Guiseley debutant Nathaniel Crofts ensured Brighouse Town salvaged a point from their home game last Saturday against North Shields.
Crofts, 26, a former Stocksbridge Park Steels winger who has been recommended to the club by returnee from Nethermoor, Mohammad Qasim, hammered home a corner from the edge of the box just one minute into the second half.
Town had gone into the break losing 2-1 after going into the lead after just 14 minutes through a Reon Potts penalty after he had been brought down in the box by visiting keeper Aaron Steavens.
Ten minutes later and the visitors were level when a powerful shot from the left from the boot of JJ Crisp skimmed off the head of Town’s captain Tom Haigh and into the net for 1-1.
Five minutes later the visitors took the lead when a Callum Larmouth shot came back off the crossbar and Paul Van-Zandvliet was in the right place to toe poke the ball home.
After Potts had equalised Town pushed to go in the lead again with North Shields hitting on the counter but both defences held out. Town went into the game once more without goalscorer Laurence Sorhaindo awaiting results on a knee scan, defender Matty Nebard who had to be on a school trip with his students over the week, fellow defender Callum Charlton who has gone to Emley on a dual registration and midfielder Corey Gregory who was nursing an ankle injury from the game at Hebburn Town in midweek..
On Tuesday night at Carlton Town, on the edge of the city of Nottingham, Town were also without their skipper Tom Haigh who had gone to France with his father Stuart for his annual skiing holiday.
Carlton Town 2 v Brighouse Town 4
Town sealed victory at Carlton after a two and a half hour journey.
Nine minutes into the match and Town scored their first goal through Mohammad Qasim who was set up by Nathaniel Crofts who weaved in between the defenders to pass to Qasim who smashed the ball in the back of the net from 10 yards out for the 1-0 lead.
Town could have two more very quickly through Reon Potts and then Jack Boyle but blocks on the line and a close offside decision kept them at 1-0 as Town saw out the remainder of the half and went in at the break with the upper hand.
As the second half commenced it was on 49 minutes that the speedy and skillful Crofts scored the second goal for Town as he latched on to a punched-out save from home keeper Richard Stainsby to fire home.
A free kick on the edge of the box saw Jack Boyle score the third goal of the game on 58 minutes as he bent the ball into the bottom corner of the goal. The masterful Boyle saw a gap in the wall and just went for it to deceive Stainsby.
The hosts then scored in the 67th minute through veteran Bradley Wells to make it 3-1.
In the 70th minute Town lost right back Mohammed Ibrahim to a very controversial red card.
However, it was in the 78th min that the talented Crofts bagged his brace as he beat the keeper at the near post for a 4-1 lead.
Despite being down to 10 men Town were still playing football, with some good contributions from Josh Grant, Aiden Walker and Sam Reed.
There was a second goal from the home team in the 84th minute for Niall Davie but the game was wrapped at 4-2 to Town despite in injury time wing back Javelle Clarke going down in a tackle, and receiving a stud into the knee.
Keeper Brett Souter, who had a very good game, was booked in the 96th minute for time wasting.
Town gave a debut off the bench to their fourth Bradford City loanee of the season, centre forward Cole Roberts who looks a lively and challenging performer
Saturday sees Town travel to Pontefract Collieries (3.0) who they beat 6-0 at their last meeting back in mid-November.
Town are only seven points now behind the play-off places and will be looking to nail down another three points.
