Brighouse Town with their 2-0 home defeat to league leaders Stockton Town last Saturday completed five games in October without a win and only registering one goal. Plus, they have slid from fifth in the table to 13th of the twenty clubs in the East Division of the PitchingIn Northern Premier League and in doing so also registered just one goal.
The 2-0 scoreline flattered the visitors from Teesside but then again, as they say, you have to get the ball in the net to win matches.
Town put in a very good performance with Elliot Harrison leading the line very well with energy and strength, but he couldn’t find the back of the net.
There was goalmouth action at both ends in the first half, with Town’s Michael Roxburgh providing the save of the game after tipping a thunderbolt of a shot over.
However, Stockton led five minutes into the second half through a penalty after Lewis King was upended in the box and Nathan Mulligan stepped up to just beat Roxburgh who did get a hand to it.
Chances were created by both sides as Town went for the equaliser, but the afternoon was baron ahead of with three minutes of added time played Matty Tymon managed to beat Roxburgh at his far post.
That was the last piece of action the Huddersfield Town loanee played for Town as the Terriers have recalled him from the loan he commenced in the closed season. The teenager, who commenced his playing career ironically at Stockton before moving south to the John Smith’s Stadium, said in a thank you to manager Vill Powell, his teammates and the Town supporters he had enjoyed his time at the Yorkshire Payments Stadium.
Manager Powell says his contracted keeper Brett Souter, out with a knee injury since before the end of last season, is not fit for a recall as of yet and it looks as though he could be heading for two games on a dual registration at Worsborough to get match fit.
The recall of Roxburgh leaves Powell with James Hassell to play at Worksop Town on Saturday (3.0), a side who beat Town 2-0 at home on September 10 in the first round of the FA Trophy.
The Nottinghamshire outfit are an outstanding side this season and currently are in sixth place in the table with four games in hand on those above them due to successes in the Emirates FA Cup and ISUZU FA Trophy.
Powell will have vice-captain Corey Gregory back after serving his three-match ban, but both experienced defender Matt Nebard and striker Laurence Sorhaindo are, he says, at least two weeks away from being able to be considered for selection. Veteran striker Zeph Thomas also missed the Stockton game with a calf injury he picked up at Dunston the previous week.
In the past week Halifax-based Reece Kendall has left Matlock Town who he joined from Brighouse Town two seasons ago and signed for Spennymoor Town, members of the National League North. The fullback, with a powerful shot to his name, had a clause inserted in his deal with the move to the Derbyshire club and Town have now benefited from a sell-on arrangement.
Centre-back Harrison Beeden went through with his signing for Whitby Town and made his debut last Wednesday evening in a 2-0 win over York City in a North Yorkshire FA County Cup game. He also scored a goal on Tuesday night in a 3-0 home league win over Bamber Bridge. Town signed the Goole skipper Josh Dacre last Friday to replace Beeden and he had a very good home debut. Powell says he will be all the better with more fitness under his belt and it was clear he had skippered a side the way he commanded the back four.
Bradford City have recalled their U-19 captain Bobby Pointon from his loan at Farsley Celtic. Pointon was moved there from Town in late September after impressing on the right for them and becoming a firm favourite with the Town faithful.
Town have also signed a manager for their U23 side that plays in the West Riding County FA Development League-Bradford Centralised Division-in Jonathon Rigby, a UEFA A licensed badge holder like the club’s senior manager Vill Powell.
Rigby, 29, had an extremely short playing career, at the age of 18 it was interrupted for nearly 8 years; having played in various positions and for a few local teams including Halifax Town’s academy the centre-back suffered a knee injury that side-lined him. It was during this time that he concentrated on coaching and taking his badges. Having reached the UEFA A licence, he is now excited and looking forward to his new challenge with Brighouse U23’s.
Tomorrow night at the ground (6.30) the annual James `Nibsy’ Heffernan Memorial game takes place supporting Overgate Hospice, Elland, with a bucket collection and fundraising on the night in the clubhouse.
The Mark Brady Memorial game this past Sunday raised £1,000 for the British Heart Foundation.
