Dave Parker
BRIGHOUSE TOWN will complete their busy pre-season programme on Tuesday night at home to Farsley Celtic (7.30) following another home game this Friday evening against Bradford Park Avenue (7.30).
The past seven days have seen them lose 3-1 at home to Bradford City in front of a 1,119 crowd, lose 3-2 to Matlock Town in a game played at the West Riding County FA and with Eccleshill United in a game played on Tuesday evening also at WRCFA.
Town were 3-0 down at half-time against the Bantams to goals from Ollie Crankshaw, Gareth Evans and Kevin Scales, but it was a different story in the second half as Town went on to win that 45 minutes thanks to a 74th minute goal from a trialist and also ensure the visitors had a lot of pressure on their goal.
Town’s management was pleased with the performance against the League 2 side and also on the Saturday against Premier Division side Matlock when they only lost out to a late goal after a Laurence Sorhaindo screamer from 30 yards and then a header from the same player had given them the initiative.
Town lost 1-0 to Eccleshill with a 90th minute goal in rather a dour game.
Friday evening sees Mark Bowyer’s National League side Bradford Park Avenue return to the Yorkshire Payment’s Stadium for another strong test for Vill Powell’s boys. Town’s committee will remember a regular visitor to their ground in the late Park Avenue secretary Colin Barker who passed away in early June.
Adam Lakeland brings another National League North side in Farsley Celtic for what will be another stiff test and then all that is left is for the manager to prepare for the first league game of the season on August 14 at home to Gateshead club Dunston. That game will then be followed by three league and one Emirates FA Cup tie in the rest of August.
A collection held at the Bradford City game for Highbury Special School, Rastrick, to go towards helping to purchase a new special needs bus to replace the one stolen from the school grounds in March raised £388. The club have since donated £100 and centre-half Harrison Beeden’s father, Kevin Beeden has donated a further £200.
** Former FC Halifax Town and Ossett United winger Shiraz Khan has two games to serve of a four match ban before his season can commence. The FA clarified the ban which was handed out on October 31 last year! He has served two, the games with Buxton in the FA Trophy and the last league game played last term against Workington on December 19 before the closure of the season owing to the pandemic. He will miss the opening home league game on August 14 against Gateshead side Dunston and the following Tuesday night away game at Frickley Colliery.
