Mixed fortunes for Brighouse Town over the past week following a successful trip to Belper and a home game derby defeat to Ossett United.

Town left for Derbyshire a week this past Tuesday at 4pm not knowing if the already postponed game from the previous Saturday would be on.

Frost had seen off the Saturday game and it was heavy rain and gale force winds that was a problem for the Tuesday fixture. However the Brighouse Travel coach was pulled out of the garage at 3.15pm and the first collection was complete ready for pick up two at Ossett when the news came through the local qualified referee had telephoned the match referee in Sheffield that he was happy to give the game the go-ahead. Town’s players were buffeted about down the M1 but they arrived safely and skipper Josh Grant won the toss and elected to play against the wind and what a masterstroke that was.

It was a lively Town who took the play to Belper, a market town on the banks of the river Derwent some seven miles from Derby, and they were rewarded with a goal on 15 minutes when left wingback Brandon Webster whipped in a great ball and when challenged by Kevin Ceesay, home defender Brodie Lichfield could only turn the ball into his own goal to the despair of his keeper Daniel Moore..

Town, with Curtis Peters, Cameron Bedford, Mohammed Qasim and Webster all pushing forward, as the rain swirled down, looked good for another few goals but the finishing was not clinical enough.

Belper, third in the table on the night, were shocked and they gave Town keeper Jamie Hassall very little to do and the visiting players were the happier bunch as they returned to the dressing room.

Into the second half and the rain stopped but the wind increased and it prevented custodian Moore getting the ball out of his half as it ballooned back and kept putting Town back on the attack.

Town had more chances to increase their lead but they saw shots blocked or go over the crossbar.

However, with ball at their feet, home players Kevin Bastos and Oliver Brownhill started to cause problems with direct running at the Town midfield and defence but they couldn’t find the target until the 70th minute when Karl Demidh levelled matters.

However, following the substitution of Jack Normanton by Darius Smith, the wing back had a field day up the Town right and he had Town back in the lead on 77 minutes with a tremendous finish, giving Moore no chance.

He could have had two more in the next ten minutes to put the game to bed but he just missed guiding one in by the angle iron and the other was a tame effort, but on 92 minutes he made it 3-1 with a super finish and was mobbed by his teammates.

The players were given a tremendous reception by the travelling support as they left the field.

Town coach Leon Wainman commented after the game that the final scoreline could have easily been in the 9-3 region to Town with steadier finishing.

Town, in front of a healthy derby crowd of 311, for the return game with Ossett, were once again guilty of not finding that vital last touch of the ball and also having the opposition defence block many a goalbound effort.

Ossett got the vital goal to win the game in the 51st minute 1-0 when ex-Doncaster Rovers and Scarborough Athletic striker Alex Peterson got his head to a ball from the left and he beat keeper Jamie Hassall who was off his line.

Manager Vill Powell said he couldn’t blame anyone for the defeat, it was just one of those frustrating days when chances were created but not put away.

In one period some 10 minutes into the game Town were camped in the Ossett penalty box but just couldn’t find the back of the net. Ashley Butterworth had two chances, Mohammed Qasim, Sam Drake and Darius Smith all had chances but to no avail.

Ossett were bolstered by the return of centre-back Harry Coates after a long injury absence and it countered in their favour as the game wore on.

Town lost striker Qasim with a groin injury on 67 minutes and he was replaced by Myron Gibbons, back after a six week absence with a hamstring injury. It was not before Qasim was denied twice by keeper Matt Bancroft and it also saw Jack Crook, on for Cameron Bedford, miscue a great chance in the six yard box with the keeper at the other side of his goal.

Jack Normanton had come on for Smith and he worked his socks with skipper Josh Grant but they just could not steer the ball in to the net. Centre back Josh Dacre headed wide when it would have been easier to score and he knew it and Gibbons was inches off converting a cross from the once more hardworking Brandon Webster.

Town go again this Saturday at home to Stocksbridge Park Steels (3pm) when they will try to avenge a 3-0 defeat back in September at Jamie Vardy’s old club.

Sponsoring the game is Chris PIckles, managing director of CHRIS-tal Clear who backs the club annually and will have sixteen guests. His father-in-law Trevor Priestley is a valuable member of the club’s voluntary ground maintenance team.

There was no place in the squad for centre back Jamie Allsop last Saturday and he has returned to his dual registration agreement with Albion Sports who ground share at the Horsfall Stadium with Bradford Park Avenue.

Brighouse Town Football AFC stands together in condemning the vile online abuse directed towards our Women’s team following their recent defeat in the West Riding FA County Cup.

Our team, competing in the bottom tier of the County League Pyramid, achieved a remarkable feat by reaching the quarter-finals of this prestigious competition. They are a squad primarily composed of young women, our team that played had an average age of just 18, and they have all shown incredible dedication and talent throughout the tournament.

The online abuse directed towards these players after this game is completely unacceptable and has no place in our sport. We have taken immediate action, reporting the incidents to both Leeds United and the West Riding County FA. There is no room for hate or negativity in our beautiful game, and we will not tolerate it targeting our players.

Brighouse Town is a community club that prides itself on fostering a supportive and inclusive environment. We are providing our full support to the players affected, offering all the necessary help and guidance they need during this difficult time. Their well-being is our top priority.

We urge everyone within the football community to remember the value of respect. We must stand together against all forms of abuse and create a safe and positive environment for players of all ages and levels.

Together, we can ensure that football remains a game enjoyed by all, free from prejudice and hate.

#KickItOut #NoToHate #NoToAbuse #ProtectOurPlayers #OneTownOneTeam #WeAreBrighouse #WeStandTogether

Local Junior side Clifton Rangers U10’s will be our guests for the big local derby against Ossett Utd on Sat 27th Jan KO 3pm at the Heffernan Utilities Stadium. Clifton Juniors are a long established local club who run junior teams for boys and girls at every age group. The U10’s run three 7 a-side teams in that age group and play in the Huddersfield Junior Football League.

Brighouse Town’s trip to the foothills of the Derbyshire Peak District last Saturday was called off after a 10am pitch inspection and despite the hard work of the groundsman who had been dragging chains across the pitch to let air in and aid the thaw process.

Town’s manager Vill Powell quickly agreed to a re-arranged game for the Tuesday night in the hope that went ahead to clear the last match of a three-match suspension on re-signed centre-back Jorge Sikora.

Following this game Town have two home games on the trot, at home to Ossett United on Saturday (3pm) and then Stocksbridge Park Steels the following Saturday (3pm).

Town drew their game 1-1 at Ingfield back in November but had Lady Luck been on their side it would have been a victory.

The match is being sponsored by Vanessa Lee the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for the Calder Valley who is hoping to take over from long serving MP and Town sponsor Craig Whittaker MP who is standing down at the next General Election. Vanessa, brought up near Hull, but now living in Mytholmroyd, is a Hull City season ticket holder.

Goalkeeper Harry Garman who started the season as number one custodian, before losing his jersey to last season’s keeper Jamie Hassall when he came back to the club in October from Knaresborough Town, has signed for Stocksbridge Park Steels. Garman, 23, who was previously with Manchester Met, Whaley Bridge, Yorkshire Amateur and Alwoodley, had been given a dual registration to play with Northern Counties East League club Maltby Main, but wanted to stay around the squad in the hope of breaking back into the side.

“Now the opportunity has come to play at the same level with Stocksbridge I have taken the opportunity,” said Garman, as he headed for south Yorkshire.

It has emerged that Town have an international on their books in defender Jamie Allsop. The 26-year-old, who has had limited appearances for Town, plays for the Great Britain Police team and is utilised anywhere across the back four and even in midfield. He has played primarily as a centre-back by Town when called upon. He is not a policeman on the beat but is involved with the media department of the West Yorkshire Police and before coming to Town had played for Garforth Town and Nostell MW where his father Kevin is chairman.

Following the two successive home games Town are then on the road north, first to Hebburn Town and then Newton Aycliffe the following week.

Wide player Jack Wilson, now back in full training after being out injured since September will be able to challenge for a place from this weekend, and striker Myron Gibbons, who was attracting a lot of attention when he tore a hamstring ligament in the West Riding County FA Senior Cup tie with Campion on December 19, is now back in light training and could be available for those away games.

Town are looking to make more midweek on top of weekend use of their clubhouse with hosting private functions and wakes with catering following local funerals.

Brighouse Town’s home game last Saturday with the form team of the Northern Premier League East Division, Grimsby Borough, ended in a 0-0 draw.

However, with much more clinical finishing, Town should have taken all three points from a scoreline that could have read 5-0!

They had three great chances in the first half and two more in the second period but failed to bury all five chances in the back of the net.

Assistant manager Louis Axcell commented after the game that the finishing was woeful and Town could have been out of sight at half-time.

The performance, although not exactly full of quality football, was far better than the previous week at Grantham, and against a strong side and with a more than decent midfield and back four.

Jack Crook replaced skipper Josh Grant from the Grantham game and he was prominent with Sam Drake and Cameron Bedford in driving forward to get strikers Mo Qasim, Kieron Ceesay and Jack Normanton going in to the heart of the Borough defence.

Leading up to half-time Normanton, who covered some ground, had two good chances of burying the ball in the net, but failed and Qasim had a blistering short saved by keeper Liam Higton. Ceesay, who shows great promise, also had two opportunities but was a little slow in reacting with the ball arriving at his feet and his shots were blocked.

Town keeper Jamie Hassall throughout the game had a quiet afternoon in his goal and you could count the saves he made on one hand.

Brandon Webster was again a lively wing-back as chances were created from the left and later from the right, but Qasim and substitute Ashley Butterworth just could not find the back of the net. Butterworth had a great chance to seal the game with eight minutes left as he came one-on-one with Higton but he fired straight at the keeper.

A valuable point as they head on Saturday to Derbyshire to take on third in the table Belper Town and try and avenge a 2-0 defeat back in October at the Heffernan Utilities Stadium.

A coach leaves the Dusty Miller at 11am.

While Town had a crowd of 286 for the visit of Grimsby, Belper won 2-1 over North Ferriby in front of 726, so there is bound to be plenty of atmosphere to cut through on Saturday.

In the meantime, Town have re-signed centre-back Jorge Sikora on a free transfer after he was made available following the demise of Premier Division Marske United two weeks ago and locally-based and former Town winger Eddie Church has joined Liversedge from Markse.

Sikora was on loan at Town earlier in the season before he was recalled to Markse following Town’s FA Trophy game at Ashton United.

He is ruled out of the Belper game as he still has a match to serve on the a three-game ban.

Former FC Halifax Town, Bradford PA and Brighouse Town wide player Will Callighan has left Town’s squad for FC United of Manchester after not playing a game since November.

Midfielder Jordan Helliwell, who joined Town from Knaresborough Town back in October, has gone on dual registration to Wakefield AFC and joins centre-back Seb Normanton and ex-Town and Bradford PA wideman Alex King at Belle Vue.

Talented ex-Bradford City winger Jack Wilson is, according to Axcell, closing in on a return to the Town line up after being out since September with a leg injury.

Pictured are part of the fantastic group who walked from Ossett to the Heffernan Utilities Stadium to remember Town legend Pete Gill and raise money for the British Heart Foundation. They are pictured with Pete’s son and daughter Joe and Emily centre stage enjoying a well earned drink in “Jimmy’s Bar” in the Clubhouse.