BRIGHOUSE TOWN Town had a fruitless journey last Saturday to Bridlington after being informed bby home officials a senior FA match official had passed the pitch fit at 9.30am.
Heavy rain and wet snow over the Yorkshire Wolds accompanied the team coach and at 1.30 referee Michael Trevethan inspected and said he was just concerned with one area. Town’s match day groundsman Wally Hemingway, accompanied by manager Vill Powell and his assistant Stacy Reed joined Bridlington officials to fork the area. However in the end at 2.30, Mr Trevethan had to postpone the game as heavy snow was blanketing the pitch and obliterating the pitch markings.
The players of both sides had been warming up but then had to return to the dressing rooms. The manager then took his players across the road from the ground and treated them to fish and chips before the two hour journey home.
A large group of members from Rastrick CC, staying on the east coast for the weekend, arrived just as the players were leaving the clubhouse.
Town officials moved quickly with Bridlington secretary Gordon Gillott to re-arrange the game and Town will go back to Bridlington on Tuesday, April 5.
On Saturday, Town entertain Tyneside club HebburnTown (3.00), a game sponsored by Bradford and Halifax hauliers expect distribution (lower case). Powell’s boys pulled off a great 3-1 win back in mid-October.
Town were without Shiraz Khan on Tuesday night as he was on holiday in Egypt, catching up on holiday that was booked pre-pandemic. An x-ray revealed utility player Josh Grant did not break an ankle at Worksop but his manager says he still has ankle bruising and slow reduction in the swelling.
“Striker Redmond Lee, who has still to make his debut, is a lot nearer selection that Josh from his ankle problem, and I am pleased with so many matches in front of us,” said Powell.
Town play another re-arranged game on Tuesday when they travel to Stocksbridge Park Steels (7.45) and then on Saturday week, March 5, they have another re-arranged game at home when new East Division leaders Marske United are the visitors (3.00). A goal in each half gave Cleethorpes Town the double over Vill Powell’as charges on Tuesday night, but they did give the third-placed club in the NPL East Division a good run for their money.
In fact, Brighouse had the better of the first half and Luke Lofts goal on 30 minutes was against the run of play. Town’s Mohammed Ibrahim should have scored on 14 minutes as the ball came to him on the right and he took too long to fire on target with a gaping hole looking at him. Harrison Beeden had only just blasted over from 20 yards out when in the next attack Zeph Thomas beat his man and then put in a great cross and neither Laurence Sorhaindo or Ibrahim could get a leg to the ball to steer it into the net.
From this attack Cleethorpes went on the counter attack and stunned the home crowd with the Lofts goal as the home defence just disintergrated.
Things got a little fiesty and Town’s captain Tom Haigh was booked in the 34th minute and six minutes later Liam Dickens saw yellow for the visitors.
Shortly in to the restart Town were awarded a free kick from some 22 yards out and Jack Boyle delivered in a perfect free kick only for keeper Tom Jackson to dive across his goal and claw the ball to safety.
In fact as the half progressed home custodian Brett Souter was more a spectator as James Hurtley went near along with Boyle who had shot blocked and then scuffed a good chance.
The visitors made sure they were taking all the points home as substitute Scott Vernon slid the ball home from six yards in the 68th minute, one minute after Sorhaindo had been replaced by Elliot Harrison. Town, with Javelle Clarke working hard on the right, could not be faulted for their workrate and the visitiors knew they had been in a game.
