Brighouse Town continued their disappointing form of late with their sixth defeat in the past eight Northern Premier League East Division games last Saturday when losing 3-2 at home to Bridlington Town.
They have only picked up two points in their past eight games and are now 15th of the 20 clubs in the division. While still nine points above 19th-placed Carlton Town, with bottom club being Tadcaster Albion.
On a positive front Town have another two home games now to to try and dig out some valuable points, with Newcastle club Dunston visiting on Saturday (3pm) and then Sheffield FC on Monday (7.45). Dunston are currently sixth and beat Town 4-0 on their ground back in October but they did lose 2-1 at Lincoln United last Saturday. Sheffield, who are level with Town on 32, points, had a good 3-0 away win at the weekend away to Ossett United, with all three goals coming from set pieces. Town lost 1-0 away to Sheffield back in early October.
Judging by the defeat to Bridlington, which saw the visitors complete a double, Town will have to cut out the defensive lapses which counted for two of the goals and also watch themselves near the box when giving away free kicks or penalties, as was the case with Bridlington’s second goal two minutes into added time on the first half.
Bridlington opened the scoring in the 17th minute in the five goal encounter, taking the lead three times in total before eking out the win.
Lewis Dennison scored first, before five minutes later, a squared ball from the boot of Mo Qasim out on the left was hit home by Bradford City loanee Cole Roberts. Dennison bagged his brace when converting the penalty which had been deemed a soft one just a yard into the box with the visiting forward not heading for goal at this stage. Town keeper Brett Souter got a hand to it but it just had enough power to creep into the corner of his net.
Just three minutes into the second half Souter punted a clearance well up field and it found Town’s leading goalscorer Jack Boyle who dribbled into the box from the right and then unleashed a good shot to beat Bridlington keeper James Hitchcock and level matters once more.
Town brought on two forwards in Javelle Clarke and Nathaniel Crofts to step up the pace for a another goal but after two free kicks awarded just outside the box, Bridlington took the lead once more. Souter saved the first free kick with an outstanding save, but the second free kick saw Town hesitate in defending their goal and Matt Broadley scored in the 64th minute to make it 3-2.
Town did rack up a few attacks but they failed to pull another goal back and register at least a point, with those now like goal dust at the Yorkshire Payments Stadium..
There were no injuries reported from the game and no news of any imminent signings to boost the squad. The deadline for signings for the season will be on Thursday, March 23 at 5pm.
Town officials were staggered to hear from the NPL Regional Meeting last Wednesday in Wakefield that the Women’s game is now funded to per annum to the tune of £45 million whereas Non-League Soccer is awarded just £400,000 to share between around 1,000 clubs.
Changes are afoot apparently but unlikely to come on stream until 2024. Clubs can now attain sponsorship for shirt sleeves onto of the League sponsors Pitching In being on there.
