Seven days is a long time in sport and politics and a miserable five match winless run for Brighouse Town was brought to an end with a 2-0 win at third-placed Belper Town and a 1-0 home win last Saturday over Ashington who had just changed their manager.

The valuable six points took Town six places up the table from 19th to 13th and join a host of clubs in mid-table on 15, 16 and 17 points.

The change in fortunes began in the Derbyshire Peak District town last Tuesday evening and via a Niah Payne strike from the edge of the box in the 22nd minute that is Town’s goal of the season so far. It just rattled in to the home goal and the Town players mobbed Payne who has been consistent all season with his work-rate and skill.

Town’s defenders kept Belper at bay and shortly into the second half increased their lead when Payne again was on the end of a cross from a set piece to stab the ball home and make it 2-0.

The home crowd of 527 couldn’t believe that their players were being played off the park by a side at that time fourth from bottom and in the relegation zone.

Town saw the game out and their fans returned home up the M1 in great heart.

Saturday brought Ashington to the Heffernan Utilities Stadium who haven’t been enjoying a good season but were expected to perform for their new manager and in the opening few minutes they attacked the Town goal and were awarded a penalty when Jack Dando, back at the club on dual registration from Wombwell, brought down a player in the box. However, Town’s keeper Kyle Trenerry dived the right way and saved Michael Ndiweni’s spot kick.

Town got back into the game from then and put some real pressure on the Ashington goal and keeper Daniel Staples had to make several good saves. From a corner he gave away in the 36th minute, Boston United loanee Harry Wood crossed into the box from a short corner routine and Rhys Plater controlled the ball with his first touch and   laid it into the path of Dando with his next touch who then looped it over the outstretched hand of Staples.

Ahead of the goal Town lost the versatile Joshua Waldram with a knee injury after a heavy tackle and he was helped off the field.  

Town saw out the rest of the half and then the second and with some timely substitutions to take care of tired legs, Grant Black’s men saw off the Northumbrian outfit to the delight of their fans.

On Saturday Town travel to Stocksbridge (3.pm) in South Yorkshire where the home side is currently enjoying a successful period of six wins in their past seven outings including a 4-0 home win last Saturday over North Ferriby, and a midweek 1-0 away win on Tuesday night at Ossett Utd.

Black says Waldram has ligament damage and it is giving the camp concern and he more than likely will miss Saturday’s game.

Striker Danny Edwards has had his scan on the troublesome knee at Chapel Allerton Hospital, Leeds, and awaits the outcome. Vice-captain Curtis Peters, the former Bradford City player, was on the bench with the management on Saturday and he came with bad news that he is out for the season with his back injury.

Fullback Curtis Senior has one more game to serve from his two match ban he got from the Newton Aycliffe game but will be available for next Wednesday’s home game with Garforth Town (7.45) in the West Riding County FA Senior Cup first round.

In the meantime town’s manager is looking to add more bodies to the squad to ensure it remains strong and more success can be forthcoming.

Brighouse Town suffered their fifth successive defeat last Saturday away to Newton Aycliffe and also shipped in their thirteenth goal, without troubling the opposition yet again.

The first half was played in a torrential downpour and after four minutes of it the home side were a goal ahead, although it could be said that Town had enjoyed the better of the early play.

Striker Liam Jarvie on four minutes got on the end of an Ethan Wood cross and steered the ball to the left of Town keeper Kyle Trenerry, back in goal for the first time since August 29 when badly injured up at Emley.

Town had difficulty finding their men and were also playing against the rain and it was on 28 minutes that New Aycliffe doubled their lead when Dean Thexton was teed up by Jarvie in the box, allowing Thexton to smartly jinx past the Town defenders and fire past Trenerry.

Town did have some periods of possession but created very little to worry the home custodian Jim Pollard.

Newton Aycliffe sealed their victory in the 76th minute when substitute Cole Kiernan expertly fired the ball into the top corner of a crowded box.

Niah Payne did find the net for Town towards the end of the game but was ruled offside.

This angered Town defender Curtis Senior, now on the bench after being subbed, and he was reported to the match referee Scott Henry by his assistant and he duly showed him a red card.

Town were at second in the table Belper Town on Tuesday night ahead of entertaining Ashington this coming Saturday (3pm).

The Ashington game is a real six pointer with Town now fourth from bottom and the Northumbria outfit, famous for the Charlton brothers, Bobby and Jack, one place below them.

Town gave a debut at Newton Aycliffe to loan signings Harry Wood and Will Green from Boston United, and the former Doncaster Rovers players, were down to also start at Belper. They also played the much travelled Zanco Deco against Newton Aycliffe.

Senior will miss the next three matches from Saturday but skipper Josh Grant is available for the Ashington game after serving three matches but playing two games for Step 5 club Dearne Valley to keep match fit. Strong midfielder Isaac Acquah was back in action at Belper after serving his one match ban from the Heaton Stannington game.

Manager Grant Black has a long injury list and has striker Myron Gibbons out for another two to three weeks, forward of midfielder Romario Dunne out for another week, midfielder Curtis Peters out until possibly Christmas and striker Danny Edwards looking sidelined until the new year.

Black has been working overtime to try and bring in extra cover besides the Boston boys.  
Photos credit Newton Aycliffe 

      

Brighouse Town’s promising start to the season has imploded with a fourth straight defeat coming at Heaton Stannington in the city of Newcastle last Saturday afternoon.

They went down 2-0 after a promising start and also finished up playing the last 30 minutes with 10 men after their best player on the day, Isaac Acquah, the former Huddersfield Town youngster, had been sent off.

Two goals in three first half minutes did for Town after they had looked the more likely to score. A Kane Evans cross across the box was directed into the path of Kailem Beattie and he rifled  home unchallenged. Three minutes later and Town gave away a penalty just inside the box after initially the referee was going to blow for a foul just inside Town’s half but he then allowed play to go on and the home side took advantage then from the spot kick. Louis Anderson just beat the diving Paul Cooper and it was 2-0 and after 21 minutes the signal for manager Grant Black to make two changes. Off went veteran Craig Nelthorpe and new signing Ethen Vaughan to be replaced by Cole Wildin and Darius Smith respectively.

Coming up to half-time Town looked assertive, like they had done earlier in the game, but they just didn’t have a striker on board to put the ball into the back of the net.

Acquah was causing problems for the home side as they could not knock him off the ball but he had little support across midfield. He went in to the referee’s book for a soft foul and minutes later he was flashed a yellow card again on the 60th minute and then the red.

In defence Town had Matty Nebard and Curtis Senior playing well and with keeper Cooper assured in goal. Senior provided some good balls and crosses but Town had nobody there to take advantage. Cooper in a frantic goalmouth scramble kept the score at two-nil and that is how it stayed even with Town down to 10 men.

Town are back up in the north east this Saturday when they travel to Newton Aycliffe (3pm) and with a coach leaving the Dusty Miller at 11.30.

Black has put seven day notices on three players he is after to bolster the squad but has been handed grim news on striker Danny Edwards following his visit to Chapel Allerton hospital last Friday. He has lateral knee ligament damage and needs a scan and that is scheduled for four weeks time.

Skipper Josh Grant was handed the statutory three match ban for his dismissal at home to Grimsby Borough last week and will miss this Saturday and the away game with Belper on Tuesday night (7.45). Acquah will miss this Saturday’s game.

There could be a recall for keeper Kyle Trenerry out since being injured at Emley on August 29. As part of his road back to fitness he played as a striker for the U-23 team in a fixture last week and scored a hat-trick in a 6-1 win!

Last season he played for a Bradford Sunday League side a striker and scored 30 goals!

The manager will also be hoping striker Myron Gibbons is fit for selection on Saturday when he also hope for one or two new faces as well.

Not the best of weeks once more for Brighouse Town as a power problem caused a midweek postponement with Dunston and then in form Grimsby Borough visited the Heffernan Utilities Stadium on the Saturday and went away with the three points from a 3-0 win.

There were problems at a training session on the Tuesday night ahead of the Dunston game the day after and vice-chairman Charlie Tolley called in electricians but they had only rectified the problems by early Thursday morning. So the game had to be postponed, Dunston compensated for cancelling their team coach and then with their busy programme owing to their FA Cup and FA Trophy runs, the new date could only be fixed for Wednesday, November 20 (7.45).

Grimsby, who moved into third place in the table with their victory and one place ahead of their near neighbours Cleethorpes, who lost 4-1 at home to Dunston, were a goal up after just six minutes when Scott Fenwick beat on-loan goalkeeper Paul Cooper at his near post. 

Grimsby then lost their goalkeeper Liam Higton when he had to be helped off after taking on board an injury during a rare Town attack. He was replaced by centre-back Michael Jacklin.

Borough doubled their lead on 38 minutes when Jack Richardson slotted into the bottom corner.

Adam Drury put the match to bed in the 66th minute with a smart finish.

There was a substitute appearance for local boy Joshua Smith from Town’s U23 side ahead of skipper Josh Grant being sent off after retaliating to a tackle on him for which he had already been awarded a free kick. Referee Will Cavanagh who had previously cautioned Grant showed him a straight red.

Town for this game had already been without through injuries several key players in Romario Dunne, Matty Nebard, Curtis Peters and Myron Gibbons, plus Josh Waldram who was suspended for a game after clocking up five cautions.

In the meantime Town have lost former Bamber Bridge striker Bailey Thompson to Pontefract Collieries when he looked all on for Bury, and Clark Greaves to Sherwood Colliery.

They have taken on loan from Bridlington Town, wide player Curtis Morrison and had better news on goalkeeper Kyle Trenerry. He made the bench last Saturday and is near to a return which would no doubt see Cooper return to his club Buxton.

On Saturday Town travel to Newcastle to take on newcomers Heaton Stannington (3pm) who are two places and just one point below Town in the NPL East Division table.

There is a coach leaving the Dust Miller, Hove Edge at 11am.