Lady Luck completely deserted Brighouse Town on their away day to the banks of the river Humber at North Ferriby last Saturday.

Seventh-placed North Ferriby took the lead in the 15th minute through a complete fluke of a goal that was given to the much travelled Tom Corner. Home debutant Harry Lovick played a well delivered free kick into the box; the ball hit the head of Town’s Jack Dando and the ball crashed off a post, then back to Corner and into the back of Jamie Hassall’s net.

Town had the experienced Curtis Peters back after a long term injury and with Cameron Bedford he was trying his utmost to get his forward line of Mo Qasim, Ash Butterworth and Myron Gibbons going forward. Town’s efforts on goal in the first half were limited and Hassall was the busier keeper of the two as he kept out efforts from McCauley Snelgrove and Corner.

Town did have an appeal for a penalty for hand ball turned down with ten minutes to the break but it remained 1-0 to the home side.

Vill Powell made two significant changes in the 58th and then 67th minutes with Kieron Ceesay on for Butterworth and then Jack Crook on for captain Josh Grant. Brandon Webster was also coming forward as a wing-back and creating chances down the left.

In the final 20 minutes as Jack Normanton joined the fray, Town were really bombarding the home goal. Cameron Bedford hit a post, Crook hit the crossbar and Ceesay had a shot just parried away at the last minute by Tom Jackson.

Town also had another penalty appeal turned down after Gibbons received a blow to the head in a tackle on the penalty box byline.

It looked all on as Town would at least get a goal and earn a point but two minutes into added time and with all their players forward, North Ferriby counter-attacked and Danny East was only faced by Hassall and he chipped the ball over him and into the net for 2-0.

Town’s management team and supporters were well pleased with the second half performance and with the rub of the green they knew full well they could have come away with a win and not another defeat.

On Saturday, Town entertain Ashington AFC from Northumbria (3pm) who they drew 4-4 with on the opening game of the season.

Ashington, who lost 4-2 at home to Newton Aycliffe last Saturday in front of a 1,084 crowd, are two places above 15th-placed Town.

The game is being sponsored by Andy Nunns Joiners/kitchen fitters of Brighouse, a good supporter of the club and himself a former local player and coach.

On Boxing Day, Town travel into North Lincolnshire to play 17th-placed Winterton Rangers (3pm) and then they entertain Liversedge on New Year’s Day (3pm).

Town manager Vill Powell has allowed former Shirebrook Town centre-back Jack Dando to take up a dual registration with Retford Town.

Brighouse Town Women were involved in the third round of the West Riding County FA Cup this past Sunday against Bradford Park Avenue who are in the West Riding Premier Division.

It was a very close first half but Town went in at half-time 1-0 down after a fantastic long range strike.

However Cara Mahoney’s charges came out fighting and wanting the game more than their opponents and scored some fantastic goals and came out 3-1 winners.

“Every player was fantastic today but a big shout out to Courtney Simpson and Summer Hadwin who were incredible over the 90 minutes,” said player-manager Mahoney.

Brighouse Town’s inconsistent form continued last Friday night at home to bottom club Sheffield FC who took the valuable three points with a 1-0 win.

Town were without striker Jack Normanton (attending a wedding) and leading goalscorer Mo Qasim was on the bench.

The game flowed back and forth at pace but neither side looked like scoring until Town’s Myron Gibbons was on goal after 23 minutes but steered his shot over keeper Edd Hall and inches over the crossbar.

Sheffield lost their centre-back and captain Reece Fielding two minutes later, to be replaced by Alfie Smith.

The visitors had signed in the morning Belper Town’s leading goalscorer Cameron Johnson, and as the half wore on he was getting more and more into the game and just headed wide as half-time approached.

Town had lacked direction from the midfield area and needed to be finding their men.

On 53 minutes Town’s keeper Jamie Hassall kept his side in the game with a great save from Connor Cutts.

Sheffield finally broke the deadlock after 60 minutes following some concerted pressure, when, from inside the six yard box, Smith stabbed home the ball to make it 1-0.

Town introduced Qasim after his injury and then Jack Crook and Jordan Helliwell, and the latter showed some lovely touches but it was too little too late and Town now sit in 14th place on 17 points and just four places above the bottom two clubs, Grimsby Borough and Grantham Town who are both on 13 points.

On Saturday Town travel to Humberside to take on North Ferriby (3pm) who are in seventh place and on 26 points. Promoted in the summer from the Northern Counties East Premier Division, North Ferriby have won eight matches and drawn two and will provide a more than stern test for Town. It is hoped that vice-captain Curtis Peters (ankle) who was on the bench on Friday, could make a start along with Qasim and Normantion will be back in contention.

Vill Powell’s charges spent the weekend in Dublin and it is hoped the bonding will have helped as the festive programme approaches from next Tuesday, December 19, with three league games and one cup tie to New Year’s Day.

The cup tie is next Tuesday at home to Campion (7.45) in the second round of the West Riding Senior Cup. They are the current holders and also top the Northern Counties Premier Division ahead of Emley and Albion Sports.

The coach for North Ferriby leaves the Dusty Miller, Hove Edge at 11am.

Brighouse Women’s planned home League Cup tie with Eccleshill United last Sunday was postponed owing to a waterlogged pitch and they will try again this Sunday (2pm).

The Pitching In Northern Premier League chiefs worked quickly last Saturday once they knew their entire East Division programme was wiped out by frost and snow and re-arranged the entire list for Saturday, February 10, a free date they had put aside.

Brighouse Town officials had been contemplating a Tuesday night match in January to play the away game at Hebburn Town in north Newcastle and not looking forward to that with long trips that month to Grantham, Grimsby and Belper, only eight miles from Derby.

Second in the table Hebburn had been keeping Town officials updated as they were very keen to beat the weather and play, but two inches of snow on the Friday on top of a keen overnight frost saw the qualified official in their area call the game off at 8.30 on Saturday morning.

Town’s groundsman Wally Hemingway will now prepare his pitch in time for this Friday evening’s game with bottom of the table Sheffield FC at the Heffernan Utilities Stadium (7.45).

Hemingway had hoped to get the Brighouse Women’s home cup tie with Eccleshill United on this past Sunday but the ground conditions and then more snow on Sunday afternoon ruled that out and Cara Mahoney’s team will go again this Sunday with that tie at 2pm.

In the meantime Town have allowed goalkeeper Harry Garman who started the 2023-24 campaign as No1 custodian to go out on dual-registration to Maltby Main. Town had taken Isaac Khan from Eccleshill United as his No2 but he has since gone back to the Bradford club on a dual registration and Jamie Hassall, who was beginning to impress last season, has come back from Knaresborough Town to take hold of the No1 jersey.

Following his outstanding performance at Ossett United some sixteen days ago left wing back Brandon Webster has been subject to an approach via Town’s secretary from Sheffield club Hallam, a level below his current club.

Webster, 23, who has played for Scunthorpe United, Loughborough Dynamo and Ossett United, was also Town’s goalscorer on the night at Ingfield against his former club.

Manager Vill Powell said he would be talking to the non-contract player this week to hopefully sought out his name being retained in Town’s squad.

Last week the manager gave the players a week off training to let them have a break from the Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday merryground of travelling and training and hopefully, in his words, refresh them to go again.

Town go to North Ferriby on Saturday week, December 16 (3.pm) in the League and then on the following Tuesday night, December 19 entertain Northern Counties East Premier Division club Campion in the second round of the West Riding County FA Senior Cup (7.45).

Former successful Brighouse Town manager and Brooksbank, Elland, schoolmaster, Paul Quinn, who since leaving Town has set up a coaching academy and also coached at Sheffield United, has revealed to Town officials he is looking to get back into non-league football either side of the Pennines.