By Dave Parker
ALL ROADS led to Hove Edge on Friday evening as Brighouse Town hosted near neighbours Liversedge in the West Riding County FA Senior Cup Final (7.45).

For the past three weeks director of football and vice chairman Charlie Tolley and his colleagues have been planning for what will be a truly momentous game to go into the history books of both clubs.

Town have also been keeping their fingers crossed over the weather as they are hoping to park the majority of the cars on the adjoining pitches to the main pitch and want the firm surface to remain. When Liversedge came for the December 27 festive derby there was a crowd inside the Yorkshire Payments Stadium of 827 and it was a game Town lost 2-1 in added time.

On Friday, officials are planning for a crowd in the region of 1400 following the visitors taking the Pitching-In East Division championship title and when they entertained Town on Easter Monday the attendance was 1,235 in their Clayborn ground to see the 1-1 draw.

In the end with the rain on Friday night the attendance was 1,087 but still excellent.

Town, who have finished seventh in the table, have been training intensively over the past ten days since their 3-1 setback to Stockton Town who themselves lost out in the East Division play-off final 2-1 to Marske last Saturday.

Town had three experienced players missing that day through injury after their nine match unbeaten run, but skipper and midfielder Tom Haigh was back in contention.

Town’s frontline gave Liversedge plenty to think about in both games, more so than their manager Jon Rimmington has experienced all season, apart from their only league defeat to Yorkshire Amateur in mid-season.

On their day the likes of Jack Boyle, Javelle Clarke, leading goalscorer Laurence Sorhaindo, Zeph Thomas and Elliot Harrison are a real handful. Town’s defence has been well led once again by former Rotherham Town youngster Harrison Beedan, and its the rich blend of youth and experience in that department that has shone through in the nine match run. Teenager Harry Wilkinson has come in and done a fine job for the injured Hurtley, while fellow teenager Sam Reed improves with each game. Experienced utility player Mohammed Ibrahim has been a revelation at right back, both defending, and then in a wing back role setting up fine moves and scoring goals in great style, just as he did at Yorkshire Amateur and then Sheffield FC.

Utility player Elliot Harrison, fullback Sam Reed and former Leeds United academy goalkeeper Charlie English have all committed themselves to Town for next season in the past week.

Wide player Shiraz Khan has left the club for pastures new.

On the night, Town lost 3-1 despite taking the lead in the 18th minute through leading goalscorer Laurence Sorhaindo.

Liversedge came back just two minutes later to equalise through Benjamin Atkinson and that is how it remaned until half-time.

In the 66th minute Liversedge took the lead through Nick Walker and added a third eight minutes later.

That is how it stayed until the final whistle.

The Liversedge club were highly delighted that the Brighouse Town team and management gave them a guard of honour as they entered the pitch to congratulate them on winning the East Division title.