By Dave Parker
BRIGHOUSE TOWN, now unbeaten in nine games and the NPL form team for the past two months, gave the League leaders and East Division champions Liversedge, a real fright on Easter Monday before the final whistle went on a 1-1 draw.
The majority in a bumper holiday crowd of 1,235 were baying for goals and hadn’t planned in their minds for the opposition taking the lead after 25 minutes after a frantic end-to-end opening period.
Just after Liversedge blew a golden oppotunity to take the lead, Town struck on the counter as Jack Boyle advanced and then sent a superb ball out to Javelle Clarke on the left and he went round his man, Alfie Raw, and then put a ball across the box and coming in on the right, wideman Darius Smith latched on to it from 15 yards out, and finished with a great hooked shot that easily beat Town’s former goalkeeper Jordan Porter.
This silenced the crowd and Town, playing some good football, were giving centre back Kevy Tarangadzo and former Town skipper Kurt Harris plenty to think about.
Town’s defence, with Mohammed Ibrahim, Josh Grant, Harrison Beeden anbd Harry Wilkinson in battling mood, saw to it Liversedge’s hopes for an equaliser were falling well short.
Town’s players left for the half-time break to huge applause and cheers.
Liversedge, who were keeping an eye on Marske’s game, wanted nothing less than a point to take the title on the day if the Teesiders were kept to a draw, and they did look to get the ball forward and stretch the Town defence, even to the point ahead of the game widening the pitch, two foot either side.
Town’s keeper Brett Souter was far more busier in this half and there was the feeling a goal might come and it did in the 61st minute when substitute Oliver Fearon, nephew of ex-Halifax Panthers RL player Danny, struck to the left of Souter and found the net.
Two minutes later and Shiraz Khan came on for Smith to add experience and skill up front as Town looked to counter and take the lead again.
Sam Reed came on for Grant in the 74th minute and Elliot Harrison three minutes later replaced striker Laurence Sorhaindo to add to strength into midfield.
Both skipper Tom Haigh and Clarke had chances just blocked and saved respectively ahead of Town going down to 10 men with nine minutes left. Corey Gregory was carried from the field and was later taken to hospital with a suspected serious ankle injury. However his colleagues with all the substitutes used up had to battle frantically to save the point they had more than deserved against a side that had only lost one game all season.
On Saturday, Town entertain play-off side Stockton Town (3.0) who are bringing upwards of 200 with them, many in fancy dress as secretary Rob Sexton says this is what they always do for the last game of the season.
Town have two excellent sponsors in Rastrick Constitutional Club and Andrew Nunns Joinery, Brighouse, and his snooker colleagues from Thornhill Briggs WMC.
