of new sponsors coming on board.

There are plans, and more will be revealed next week for an Open Day at the stadium on Sunday, July 4 and more will be revealed in Echo Sport next week.

Dave Parker

LIVERSEDGE TOOK home the inaugural Yorkshire Trophy after beating Penistone Church 4-0 in the final last Saturday afternoon at the Yorkshire Payments Stadium before a crowd of 364.

Their goals were scored by John Cyrus after five minutes, Gavin Allott (46), Oliver Fearon (73) and an own goal in the 90th minute. They received the Trophy from Brighouse Town official Chris Lister and his manager Vill Powell.

In the third and fourth placed final which had kicked off at 11.30am in front of 209 spectators, Golcar United defeated Brighouse Town on penalties 4-3 after the sides were level at 3-3 on the whistle at the end of 90 minutes.

Town had come back from 2-0 down with goals for Golcar from Jacob Buchanan and Greg Porter, to take the lead, 3-2 with goals from Harrison Beeden, a Kyro Lawrence own goal and then a stunning goal from Jack Boyle in the 62nd minute. However they couldn’t hold out or capitalise on their lead and Buddy Cox struck home an equaliser for the Huddersfield club in the 82nd minute.

The two week competition to give players some end of season participation after inactivity through the pandemic since December was hailed a success and Liversedge match day secretary Ralph Wainwright, a former employee with Leeds Rhinos, along with his chairman Trevor Best would like to see it run again next year as a pre-season competition.

“It would give those games some meaning and edge to them, and encourage better crowds,” said Wainwright, whose club also have a name to add on to the trophy, the late Simon Emery who passed away in the past 12 months.

Town’s manager Vill Powell, who put a lot of work into getting the competition off the ground, was very pleased with the outcome through attendance figures and the football played by all sides to entertain the spectators.

“It was also a huge financial boost to our club after a very lean period since the curtailment of fixtures back in December,” he added.

Powell has held a behind closed doors trial game this week to look for potential players before he also works with his staff this month of June ahead of the first away pre-season friendly on July 3 at Golcar United to add more strength in depth for the first league game on August 14 and the start of the FA Cup preliminary round ties on August 21.

Town had a groundhopper through for their 4-0 semi-final defeat by Liversdege on the Wednesday night from Accrington and then on Saturday three more from Nuneaton in Warwickshire, Brigg in Lincolnshire and Sheffield. They were delighted to purchase souvenir programmes and also order pin badges, plus enjoying a pie and a pint.

Dave Parker

TWO FIRST half goals were enough to defeat Wakefield last Saturday in Brighouse Town’s second and final group game and qualify them for last night’s (Wednesday’s) home semi-final with Liversedge.

Jack Boyle was the first on the score sheet midway through the first half after rangy Mikey Starkey won a high ball played forward by Sam Reed and placed it right into the path of the former Huddersfield Town and Clyde player who then, one of one, easily beat the home keeper.

Then, right on half-time, veteran striker Zeph Thomas scored the second and final goal after once more being played into a good position to go one on with the keeper.

In the second half Town’s manager Vill Powell made some changes to get more game time into his players with two more important games coming up, while his opposite manager Adam Lockwood, the former Doncaster Rovers and Yeovil centre half, got the best out of his young players in front of a crowd approaching 700 at the Millennium Stadium, Featherstone.

Golcar United and Penistone Church qualified for the other semi-final, with Golcar registering a 5-2 win over the Nostell side and they played Penistone Church last night (Wednesday).

The winning two sides from the `semis’ will play in Saturday’s final at the Yorkshire Payments Stadium at 3pm and the losing semi-finalists will kick off at the same venue at 11.30am.

All details for the competing sides in those matches will be on the Brighouse Town website and Twitter site from today.

The clubhouse and kitchen will be open from 11am and the day will be extended with TV coverage of the European Champions Final.

Town’s manager will be hoping that experienced Danny Racchi will be definitely fit for a game at the weekend and diminutive striker Mohammed Ibrahim as both missed the Wakefield game with leg strains.

Keeper Brett Souter, who collided in the first half with his own central defender Matty Nebard and left the field with a head wound, was hoping to be fit last night against Liversedge, but his stand-in Declan Lambton, signed from Guiseley, came on to have a very good game.

The Town committee expect a maximum attendance under the current road map covid rules of 675 on Saturday and say it will be: “first come, first served” and the turnstiles will have to be shut after that figure is reached.

There will be a souvenir programme for the two finals, Golden Goals for both and a half-time draw for the final itself.

For the first time ever since the club’s Academy was formed three years ago, Town have two players in the Divisional Team of the Year as youngsters James Tetley and Sam Brearley have made it into the ESPFA North Division TOTY. James, from Leeds, is an energetic full-back who’s known for his relentless work-rate, one-on-one defensive capabilities, and his fantastic personality, has been Town’s most consistent player this year with high performance levels every week.

Manager Simon Ward says his personality rewarded him as first year captain, and he has been promoted to next year’s vice-captain as well.

” Sam, from Brighouse, is a local lad, and has been a leader within the team this year having become our vice captain and promoted to become next year’s captain. Sam is a fast, ball playing centre-back who loves a tackle as well. Both are constantly learning and improving and we hope to invite them into first team pre-season training later in the summer as a reward for their outstanding performances and attitudes.”

Dave Parker

BRIGHOUSE TOWN opened their Yorkshire Trophy 2021 Group A game with a 1-0 home win over Penistone Church on Monday night and in front of 417 spectators.

Despite a busy sporting night of Championship soccer, Super League Rugby League and rugby union on television, those who rolled up to the Yorkshire Payments Stadium were delighted to be out in the fresh air and watching competitive non-league soccer.

Throughout the game defences were on top with some assured clearances, tremendous blocks and in the case of Penistone keeper Chris Smith some great saves in the second half.

Town’s new experienced keeper Brett Souter looked in command and also sent out some good balls to set attacks moving.

The game and three points was sorted in the 24th minute as Town’s skillful wide man Javelle Clarke cut in from the right and beat two defenders before slotting his shot beyond the reach of Smith.

Town now move on to the Millennium Stadium, Post Office Road, Featherstone on Saturday (2.0) to face American-backed side Wakefield, who last night were playing Penistone Church.

Director of Football for the Wakefield club is former Sheffield United international keeper Chris Turner who also managed Hartlepool.

They play in the Sheffield County Senior Premier League and groundshare with Featherstone Rovers RLFC.

The club had under the new structuring about to be announced hoped to be promoted in to Step 6 and begin their climb up the football pyramid.

On Tuesday they had already sold 500 tickets for the game with Town and are hoping to push it near to the 1,000 they are being allowed in.

Town are hoping they can collect another win to give them a possible home semi-final next Wednesday evening (7.30). Details will go on the club’s website and Twitter account on Sunday.

In the meantime manager Vill Powell has moved swiftly to replace former club skipper Kurt Harris with the former Pontefract Collieries centre back Matty Nebard, 27.

The Group B game between Golcar United and Liversedge on Tuesday night ended in a 2-2 draw.

By Dave Parker

BRIGHOUSE TOWN manager Vill Powell and his staff have continued to add to the retained list this past week while also hoping in the next two fixtures to look further at two trialists who impressed in last week’s 2-2 draw with Golcar United.

Back on board for the 2021-22 season is ex-Rotherham United central defender Harrison Beeden, ex-Huddersfield Town and Ossett Utd defender Joe Wilkinson, former FC Halifax Town and Ossett Utd wideman Shiraz Khan, progressive teenage full-back Sam Reed, son of assistant manager Stacy Reed, fellow defender Darius Smith and French Guinea striker Alhassane Keita who has had time with the enforced break to work on securing his work permit.

This past Tuesday’s planned friendly away to Nostel FC at Crofton Leisure Centre, near Wakefield, has been moved to this Friday night (7.30). Town are also hoping to play a behind closed doors home friendly next Wednesday with Bacup Borough (7.30).

It has yet to be confirmed, but under the FA’s new fourth division for Step 4-Brighouse’s level-Town could be meeting NCEL promoted Yorkshire Amateur from Leeds and Liversedge next season along with Northumbrian club Hebburn Town, who were at Wembley on Bank Holiday Monday playing Consett in the FA Vase final, and fellow EBAC Northern League Division One club North Shields.