For the first time in seven seasons Brighouse Town progressed to the first qualifying round of the Emirates FA Cup with an outstanding 3-1 away Preliminary round win at Colne last Saturday.
With a very strong wind coming down the sloping pitch Town opted to defend against the elements and obviously hope they could keep the scoreline at half-time goalless and anything else would be a bonus.
The North West Counties Premier League side were very prominent in the first 20 minutes of the game but Town’s defenders, skipper Curtis Peters, Darius Smith, Alexander Phillipson and Jamie Allsop, along with keeper Harry Garman, defended the swirling ball very well.
Town were slowly by the 25th minute beginning to find their feet and get a toehold in the tie and they took the lead in the 28th minute following a freekick from just outside the box taken by new on-loan signing Ben Tweed.
He whipped the ball in and Mohammad Qasim forcefully did the rest as home keeper Tom Goodwin could only parry the ball into the roof of the net.
Harrogate Town wideman Tweed enjoyed a superb debut and looks like he will prove a real asset across a busy period for Town.
Colne knew now they had to at least level matters and the strove forward down the slope but midfielders Jack Crook and Aderemi Efunnuga
worked well to break down moves and they then opted for the long ball as the first half went into 10 minutes of added on time!
Town kept their hosts out and straight away from the restart took control of the game.
Colne could not contain Tweed, the pacy and skillful Ashley Butterworth, Qasim and Jayden Major a replacement for Myron Gibbons and a second and calming goal came in the 60th minute as Qasim bagged his brace from a corner.
Town made two more changes to introduce fresh legs in Nario Baptista for Peters and then McKenzie Warne for Tweed who got a tremendous ovation when he left the pitch.
Colne did pull a goal back in the 84th minute when Lucas Weaver worked his way up the left and into the box and place a firm drive across the face of goal and the reach of Garman.
Squeaky bum time for Town fans but Crook made sure of the tie in the 90th minute with a strong shot from the edge of the box which gave Goodwin no chance and it was 3-1 as the teams went in to seven minutes of added time.
In Monday’s draw at Wembley, Town drew Leeds-based club Albion Sports of the Northern Counties East Premier Division with the tie set for Saturday week, September 2 at the Heffernan Utilities Stadium (3pm).
In the meantime Vill Powell and his impressive looking squad were at Grimsby Borough last night (Wednesday) and on Saturday entertain Grantham Town (3pm) followed by a short trip on Bank Holiday Monday to Liversedge (3pm).
Manager Vill Powell said after the Colne game that he and his staff were more than pleased with the way the players are performing and he was more than delighted with their effortless commitment.
