Brighouse Town let go a 1-0 lead into the second half at Pontefract Collieries last Saturday to eventually lose 2-1.
The Pontefract side showed 10 changes to their starting line up at the Yorkshire Payments Stadium back in mid-November when Town ended up winning the re-arranged game 6-0.
This was a much taller, stronger looking and experienced outfit and after the game assistant manager Stacy Reed said: “We allowed them to bully us and this cost us the three points.”
Pontefract started the brightest and Town had to soak up some pressure on their goal and three times on counter attacks Town were just narrowly offside which would have left Nathaniel Crofts and Reon Potts clear on goal.
Town did score against the run of play on 23 minutes when Jack Boyle played a good ball out to Croft who when beat his man before rolling in Potts who struck the ball on the angle firmly beyond the reach of experienced keeper Kyle Trenerry.
Town could and should have added to that lead as good football put Mohammad Qasim in the clear but he fluffed his lines when coming one-on-one with Trenerry and Crofts also blew a great chance to add to the scoreline.
The teams turned round with Town still a goal to the good and the home side once more took the initiative and on 56 minutes were rewarded with an equaliser through debutant Dec Bacon. On 64 minutes they took the lead through wing back Ben Turner whose shot hit Brett Souter’s far post and turned into the empty net.
Town brought on substitutes Sam Drake, Javelle Clarke and Cole Roberts and did go close on three occasions but the home side held out for a deserved 2-1 win.
Town kept the same side that had had beaten Carlton Town 4-2 in midweek with skipper Tom Haigh out with an ankle injury he collected in the 2-2 draw with North Shields who are battling to raise £50,000 to help with ground improvements to stay in the NPL after this initial season from their EBAC Northern League promotion last April.
It is expected that Haigh will return for the away game on Saturday at Grantham Town (3pm). There will be a coach leaving the Dusty Miller, Hove Edge at 11am.
Defender Matty Nebard, who has missed the last three games while taking a school party during the Leeds area half term, could also be recalled but for added game time he has just signed a dual registration with Northern Counties East club Eccleshill United.
Reserve goalkeeper Jamie Hassall, who has shown some form this time when covering for Souter, has joined Selby Town on a dual registration and FC Halifax Town academy keeper Charlie English has come back to the Town ranks.
On Tuesday afternoon left back Sam Reed, son of the assistant manager, made his debut for Sheffield Wednesday U23s in a game with Peterborough United.
Town resume back at their Hove Edge base on Saturday week, February 25 when they entertain Bridlington Town and follow this up with home games with Dunston, Saturday March 4 and then Sheffield FC two days later on March 6.
