Brighouse Town thanks to the inclement weather have just endured a frustrating 72 hours of postponements with the NPL East Division League game called off at Shildon just after they had got there last Saturday and then having to call off Tuesday’s home third round Senior Cup West Riding County FA tie with Campion owing to a frostbound ground.
For the game in Durham, Town were assured to travel after a 10 o’clock inspection by Level 3 referee Sam Parnaby and arrived around one o’clock after a battering by crosswinds on the A1(M). Both sets of players got ready for their warm ups but around 2pm the Sunderland referee Kieran Downey, appointed on the Friday when the previously appointed official was replaced, went on to the well grassed pitch and then said minutes later he had problems with several areas of it.
He was approached by the two managers, then by the Shildon chairman David Dent and secretary Martyn Tweddle and then the Brighouse secretary David Parker but would not change his mind.
Parker left the pitch with the players of both sides working out and telephoned the chairman of the NPL Mark Harris in the presence of messrs Dent and Tweddle and was asked questions and also advised on what the two clubs should do.
Mr Downey refused to change his mind, despite Town manager Vill Powell asking him to make a start and if he had to abandon it, so be it.
Parker stressed to him it had cost the club £650 for the coach and wages despite not playing and he still did not budge.
Both Shildon and Brighouse have since filed a joint report to the head of appointments and MOAS based at Wembley and also to Mark Harris and the secretary of the NPL, Angie Firth.
Shildon had to reimburse spectators already in the ground who stayed to watch Brighouse have 45 minutes training on the pitch without injuries and Shildon over 70 minutes without injuries, a possibility for the players that concerned Mr Downey who was jointly reported for not even rolling a ball or bouncing one, part of the rules for deciding on whether to call a game off.
Town’s manager was desperate for the game to be played as he is looking for game time now for his players with only goalscorer Laurence Sorhaindo still on the injured list and having a full squad to choose from.
That is why he was so upset that game was off and then Tuesday night as he looks towards Saturday’s home game with Sheffield FC (3.00). The game is being sponsored by former teammates and friends of the late Peter Gill, who passed away in November after a short illness. His former teammates have been targeting ex-players of Brighouse Town or even the original Blakeboroughs, better known as Blakes team founded in 1963, but also open to anyone else who knew Gilly.
Life vice-president Ray McLaughlin said: ” There are a couple of options: first just turn up, pay at the turnstile, have a beer with other friends and ex-team mates of Gilly and remember a top bloke.
Option 2: “Join in the sponsorship of the game. £20 gets you entrance to the game, a free pint and free pie and pies or burger and chips and helps support the club, and a donation to the British Heart Foundation.
If you’d like to do the sponsorship, please let Josh Wood know today (Thursday) on 07799381499 to help with numbers. Please feel free to pass this on to any friends you feel might also be interested once you have read it in Echo Sport.”
Returning to the squad and possibly set for a place on Saturday is Bradford-based strong and pacey wideman Mohammad Qasim who has returned to the club after three months with Guiseley. New manager at Nethermoor, Paul Phillips informed Powell that the former Silsden and Campion player did not fit into his NPL Premier Division plans. Powell didn’t need asking twice if he wanted him back and was given the go-ahead by joint chairmen Chris Lister and James Howard to sign him back on.
Silsden have also made a move to try and re-sign Halifax-based striker Jack Normanton who also rejoined Town back in July after playing well in pre-season matches and scoring goals. Normanton has asked his manager for time to think over the move as it would mean dropping a level.
Wakefield-based midfielder James Tetley, who also joined the club in the close season but has seen his outings limited, has been training with Nigel Clough’s Mansfield Town and is also wanted by the Chesterfield FC Community programme who also had former centre half Harrison Beeden, now at Whitby Town, with them.
The Campion tie will now be played weather permitting at the Yorkshire Payments Stadium on Tuesday, January 24 (7.45).
