Brighouse Town pulled off a very comprehensive 2-1 victory away to third in the table Stockton Town last Saturday.
Town, minus four senior players through suspension and injury, completely ran the show and, as manager Vill Powell said in his after match interview, the scoreline could have been 4-1 or even 5-1 but for the goalkeeping of Stockton’s Callum Roberts. The home custodian was making his first appearance back after several weeks out through injury.
With no recognised right back, Powell placed Javelle Clarke in a wing-back role and the Sheffield-based starlet never put a foot wrong, while man of the match Josh Grant in midfield was all over the all weather pitch along with striker Jack Boyle, Sam Drake and Mohammad Qasim.
In fact it was Qasim, who kept on switching flanks the entire game, who scored the first goal on 19 minutes when he picked up a loose ball on the right, beat his man, Daniel McWilliams, and then headed just in to the box and unleashed a rising thunderbolt of a shot which did beat Roberts and one of his defenders on the line.
There was just a hint of a Stockton response, but with acting skipper Corey Gregory, who had his best game in weeks, playing a holding role at the centre of defence, with Josh Dacre and the resolutue Matty Nebard alongside, all was snuffed out. What did get through was kept out with comfort by young keeper Jamie Hassall who was standing in for the experienced Brett Souter who was on the bench.
Two minutes before half-time Town made it 2-0 when Qasim, now down the left, beat two defenders with skill and pace and then fired a ball into the path of Jack Boyle, who appeared to have an eternity before drilling beyond the reach of Roberts from 16 yards out.
A minute into injury time, as the heavens really opened, Clarke had a great chance with an open goal to make it 3-0 but he just couldn’t get his feet in a good position on the greasy surface and scuffed the ball wide.
There was a tremendous round of applause from Town’s travelling supporters as the team went in at the break.
Town did not let up in the second half as Grant, Drake and Sam Reed pushed forward and with 55 minutes on the clock, Roberts denied Qasim making it 3-0 at his near post.
Stockton, roared on by their nigh on 500 crowd, did fight back and forced three corners on the trot and from the third one, Matty Tymon sent in a low hard drive which Hassell did very well with.
Town did not sit back on their lead and continued to look for a third and match-winning goal, but were denied once more by Roberts in the 83rd minute as he just got an outstretched hand to a shot from substitute Bradford City loanee striker Cole Roberts.
Town gave a debut towards the end of the game to the club’s U23 player Ali Hussain and he was on in time to see Stockton pull a goal back in the 89th minute when Stephen Thompson headed home from a Cameron Painter corner.
The home crowd tried to lift their players for an equaliser but Town game managed the added on time well and were over the proverbial moon at the final whistle.
Just as with the 4-1 away win at Consett back in November on a 3/4G pitch, Town, who train on one, did really look comfortable and played some very tidy football on the same surface on the Teeside coast at Stockton.
This Saturday they entertain the NPL Division One East champions Worksop Town (3pm) who took the title last Saturday with a 4-1 home win over relegated Tadcaster Albion and in front of a 901 crowd.
Town will have centre-back Aiden Walker back in contention for the game after his one match ban.
Without doubt the experienced Worksop Town team have been the best team Town have come up against this term and have lost 2-0 in the FA Trophy to them, and 4-0 away.
The match is being sponsored by Heckmondwike-based outdoor clothing company Tog 24 and the match ball by Lightcliffe Cricket Club’s Junior section.
With it being an international break weekend Town are hoping along with substantial travelling support for their biggest crowd of the season.
