Dave Parker

BRIGHOUSE TOWN manager Vill Powell squeezed in a behind closed doors friendly on Good Friday evening with Retford United which saw his squad come out 3-0 victors.

The scoreline flattered the visitors from north Nottinghamshire as the normally reliant wide striker Eddie Church was more than a little ring rusty and missed three good chances before half time. All Town had to show for their efforts at the break was goal from Mohammed Ibrahim.

Changes were made to give others a run and shortly into the second half rangy striker Joe Jagger, back from his loan spell at Campion, tapped home from close range and then into the half ex-Clydebank and Huddersfield Town midfielder Jack Boyle made it 3-0.

There was a return to the club of wideman Tom Robinson who missed the whole of last season to concentrate on his young family and new work commitments.

Powell is holding a Zoom meeting for the twelve clubs in the Yorkshire Trophy 2021 competition he has put together to be hopefully rolled out after the Prime Minister’s next major announcements on the releasing of further Lockdown measures next Monday.

The manager has come up with alternatives for all to discuss should spectators still not be allowed in for the opening games next week.

He is hoping that steps 3 and 4 clubs will be allowed like grassroot clubs at steps 5 and 6 be allowed to have spectators to a certain limit to watch the games. There isn’t a problem with the clubhouses as clubs can serve drinks and food via hatches to customers to then consume out on the terraces.

Town are now, as with Brighouse Town Women, back in full training as was witnessed by the visit of the BBC Look North cameras last week but to government guildelines.

Harrogate Town, who have handed former Town striker Aaron Martin a two year contract extension, have confirmed the July 17 date for the pre-season friendly at the Yorkshire Payments Stadium.

TWO GOALS from substitute Ami Woodruff either side of a Drew Greene strike on East Sunday afternoon saw Brighouse Town Women set up a West Yorkshire derby with Huddersfield Town in the next round.

After an uneventful 90 minutes, The Orange Army broke the deadlock early on in the first half of extra time. Woodruff kept herself onside, got behind the defender before firing high and left of the Magpie’s goal. Then moments later a mis-communication in the Newcastle backline allowed Player-of-the-match Drew Greene to nip in and curl into the corner to make it 2-0 just ahead of the break.

With the final kick of the match Woodruff patiently worked her way through the centre of defence, then set herself before firing into the roof of the net.

In the first half for a 20 minute spell the visitors did have chances to take the lead but keeper Carrie Simpson and central defenders Emma Dobson and Abbi Lee managed to keep them out. Town in the first half had not troubled the visiting custodian.

After manager Rob Mitchell and his staff had had words with them at half-time it was a more purposeful home side that came out in the second 45 minutes and before the game went to extra time they did have several good chances to have taken the lead while Newcastle were not the side they had been in the first half.

Town’s Vitality 3rd round tie is away their neighbours at Storthes Hall on Sunday 1pm behind closed doors.

By Dave Parker

BRIGHOUSE TOWN AFC Women gear up for Sunday’s delayed behind closed doors Vitality FA Cup 2nd Round game with Newcastle Utd (1.00) off the back of a three month lay off after the recent lockdown.

Town go in to the tie with manager Rob Mitchell having a fully fit squad to choose from including last season’s top scorer Hannah Friebach who has recently returned after giving birth to her first child. It will also see the return of current top scorer Amy Woodruff who missed the previous round, a 3-0 win away at Chester-le-Street.

The tie will be broadcast live on the radio via Twitter @btafcwomen with Dave Foy and Damian Wales the commentary team.

The winners of the game will travel to Northern Premier Division leaders Huddersfield Town on the following Sunday, April 11, which is an even bigger incentive to the Brighouse Women having the opportunity of playing a local derby in the 3rd Round.

Manager Rob Mitchell is however focused on the game in front of his side and is keen to stress that his side won’t be taking anything for granted and will have to be at their best to get a result.

“As always, we will take it one game at a time, it won’t be an easy game and we will have to be at our best which will be difficult after such a lengthy lay off. I believe in the players and I feel they will use the fact that it’s win only or that’s the end of competitive football for the season.”

Town’s league campaign has been declared `null and void’ once again with Town top of the PPG table and the announcement of upward moment from the FA leaves Mitchell hopeful they may still be able to celebrate come the end of the season.

Brighouse Town season ticket holder Dave Towler is sponsoring the man of the match and providing the players with pre-match energy supplements.

THE NORTHERN Premier League chairman Mark Harris has sent a March report to all member clubs and in that he gave them a start date for the 2021-22 season of Saturday, August 14. The season will end at the end of April with the play-offs although there will be leeway to the end of May should there be any closures during the campaign.

All the League’s partners have remained in place for the new season and the chairman hopes member clubs can offer them some support in the months ahead. Match ball suppliers Chryso are donating 20 balls to each club.

Town’s manager Vill Powell has arranged his first pre-season friendly for Saturday, July 17 with League Division 2 club Harrogate Town. Talks are already ongoing with the club’s major sponsor Quickslide to sponsor the game and have a family day out for company employees and their families on the spacious Yorkshire Payments Stadium acres.

Three people shared the £1,000 first prize in the club’s annual Football Bingo competition that was carried over into the curtailed season from the 2019-20 season. They were: 19: Karen Stewart (sold by Andy Stewart), 35: Judith Dyson (sold by Maurice Dyson), 156 Dave Kerry (sold by Mick Dunk) who had four times from the five the outright winner would have had.

People with 3/5 where: Ken Kirby, Karen Stewart (2nd entry), Jason Rawson (Chesterfield player who had been on loan),

Darren Whiteley, Ellis Aked, Janet Almond, Graeme Dixon, Hugh Dean, Mark Osborne, player Harrison Beeden x2),

Matthew Booth, C. Lawrence, Dawn Armitage, Daniel Inniss, D. Pearson, Emily Anderson, Dave Wormald, Darren Briggs, C. Wood.

This now gives the club a clean edge to commence the Football Bingo for the season ahead at a date yet to be announced.

BRIGHOUSE TOWN’S ground grading by the Northern Premier League last Friday passed with flying colours.

In fact the League’s chief of staff on the ground grading, Keith Brown, said it a most neat and tidy ground well worthy of being in membership of the League.

The only thing he requested was the adding of more exit signs for when crowds are allowed back. The grading takes place every three years and the last time the club’s £23,000 extended and refurbished dressing rooms came in for praise.

In the meantime, Town have had to make a quick U-turn on the naming of their end-of-season competition due to start on April 13.

After naming it the Covid Cup following an on-line poll, they have after receiving complaints, opted to name it The Yorkshire Trophy.

They are now hoping that the Government’s two on-coming road maps, March 29 and April 12 will allow for team sports at Town’s level to be allowed to play with a limited amount of spectators from the April 13 date.

One of the competing clubs, Liversedge have made an approach for Town’s left fullback or midfielder Josh Grant.