Brighouse Town went a long way towards steering their way from the relegation area with a 2-1 away win at Shildon on Tuesday night in a twice re-arranged game owing to the weather across January and then early March.
Town came from a goal down after seven minutes to steadily grow into the game and then equalise with a minute to half-time and then take a deserved lead on 62 minutes.
Early play was end-to-end and the home side won the first corner out on their right. Joe Posthill swung in a challenging corner and it was met by the head of centre-half Alex White. A minute after the goal the referee blew for a water break on sunset for the Muslim players on the field observing Ramadan.
Town’s heads didn’t go down and they started to play some good football led by Javelle Clarke, Sam Reed, Jack Boyle and Aiden Walker.
They started pinning the home side back and Reon Benjamin Potts just fired over from inside the box, with Mo Qasim and Boyle having shots on target blocked.
On 35 minutes Town had a sustained spell on attack and Shildon’s defenders were well stretched to keep the ball out, which at one stage was like on a pinball machine.
They deserved their goal on half-time when from the left Qasim played in a ball which caused panic in the six yard box and centre-back Josh Dacre managed to force the ball home.
Town on the restart were keen to find the net and press on for the all important victory but Shildon were having none of it and wing-back Aidan Heywood and strikers Jon Weirs and Billy Greulich-Smith were intent on restoring their lead.
On 56 minutes Posthill was put clear of the Town back four and went one-on-one with Jamie Hassall who did a great job in spreading himself and denying their best player a goal.
Midfielders Corey Gregory and Joshua Grant were working their socks off and encouraging their teammates to work for every ball and this came off when Sheffield Wednesday trialist wing-back Reed broke once more down the left and saw the Shildon goalkeeper Harrison Bond off his line. Reed aimed for an empty goal from 35 yards out and it went over Bond, who is currently training with Derby County, and into the net. Reed was swamped by his teammates but there was still 28 minutes left on the clock.
Town had chances to increase the lead as they brought on Bradford City loanee Cole Roberts for Benjamin-Potts and then Sam Drake for Boyle. Shildon held out, and encouraged by their crowd, began to press forward on both flanks and get the ball into the Town box. Matthew Nebard, a rock all night, stood firm alongside Dacre and made sure with Walker and Clarke that they hoofed the ball clear from danger.
Hassall also stood firm in his goal and after five minutes of added time very competent referee Thomas Wilson from Newcastle blew the all-important whistle to send Town fans home very happy indeed.
Town have a busy Easter with a home game on Saturday against Grimsby Borough (3.0pm) and away on Easter Monday to Ossett United (3.0pm).
Back in August Town beat Grimsby 5-3 and on the festive weekend beat Ossett 2-1.
Both of those sides are now looking down on Town, Grimsby are in seventh place on 47 points, some 10 points off the play-off places, and Ossett in thirteenth place on 39 points and three ahead of Town.
It really is a battle now for Vill Powell’s men to stay out of the relegation places, including the play-off places two places above those doomed, and each point gained will be vital.
Town will have their skipper Tom Haigh back in contention for selection on Saturday after a three match ban. He would have cleared it and been included in the squad at Shildon on Tuesday night but the away game at Cleethorpes Town last Saturday was called off on the Saturday morning owing to a waterlogged pitch. That game will now be played on Tuesday, April 18 (7.45) ahead of the last game of the league season at Long Eaton United on Saturday, April 22.
Town officials and supporters have sent their congratulations to FC Halifax Town manager Chris Millington, his staff, players and the chairman and directors plus supporters following their FA Trophy semi-final win at Altrincham last Saturday.
Vice-chairman and director Charlie Tolley commented:” We have always had a close affinity with the Shaymen and being a fellow non-league club in Calderdale are delighted they have once again made Wembley and we will be cheering them all the way on May 21 in their final with Gateshead.”
