Dave Parker
MOMENTUM IS gathering at the Yorkshire Payments Stadium home of Brighouse Town following the Emirates FA Cup and Buildbase FA Trophy draws, Harrogate Town’s visit on Tuesday night, Bradford City’s appearance next Wednesday (7.30), fixturers due out last night (Wednesday) and the appointment of a new goalkeeping coach.
The draws see Town once more on the road following last season’s visits to Runcorn in the FA Cup and then Kendal in the Trophy, this time either to the north east on August 21 to play Shildon if they beat Garforth Town in the extra preliminary round on August 7 and then to Widnes on September 25 in the Trophy.
The club’s U-18 side have a home draw in the FA Youth Cup with Farsley Celtic, with a date being sorted for that tie.
New Bradford City manager Derek Adams, the former Morecambe boss, will have in his squad midfielder Finn Cousin Dawson who was on loan from The Bantams to Town two seasons ago and looked then more than capable of holding his own in League 2 where he has now made 23 appearances.
Following the resignation of Greater Manchester-based Lewis Clemmett as goalkeeping coach, Town now have a new man at the helm, Ben Taylor who will also work with Mark Booth’s junior teams keepers.
Town were at Penistone Church last Saturday where a 38th minute headed goal from striker Laurence Sorhaindo gained them a 1-0 win. Once more manager Vill Powell was pleased with the performance of the side in which several trialists stood out.
Meanwhile, Dewsbury-based striker Joe Jagger has left the club for Silsden. He ended last season out on loan at Bradford club Campion.
There will be a bucket collection at the Bradford City game for the Highbury School, Rastrick, where on March 8, the school gates were broken and their mini bus was stolen from within the school grounds.
Unfortunately, it hasn’t been recovered and with restrictions slowly easing, the amazing children that attend this Special school have no means to get out on school trips.
Since it happened the local community, who have been outraged by this callous theft, have rallied round the school to raise funds to replace a like for like vehicle.
The Highbury Hub at Copley, Halifax, held a car wash for four weeks and the school held a raffle. Friends of Highbury has opened a Just Giving page, Julie Ambler and family and Katie and Anthea Gray and their children have held successful cake sales, grandparents have raised funds at their local bingo clubs and the children at Hebble Harlequins did 100 laps of the track at Spring Hall.
The school has also received generous funding from the Lloyds Yorkshire and Humber Community Fund but there is still a long way to go.
he school has also had a generous offer from Paul Kendrick of Arrow Self Drive in Bradford of a free mini bus for a month when they can book their first outing.
If you are there on the night for the match, please give what you can.
Harrogate Town, with a 74th minute goal from Mark Beck, won an entertaining pre-season friendly over Brighouse Town on Tuesday night.
Brighouse took a while to settle but once they did they gave their League 2 visitors plenty to think about.
Both managers, Vill Powell and Simon Weaver, were pleased about the workout and once again a trialist central defender impressed for the home side.
Meanwhile, Town’s experienced defender Joe Wilkinson has left the club and signed for Paul Quinn’s Tadcaster Albion. It is also understood that wide player Eddie Church, who was also a contracted player, will not be playing for the club again and is currently doing some practical work with FC Halifax Town while he works on a physiotherapy degree.
