BRIGHOUSE TOWN were cruising to what looked like a comfortable victory at three nil up over Leeds-based Yorkshire Amateur after 60 minutes last Saturday afternoon when several of the floodlight pylons failed.

It was particularly devastating for groundsman Wally Hemingway who had worked for five hours non-stop to get the pitch cleared of snow and then marked with the assistance of vice-chairman Charles Tolley to ensure it was the only game going ahead in the NPL East Division.

Manager Vill Powell, his coaching staff and the players, who had played so well up to that point, were left almost speechless when word came back to Barnsley referee Ashley Royston that the lights couldn’t be fixed. Yorkshire Amateur’s dressing was a completely different place as they had got out of jail.

Town opened the scoring in 35 seconds from the kick-off as Shiraz Khan took advantage of a lost ball and then went along the byline before squaring to Javelle Clarke who fired home inside the six yard box. The dominance continued as Town played directly into a gale force northerly wind and they increased their lead in the ninth minute when Zeph Thomas rolled back the years with a sublime turn and finish from some 15 yards out on the right of the box. They made it 3-0 in the 29th minute following Laurence Sorhaindo hitting the foot of a post and on the rebound Clarke bagged his brace.

Town were well in control up to half-time and the fifteen minutes in to the second half before their bad luck struck.

The game is now likely to be replayed on Saturday, February 12, a date the league have put aside for block postponements and games abandoned owing to weather related problems.

In the meantime Town officials were today (Thursday) having electrical contractors in to sort the problem ahead of them entertaining Thackley FC next Monday (7.45) in the 2nd round of the West Riding County FA Senior Cup. They also have on Saturday week Frickley Atheltic as visitors to commence the second half of the season.

To allay any fears of a floodlight problem Town’s Women’s team for their re-arranged FA Cup 2nd round home tie with Faresley Celtic will kick off at 1pm on Sunday.

The academy game with Runcorn Linnets (12.0) today at the Yorkshire Payments Stadium is a major doubt after the rain Tuesday night and then more heavy rain across lunctime Wednesday.

On Saturday Powell’s men are treading new ground as they travel to Stockton-on-Tees to take on the town’s former EBAC Northern League Division One club (3.0). Powell is hopeful that two of his senior injured players, central defender James Hurtley (hamstring) and fullback Mike Starkey (ankle ligaments) will be available for selection. Danny Raachi (ankle ligaments) will be another two weeks at least but he is doing some running with physio Emily Harnden.

There is a coach making the trip and it will leave the Old Pond at 11am.

BRIGHOUSE TOWN are becoming the draw specialists of the NPL East Division and whatismore they are leaving it to `Fergie time’ to salvage a point from the games!

It was the same old story at Lincoln United last Saturday as centre back Harrison Beeden took advantage in the third minute of injury time to smash home the ball in the six yard box after a superb flighted free kick 45 metres out from goalkeeper Brett Souter had found the head of Laurence Sorhaindo and it dropped at the feet of the ex-Rotherham United player.

Town, who have seven `one pointers’ to their name alongside four wins and four defeats, were unlucky not to be four up inside 20 minutes. After a near miss following a darting run by Sorhaindo, the 6ft 4ins tall United keeper James Gott well and truly kept his side in the game. The former Northampton Town custodian pulled off tremendous saves from Sorhaindo, Shiraz Khan and Joshua Grant to keep his side still in the game.

They actually scored their 35th minute goal against the run of play following a shot hitting the foot of a Town post and then not being cleared before Kallum Smith whipped in a cross for Andy Janssen to beat Souter at his far post.

There was a blow for Town in the 56th minute when skipper Tom Haigh had to leave the field with a head wound and he was replaced by Jack Boyle. In the next ten minutes manager Vill Powell also introduced Javelle Clarke for Mohammed Ibrahim and Zeph Thomas for Khan.

Town came more into the game and Boyle skied a great chance over the bar and he knew it.

However. justice was done with the injury time strike to send Town fans back home happy with a point on the road.

Utility defender Mikey Starkey missed the game after injuring an ankle in training on Thursday night.

Town entertain former NCEL Premier Division club Yorkshire Amateur from Leeds on Saturday (3.0) and Haigh is likely to be fit. They had a 1-0 home win over Pontefract Collieries last Saturday to come within a point of Town in mid-table and set their stall up for what should be an entertain game at the Yorkshire Payments Stadium.

Town are watching the weather forecast very closely to ensure they are adequately prepared for a wintry mix and to get the game on.

In the meantime they have arranged with Thackley FC from Bradford to play their home second round West Riding County FA Senior Cup tie on Monday, December 6 (7.45). If Town win they will host Harrogate Railway or Silsden in the quarter-finals on a date to be agreed.

Current NPL East Division leaders Liversedge, who play FC Halifax Town in the second round, of the same competition, are looking at a potential six point deduction after playing Gavin Allott in two fixtures when the FA claim he was suspended under rule E12.

Their manager Jonathan Rimmington is looking to take it on the chin and move on, but if the points are taken off in the next week it will leave Marske looking to take over at the top.

ANXIOUS MOMENTS and excitement aplenty for Brighouse Town fans in their last two league and cup games over the past, weekend.

In front of their largest league crowd of the season-517-last Saturday at home to Tadcaster Albion they, needed an equaliser in the fourth minute of added time to draw the game. Then on Monday night back at the Yorkshire Payments Stadium against Knaresborough Town they had to go to penalties to progress to round two of the West Riding County FA Senior Challenge Cup-however they had played with ten men since the third minute.

Tadcaster shaded the first half and took the lead in the 29th minute after former Town player Eddie Church flicked on a low cross which home keeper Brett Souter managed to get his hands to but Des Amponsah converted at the far post unopposed.

Town, who had debutante ex-Mansfield Town centre back Aiden Walker in their ranks, were the dominant players in the second 45 minutes in which they rattled up a match-total 13 corners, but struggled to get the ball past visiting custodian Ally Hughes. In the 94th minute Jack Boyle put in a superb cross to which leading goalscorer Laurence Sorhaindo scissor-kicked beyond Hughes from 12 metres out. The ground erupted and the action hadn’t finished there. Seconds after the kick off Albion’s fullback Freddie Sass was walking to the dressing rooms for a second yellow for another foul on the lively Shiraz Khan who had taunted him that second half.

In the tie with Northern Counties East Premier League side Knaresborough Town it was Brighouse who lost midfielder Alex O’Connor for an early bath after three minutes for an alleged two-footed tackle. It certainly disrupted them and the visitors took a hold on the game and capped it with a goal on 16 minutes from striker Craig Ramplin

As the game wore on towards the break Town, with six regulars in the line up, did find their feet and had several chances to equalise but wayward finishing and good keeping from Jamie Hassell kept them scoreless.

Eleven minutes into the second half they were level after Javelle Clarke danced his way through the Knaresborough ranks and then played a great ball for Zeph Thomas to cleverly collect and then give Hassell no chance.

Knaresborough did have their chances including a sitter midway through the half but the game ended tied at 1-1 thanks to some great keeping once more from Hassell.

Referee Stephen Rushworth took the game to penalties with Thomas taking Town’s first for 1-0 and then it was tit-for-tat as first Josh Grant scored Town’s second and the visitor’s equalised and then Boyle made it 3-2, Massimo Cicarelli 4-3 and then Marshall Getty 5-4 before Knaresborough hit the post with their fifth attempt and Brighouse were through to entertain Thackley in the next round.

Alex O’Connor has now left the club since the tie and joined former teammate Jack Tinker at Stocksbridge Park Steels.

Today (Thursday) Town’s unbeaten Academy team entertain Ossett United at 12 noon with free admission and the clubhouse will be open.

On Saturday Town travel to Lincoln to take on Lincoln United 3pm and there is a coach leaving the Old Pond On St Giles Road at 11am.

Sam Wilkinson’s United, who are three paces below Town, had a very good 1-0 home win last Saturday over Worksop Town.