Dave Parker
BRIGHOUSE TOWN finally got back to winning ways at the third attempt in the north east on Tuesday night when they defeated Hebburn Town on the outskirts of Gateshead 3-1.
Town were 3-0 up at the break and that could easily have been 6-0 with two good chances spurned by Zeph Thomas ahead of his 30th minute goal and Javelle Clarke after doing all the hard work from 30 yards out sent the ball wide of the posts with only Mark Foden to beat.
Town were on Hebburn’s all singing and dancing scoreboard after just four minutes when striker Laurence Sorhaindo brushed aside defenders from outside the box and then deftly beat Foden.
Town were completely dominant and too quick and strong for the home side and continued to press. Josh Grant using the strong crosswind was sending in some superb inswinging corners which the home defence couldn’t cope with. However, the second goal came on the half hour mark from a Grant corner and this time Thomas sent in a glancing header for 2-0.
Seven minutes later and it was 3-0 and Sorhaindo had his brace. He took control of the ball in the middle of the pitch and just unleashed a 25-yard left foot volley that had Foden grasping fresh air! His teammates all converged on him as they celebrated a first half that had seen them play probably their best football of the season.
Just before the break central defender James Hurtley went down with a re-occurrence of a hamstring problem and he was replaced by Elliot Harrison.
Captain and midfielder Thomas Haigh dropped back into Hurtley’s position at the start of the second half and Town defended well for 40 minutes before right winger Thomas Potter beat Brett Souter to pull a goal back in the 85th minute. It turned out to be too little too late as the Town players put in a right shift with Grant, Corey Gregory, Harrison Beeden and Mohammed Ibrahim working their socks off, as did debutant from Bradford Park Avenue Alex King when he came on for Thomas in the 68th minute.
Town will be hoping to take this form into the home game with Worksop Town on Saturday when they entertain the Nottinghamshire side at the Yorkshire Payments Stadium (3.0), and also look to advance on their eighth position in the East Division.
TOWN slipped to their second defeat in the north east in five days when they went down 3-1 at Shildon on the outskirts of Darlington.
They were without their skipper Danny Raachi who is having a MRI scan on ankle ligament damage next Monday after his first half injury at Marske on the Tuesday.
Town were also missing for a second match, experienced James Hurtley with a re-occurrence of a hamstring problem, but still had a strongish line up.
Shildon were gifted their first goal on 11 minutes as leading goalscorer Dean Thexton found himself unmarked as he received the ball 12 yards out and had time to pick his spot to beat Brett Souter. The goal had come against the run of play, but Town soon picked up with skipper for the day and new kid on the block Corey Gregory dictating play for Town. Their reward for some enterprising play was an equaliser in the 26th minute when centre-back Harrison Beeden prodded home from a Mikey Starkey free kick.
Shildon regained the lead seven minutes later when Joe Posthill rifled home aided by a couple of deflections to beat Souter who did get a hand to the ball and that was how it remained to the break.
Town rested Shiraz Khan at the break to allow Javelle Clarke on and he put a great ball across the face oif goal with Jack Boyle and Laurence Sorhaindo both diving for it and being only inches from connecting.
The home side put their name on three points in the 58th minute as Thexton scored his second but Town did not give up the cause in looking to pull goals back to try and get something from the game.
**Town have taken delivery in the past week of a large 24 ft x 8ft x 8ft portakbin which has been kindly donated to them by their former sponsors Dual Seal Glass of Huddersfield. Match day groundsman and long distance lorry driver for the company, Wally Hemingway organised everything with MD Mr Nigel Meredith. It is expected to be ready for use in the next two weeks.
In the meantime Kevin Beeden, father of centre back Harrison, is fitting out the portakabin with his operatives from his south Yorkshire company, a great help to the club.
In order to get more players match fitness, Vill Powell has allowed out on dual registration young players Alex King, Harry Wilkinson, Mossimo Ciccarelli and Marshall Getty to play for Athersley Recreation, Sam Reed to play for Swallownest and goalkeeper Thomas Kirkland to play for Eccleshill United.
