Dave Parker

BRIGHOUSE TOWN manager Vill Powell has added to his squad with the capture of an Ossett United striker and also ensured another five of last season’s squad have put pen to paper for the 2021-22 Pitching-In Northern Premier League season.

Elliot Harrison, 22, joins former Ossett goalkeeper Brett Souter on the Town books after impressing in training and a training session game.

Town drew 2-2 at home last Friday night with ambitious Golcar United who included several former players under Paul Quinn, with goals coming from Mohammed `TJ’ Ibrahim and Zephyr Thomas.

Also engaged once more are long serving talented forward of midfield player Thomas Haigh, full-back Mikey Starkey who has missed the past two part seasons with a complicated leg injury but is now fully fit, tricky wideman Javelle Clarke, the stepson of former popular Huddersfield Town striker Nathaniel Brown, ex-Huddersfield Town and Clydebank midfielder Jack Boyle and experienced Shelf-based midfielder Danny Racchi who has been on Huddersfield Town, Halifax Town, York City and Kilmarnock’s books.

In the meantime Town’s academy side under manager-coach Simon Ward have recorded two impressive victories last Thursday 3-2 over Skelmersdale at home and then 6-1 at Witton Albion on Monday afternoon.

Nostell FC, who Town will play next Tuesday at their Crofton ground, near Wakefield, in a behind closed doors friendly, have joined the Yorkshire Trophy that commences on Monday, May 17.

That means now that the competition will be in two groups, with Town having Penistone Church in with them and Wakefield City, while in Group 2 it will be Golcar United, Liversedge and Nostell FC.

Dave Parker

BOTH BRIGHOUSE Town men and women management teams have been busy sorting some post end of season matches to keep their players together.

The men’s Yorkshire Trophy inspired competition gets underway on Monday, May 17 when spectators are allowed in for the first time with a home tie against Penistone Church (7.30). They will be allowed 675 paying spectators in at £5 and £3 for concessions and then on the Wednesday they will play Liversedge away who lost 2-1 with several former Town players in their ranks last Saturday in the Buildbase FA Trophy 4th round away to Hebburn Town and on the Saturday, May 22 away to Wakefield City, before entertaining Golcar United on May 29. The top two clubs will then play in the final at Town’s Yorkshire Payments Stadium on May 31.

While Town have a behind closed doors friendly with Golcar United tomorrow night (7.30), Town Women on Sunday will entertain two sides from Bradford City at 2pm on both pitches, while on May 2 they will host Doncaster Rovers Belles and on May 9 Sheffield United. Huddersfield Town, who only just beat them on penalties last Sunday week in the 3rd round, moved into the last eight of the Vitality FA Cup with a 3-1 win over Derby County Ladies.

Former Town midfielder Iwan Heeley helped his local side North Ferriby into the last eight of the FA Vase with a 4-0 win over West Auckland.

Town will begin their pre-season friendlies with an away game at Golcar on July 3, followed by Penistone Church and Sheffield FC away, before Harrogate Town are the visitors for the first home game on July 17 after pitch maintenance. Bradford City follow on the 21st and then Matlock Town on July 24.

Town are also in talks with York City manager Steve Watson about a home game and there are matches also arranged with Worksop Town and Eccleshill United.

Spectators can be allowed in to Town’s ground this lunchtime (Thursday) socially distanced for an Academy game between Town and Skelmersdale United (12.00) as it is classed as grassroots football.

In the meantime Town are looking for assistance in kit washing and ground duties for a few hours a week after losing long term Steve Ambler who is currently caring for his wife. General manager Darren Laycock can be contacted at the ground.

Dave Parker

BRIGHOUSE TOWN manager Vill Powell squeezed in a behind closed doors friendly on Good Friday evening with Retford United which saw his squad come out 3-0 victors.

The scoreline flattered the visitors from north Nottinghamshire as the normally reliant wide striker Eddie Church was more than a little ring rusty and missed three good chances before half time. All Town had to show for their efforts at the break was goal from Mohammed Ibrahim.

Changes were made to give others a run and shortly into the second half rangy striker Joe Jagger, back from his loan spell at Campion, tapped home from close range and then into the half ex-Clydebank and Huddersfield Town midfielder Jack Boyle made it 3-0.

There was a return to the club of wideman Tom Robinson who missed the whole of last season to concentrate on his young family and new work commitments.

Powell is holding a Zoom meeting for the twelve clubs in the Yorkshire Trophy 2021 competition he has put together to be hopefully rolled out after the Prime Minister’s next major announcements on the releasing of further Lockdown measures next Monday.

The manager has come up with alternatives for all to discuss should spectators still not be allowed in for the opening games next week.

He is hoping that steps 3 and 4 clubs will be allowed like grassroot clubs at steps 5 and 6 be allowed to have spectators to a certain limit to watch the games. There isn’t a problem with the clubhouses as clubs can serve drinks and food via hatches to customers to then consume out on the terraces.

Town are now, as with Brighouse Town Women, back in full training as was witnessed by the visit of the BBC Look North cameras last week but to government guildelines.

Harrogate Town, who have handed former Town striker Aaron Martin a two year contract extension, have confirmed the July 17 date for the pre-season friendly at the Yorkshire Payments Stadium.

TWO GOALS from substitute Ami Woodruff either side of a Drew Greene strike on East Sunday afternoon saw Brighouse Town Women set up a West Yorkshire derby with Huddersfield Town in the next round.

After an uneventful 90 minutes, The Orange Army broke the deadlock early on in the first half of extra time. Woodruff kept herself onside, got behind the defender before firing high and left of the Magpie’s goal. Then moments later a mis-communication in the Newcastle backline allowed Player-of-the-match Drew Greene to nip in and curl into the corner to make it 2-0 just ahead of the break.

With the final kick of the match Woodruff patiently worked her way through the centre of defence, then set herself before firing into the roof of the net.

In the first half for a 20 minute spell the visitors did have chances to take the lead but keeper Carrie Simpson and central defenders Emma Dobson and Abbi Lee managed to keep them out. Town in the first half had not troubled the visiting custodian.

After manager Rob Mitchell and his staff had had words with them at half-time it was a more purposeful home side that came out in the second 45 minutes and before the game went to extra time they did have several good chances to have taken the lead while Newcastle were not the side they had been in the first half.

Town’s Vitality 3rd round tie is away their neighbours at Storthes Hall on Sunday 1pm behind closed doors.