Controversial decisions from the match officials led to Brighouse Town losing 2-0 at home to NPL East Division League leaders Belper Town.

Town did take some time to get into the game against the much more experienced Derbyshire team, well led at the back by the imposing Danny South, apart from Myron Gibbons’ great chance to give them the lead inside 10 minutes when he was clear on goal but he fired too early on the angle and former FC Halifax Town goalkeeper Jonathan Hedge dealt with the shot.

Town were growing into the game when they suffered a major setback on the half-hour when Belper’s right winger Kevin Bastos went down in the penalty box in front of Town full-back Brandon Webster. Durham referee Sam Ross in full view waved away the claims for a penalty but his assistant Louie Parker was waving his flag for a foul on Bastos. After a chat with his official Mr Ross changed his mind and awarded a penalty which Bastos converted.

The home fans were incensed and also some 12 minutes later when Bastos went down injured just in front of Town keeper Jamie Hassall after colliding with centre-back Alex Phillipson from a corner and needed the physio. Mr Ross at first just appeared to be looking at an indirect free kick with his arm raised and then he pulled out Phillipson, booked him and pointed to the spot.

Bastos was up now and took his second penalty and made it 2-0. Controversy raged again as he did not leave the field after treatment and there was no signal for a head injury!

Town went in 2-0 down and didn’t deserve to be in that position of having to battle back.

In the second period Town played ever so well but didn’t have the luck to find the back of the net despite two shots on target from Josh Grant and Gibbons. They also should have had a penalty when Smith was brought down just in the box and this time the assistant was waving his flag for Town to be awarded a spot kick but Mr Ross waved play on!

Just before added on time Brighouse’s manager Vill Powell and his assistant Louis Axcell were cautioned by the referee and into the extra minutes Phillipson collected a second yellow and was then shown the red card to the crowd’s anger.

He now joins Grant and Jack Dando as being unavailable for Saturday’s away game at Pontefract Colieries (3pm). Grant and Dando have picked up three match bans from their dismissals at Bridlington Town.

Vice-captain and former Bradford City fullback Curtis Peters will be back in action after almost two months on the sidelines and his manager was looking to boost the squad in the early part of this week.

Loanee centre-back Jorge Sikora has opted to stay with Marske United where he returned two weeks ago after the Ashton Utd FA Trophy game in which he excelled.

Brighouse Town Women’s team played well and caused top the table Eccleshill Utd plenty of problems despite losing the game 3-0. Manager Cara Mahoney was pleased with her sides performance despite the scoreline as the visitors scored two of their goals from the penalty spot, along with a long range effort, and were a match for their opponents for long periods of the game.

The resulting heavy and continuous rain from storm Babet caused the postponement of Brighouse Town’s away derby game with Ossett United last Friday evening. The clubs didn’t waste time in coming up with another date once the referee called if off at 11.30am and will hope Tuesday, November 21 (7.45pm) will be significantly better weatherwise.

Town manager Vill Powell then looked to this past Tuesday evening’s re-arranged away game at Bridlington Town who had a very good 3-2 away win at Carlton Town in the city of Nottingham.

It doesn’t look good for him and the squad over Markse United loanee centre-back Jorge Sikora who was pulled back by the North East club after Town’s FA Trophy game at Ashton United and since then they have pulled off the bottom of the Pitching In Northern Premier League Premier Division table with two successive wins including an impressive 4-1 away win last Saturday at Atherton Collieries.

He does have defender Curtis Peters and midfielder Jack Crook almost ready for a return to action after lengthy leg injuries and Matty Nebard was in good form against Consett back in his familiar centre-back role.

Newly promoted north Lincolnshire club Winterton Rangers have placed a statutory seven day notice on Doncaster-based striker Myron Gibbons who is certainly finding the net this season and is showing opposition defenders he has pace to burn. Powell was set to talk to the player this week and let him know where he stands for a future with Brighouse

On Saturday, Town entertain league leaders Belper Town (3.00pm) and hope their gate will be increased not only by the good following of the Derbyshire Club who have been averaging over 550 attendances but also owing to the fact Leeds United and Huddersfield Town will have completed their lunchtime derby at Elland Road and FC Halifax Town are playing at York City with a 5.30 kick-off.

Belper chairman Ian Woodward was interviewed on the BBC TV News bulletins on Saturday with the Raygar Stadium in the background under floodwater. They have been mopping up over the early part of the week with the water having got to all parts of the ground.

Town have drawn Bradford club Campion in the second round of the West Riding County FA Senior Cup and will host the Northern Counties East Premier Division side who knocked them out last season and then went on to win the trophy on Monday, November 13 (7.45).

Town Women had another big win this past Sunday when defeating Harrogate Town Reserves 11-0 at the Heffernan Utilities Stadium.

They led 6-0 at the break and their goals came from prolific new signing Hannah Burgess (5), Casey Hadwin (2), player-manager Cara Mahoney, Summer Hadwin, Maddie Read and Daniella Brearley. On Sunday they entertain Eccleshill United (2.00pm).

Former Rastrick dual sportsman and Town supporter Mungo Sheppard was celebrating another milestone on Sunday for his nephew by marriage, Jack Welsby, the St Helens RL full-back. Mungo, who played cricket for Rastrick CC and Badger Hill CC and local Sunday League football and for Brighouse Town, saw Welsby captain England to a 22-18 win over Tonga in the first of three Test Matches. He is also the headmaster of Halifax school Ash Green Community Primary in the village of Mixenden.

Tuesday’s visit to Bridlington turned out to be a catastrophic one as Town, having `settled’ 2-0 down after 21 minutes could have had at least five goals in the net but for the goalkeeping of James Hitchcock.

Myron Gibbons was denied twice with diving tip overs, Mo Qasim was denied and there were two other instances in six yard goal scrambles where the keeper just got down to bury the ball on the line.

Apart from their two goals, Bridlington only had one other chance but Harry Garman parried the ball across the box.

On the whistle for half-time, Malton referee McCauley Gibson issued a red card to Town centre-back Jack Dando and then sent for Town’s captain Josh Grant to come out from the dressing rooms and he then showed him a red card. This followed a skirmish between the two players after the added on time.

Town resumed the second half with nine men and less striker Jack Normanton who was subbed by defender Samuel Bentley.

The players left to battle on did very well and only saw one more goal go in the net to make it 3-0. Plus they nearly had two of their own as substitute Ashley Butterworth just couldn’t guide a shot and then a header into the net. He had a very good second forty minutes and impressed all the spectators in the ground.

Friday 20th Oct 7.45pm Ossett Utd v Brighouse Town – POSTPONED

A fruitful week for Brighouse Town in cup and league football with two excellent wins over Thackley and Consett.

Last Wednesday, Town, after a disastrous start in the first 15 minutes which saw them 2-0 down to the Northern Counties East side, came back to win 3-2 in the West Riding County FA Senior Cup and go into the hat on November 1 for round two.

They had to thank leading goal scorer Mo Qasim for slotting home a penalty in the 44th minute, and then with a man of the match performance in the second period equalise before Myron Gibbons hit the winner later in the game.

On the Saturday,(match sponsored by Intermotors Ltd) at home to Consett, who were in sixth-place at the start of the day, they won 3-1, although they could have had five or six goals while there visitors with a strong period in the second half could have had at least three but for solid defending by Darius Smith, Brandon Webster, Alex Phillipson, Jack Dando and Matty Nebard plus keeper Harry Garman who pulled off one outstanding save shortly after the Durham-based side had pulled a goal back in the 69th minute through Zak Atkinson.

Town started very well in the game and should have been a goal up after six minutes when Qasim was through one-on-one with keeper James Anderson, but he was denied. Town continued to press and Qasim wasn’t denied on 15 minutes when he split the home defence wide open from 22 yards out and then went into the box to this time beat Anderson.

Town were looking for goal number two and it came via a gift from the visiting custodian who spilled a cross and there to tap home was centre-back Alex Phillipson.

Hoping to try and put the game to bed before the break, Town then had the ball in the net again but Jack Normanton was ruled narrowly offside and 10 minutes later Dando, from a corner, headed powerfully against the crossbar.

Turning round 2-0 up, Town did continue to try and add to their scoreline with some great runs by Smith, Webster and Qasim but were denied and once the Consett manager made three changes it certainly made a difference, and especially after they had opened their account.

However, Town held out and in the 88th minute substitute Gibbons came in from the right, shrugged off a defender and then sent a rasping shot across the face of goal and into the net to make it 3-1.

Town ensured with good game management they could see out the seven minutes of added time.

Following the final whistle referee Sam Bragg, who issued five cautions to each side, showed a red card to Consett manager Tony Fawcett.

On Friday evening, in form Town travel the short distance to Ingfield to take on Ossett United (7.45) and then next Tuesday they travel to Bridlington to take on the seasiders (7.45). There will be a coach to Bridlington leaving the Dusty Miller at 4.15pm.

Marske United have hauled loanee Jorge Sikora back as the NPL Premier strugglers have injury problems, while fellow defender Aderemi Efunnuga has signed for Stalybridge Celtic following lack of outings with Town.

£30 Oliver Bell 39, £20 Ben Fitzjohn 17

Brighouse Town bowed out of the Isuzu FA Trophy at the third round qualifying stage, losing 5-4 on penalties to Ashton United.

Ashton, currently second in the Northern Premier League Premier Division, were given a real run for their money by Town who more than matched them throughout the game.

It was 0-0 at the break with Kielan Adams missing the chance midway through the half to put the home side ahead after Harry Garman had spilled Cole Lonsdale’s through ball. Town had their chances however with Will Calligan and Jack Normanton going near.

Seven minutes into the second half Town’s Mo Qasim was denied by a combination block of keeper Luke Simpson and fullback Sean Newton inside the box and the ball ballooned goalbound but was just taken short of the line by Simpson.

Town deservedly went ahead in the 57th minute when a through ball from Matty Nebard found Qasim and he couldn’t be denied a second time as he easily beat Simpson.

Ashton equalised in the 64th minute from a second successive corner, Dan Cowan heading in at the near post in what was a crowded box.

Town came bounding back and substitute Myron Gibbons was tracked into the box and just put his final shot the wrong side of Simpson’s post.

Normanton and Samuel Bentley also had chances to put their side back in the lead before the referee blew for time after three added minutes.

Town had won their last two penalty shoot-outs but following a missed penalty from the boot of Darius Smith, Ashton kept hitting the target and took the tie 5-4.

Town’s assistant manager Louis Axcell said Town had played very well and deserved something from the tie. The towering and sturdy centre-backs Jack Dando and Jorge Sikora gave Ashton’s strikers a torrid time and look to be two good recruits by the manager in the pasty three weeks.

On Saturday its back to League action as Town entertain Consett (3pm) in a game sponsored by Dyehouse Lane-based company Intermotors Ltd.

The Durham-based side, who lost 2-1 at home to Ossett United last Saturday in a league game, are currently in sixth place in the table and Town 14th. Manager Vill Powell’s injury woes are easing with fullback Brandon Webster and midfielder Jack Wilson both in last Saturday’s squad and ex-Bradford City fullback Curtis Peters is fit for consideration after ankle ligament problems, while both midfielder Jack Crook (hamstring) and striker Jayden Major (leg) are still some way off.

Former Town loanee Bobby Pointon, who is some prospect, scored his first goal for managerless Bradford City last Saturday in their 1-0 home win over Swindon Town.

Brighouse Town returned to winning ways in the league last Saturday with a 2-1 home victory over Newton Ayclifffe.

All three goals came in the second half but there was still plenty of goalmouth action in the first half, especially from the Town perspective.

Sunderland loanee goalkeeper Daniel Cameron was in brilliant form all the game and in the first 45 minutes he saved three good chances from Mo Qasim, new signing Will Calligan and Jack Normanton, along with his defence aiding with some blocks.

The County Durham side’s strikers Cole Kiernan and Cieran Jackson also made the Town defence work hard in which there was a return by Matty Nebard who left in the summer for Pontefract Colieries but ended up signing on Friday from Campion.

However, both defences won out and it was 0-0 at the break.

The second half was only three minutes old when Town went into the lead through their leading goalscorer Qasim who was fed a sublime ball to split the away defence wide open and he this time superbly beat Cameron to make it 1-0.

Three minutes later and Town were two up as Qasim fed Normanton who went round Cameron and rolled the ball in to the bottom corner of the net.

In the 57th minute Town should have been three goals to the good as Normanton put the ball across the face of the goal but Qasim just took a touch, when a first time strike would have been the better option and his shot was then saved by Cameron.

Ten minutes later Normanton, who covered some ground in the game, rose to a cross and his bullet header was tipped over by Cameron.

Newton Aycliffe worked hard to get back into the game but centre-backs Joprge Sikora and Alexander Phillipson worked overtime to protect Michael Roxburgh’s goal.

Myron Gibbons replaced former Barnsley and Bradford Park Avenue midfielder Calligan on 66 minutes and proceeded to run the Newton Aycliffe defence ragged with his pace. There was also a welcome return on 87 minutes for former Bradford City player Jack Wilson after a lengthy leg injury. Three minutes later and the visitors pulled a goal back as Liam Adamson sent his hard shot in from Roxburgh’s left and the Spennymoor reserve keeper could only get a finger tip to the ball as it sped into the net.

Town were disappointed to concede late again in the game but they held out for a valuable three points.

On Saturday in the third qualifying round of the Isuzu FA Trophy, Town travel to Hurst Cross, Ashton-Under-Lyne to take on a Ashrton United side very much on form in the Northern Premier Division and also the FA Cup and Trophy. They currently sit in sixth place and after a 2-0 win over Lancaster City last weekend in the FA Cup they are now away on Saturday week to Kidderminster Harriers in the fourth qualifying round.

Town manager Vill Powell and assistant Louis Axcell went across the Pennines on Tuesday night to watch United take on Morpeth.

Powell has released former Huddersfield Town Academy keeper Roxburgh and re-signed James Hassall to fight for a place in goals with Harry Garman.

Next Wednesday night, October 11, (7.45) Town are away to Bradford club Thackley in the first round of the West Riding County FA Senior Cup.