MEMBERS OF the Pitching In Northern Premier League divisions received on Tuesday afternoon a communicae from the General Manager Angie Firth outlining what could be happening if the Government does end the lockdown on Wednesday, December 2.

It reads:`Once the lockdown ends on December 2 we will look to resume fixtures week commencing December, 7 allowing a week for training to take place. However, any clubs wishing to resume on December 5 and utilise the Saturday will be permitted to do so. Please just let me (Angie Firth) know once you have confirmed with the opposition.

All three leagues at the Alliance meeting on November 9 made it clear that the current spectator capacity figures for Steps 3 and 4 of 600 and 400 respectively must be allowed to continue from December 5 and the FA are in discussion with the DCMS (Department of Culture, Media and Sport) on this matter.

Following discussion with the Alliance, the season has been extended to Saturday, May 22, 2021. The Play- Off semi-finals will take place on Tuesday, May 25, the Division One Finals on Saturday, May 29 (Brighouse Town’s division in the North West) and the Premier Division final on Monday, May 31. The fixtures lost during the latest lockdown will be re-scheduled for the 08^th/11^th/15^th and 18^th of May. The final day fixtures from the original date of May 8 will be moved to Saturday, May 22, so your opposition for the last game of the season will remain as that’.

Firth has also said that this time in lockdown 2 there will be no financial assistance for Step3 and Step 4 clubs as was the case in the first lockdown which commenced on March 23.

Town’s manager Vill Powell, as his assistant Stacy Reed spelled out last week in the Echo, is keen for a warm up game and maybe another in the following week before resuming on the 12th away to Mossley. Powell has spoke with Thackley about visiting the Yorkshire Payments Stadium on December 5 and also to Silsden about visiting them on Tuesday, December 8.

“We really need to be up to speed again before resuming the league programme and I know many of my contemporaries feel the same way,” said Powell.

In the week leading up to the lockdown day of Thursday, November 5, Pontefract Collieries beat Pickering Town 3-2 and that sent Town down two places in the table to second from bottom ahead of Ossett United. Each game for Town is now like a cup tie and is a must win if they are t climb the table and look towards those important dates in May.

In the meantime, recent fullback recruit Jacob Kelly, has revealed he is looking towards a football scholarship in the United States in 2021. The former Sheffield Utd and Huddersfield Town academy prospect has aired this with his manager but when Powell sees that former FC Halifax Town wide player Ousman Cham, who had landed one with a Carolina college before the March lockdown and hasn’t flown across the Atlantic yet, he wonders if Rastrick-based Kelly will get there in the early months of the new year with the covid-19 restrictions.

TOWN FANS will be delighted to know that diminutive striker Mohammed `TJ’ Ibrahim will be ready for team selection in December.

The 24-year-old quick as lightening Ghana-born regular until suffering cruciate ligament damage to his right knee in the Play-off final with Pontefract Collieries some 19 months ago hasn’t played a game since.

He had to have his operation on the NHS and has been working back to fitness and strength since having the operation earlier this year.

“I might have been playing now if we had been able to keep going,” enlightened Ibrahim. ” But the original plan to get me a couple of games on dual registration for match fitness had to be shelved when fixtures ceased.

“I am desperate to get back on the field and the specialist physio says I am ready and good to go as the knee needs that to complete the strengthening of the joint.

“I have really missed the match day adrenalin rush and the banter with the lads and the great supporters they have at Town. It’s a long time to be sidelined and the longest ever in my career so far which has taken in Sheffield FC, Staveley FC and Everest FC.

BRIGHOUSE TOWN AFC have like all clubs in the Step 3 to Step 7 of non-league football had their season suspended for a month until a decision is made on lifting the government covid-19 lockdown or extending it.

They will not even be allowed to train as a group of players but Director of Football Charlie Tolley says they are a honest bunch of players and will without doubt work on a Vill Powell training schedule to keep their own fitness levels up.

It comes at a time when Town were just getting the football that is expected of them back upto a level where they would be looking to get onto a winning run. Having beaten Pontefract Collieries 2-0 the previous week, Powell did not keep to a winning side for this Buildbase 3rd Qualifying round of the FA Challenge Trophy, but opted to give fringe squad players a run out and they did him and his coaching staff proud against Pitching In NPL Premier Division top four side Buxton. Any neutral in the 276 crowd on a blustery afternoon at the Yorkshire Payments Stadium would not have known who was in that lofty position and who was in the bottom four of the North West Division!

Town looked the far better side in the first 10 minutes but failed to get the ball in the net that was being guarded by their former keeper Thomas Taylor who the Derbyshire side had signed in the closed season from Scarborough Athletic. Tom Haigh from just outside the box on 19 minutes hit a hard shot which just bounced in front of Taylor but he just managed to extend his 6ft 4ins frame to tip it wide.

Buxton came more into the game and Town keeper Matt Smith saw more of the action but dealt with any shots or headers that came his way from James Walshaw, Diego de Griolamo and Tom Elliott well.

Town were unlucky not to score on a couple of occasions early in the second half as Javelle Clarke and Alhassane Keita tested their defence with some jinking runs, while veteran James Hurtley was a rock in midfield. Town also had Salford City loanee Will Shepherd and Darius Smith giving the Bucks plenty to think about.

Proven striker James Walshaw gave Buxton the lead in the 55th minute when he came in from the left after a ball over centre defender Joe Wilkinson fell kindly for him and he dinked the ball over the advancing Smith and into the net.

Town introduced Jack Boyle for Keita four minutes later and he also gave the Bucks’ defence plenty to think about and with 12 minutes to go he should have been awarded a penalty when he was pushed over the box. Taylor also came to Buxton’s rescue when he denied Haigh for a second time, Boyle and Eli Hey in the dying minutes as they looked for the equaliser and take the tie to penalties.

Buxton had the last say in the game when substitute Reece Styche scored three minutes into added time after Town should have had a free kick after a defender was just pushed off the ball, again in front of Wakefield official Ian Johnston.

Town would have been entertaining League leaders Ramsbottom United this Saturday and then fellow bottom six side Prescot Cables the week after but they will become re-arranged Monday evening games, not the best option in the winter months when pulling in a crowd, which would without doubt been a 400 allowed maximum under the rulings since the season started at the onset of September.

BRIGHOUSE TOWN have been reinstated in the Buildbase FA Trophy at the third round stage following Kendal Town, who beat them 1-0 two weeks ago, being found guilty of playing two incorrectly registered on loan players from Carlisle United.

As a result the FA Cup Committee removed them from the competition on Tuesday after they failed to appeal last Friday’s hearing and the outcome has given Town an unexpected home tie against Pitching In NPL Premier Division club Buxton on Saturday (3.0).

The players who should not have been playing against Town were centre half Charlie Barnes and striker Charlie Birch.

Town officials have had to move swiftly to get the game on and chairman James Howard has also managed to engage two sponsors in Queens Road-based company Halifax Bathrooms (AAR Commercial Ltd) and Town Hall Dental who already sponsor Leeds Utd. There will be more on them in next week’s edition and on the club’s website.

Town expect a big crowd to stretch their capacity of 400 that is allowed right now under the NPL rules and ask spectators to come early.

They will be without wideman Shiraz Khan who was dismissed for a third time this season in injury time in the 2-0 home win over Pontefract Collieries last Saturday. He has also been handed a five match ban.

A Jack Boyle double in the first half secured Town’s valuable three points and pushed them four places up the table. The former Clyde and Huddersfield Town midfielder struck in the ninth minute after a cutback found him near the penalty spot and he beat the visiting custodian and skipper Mike Emery.

In the 39th minute Boyle struck again following some clinical approach work in the Pontefract half and he curled a left foot shot from the edge of the area into the corner of the goal.

The match was a real derby affair with strong challenges which kept Manchester referee Simon Kells on his toes.

Town’s defence held firm throughout and celebrated a clean sheet for the first time this season.

Town manager Vill Powell was delighted with performance and also to get the first win on the board.

He was also making sure yesterday (Wednesday) that his Salford City loanee Will Shepherd was correctly registered with the FA following Kendal’s misfortune with the paperwork.

Town should have been at Marine this Saturday but they are also in the FA Trophy and the first round of the FA Cup so that game has been put back to Tuesday, November 24 (7.45).

1st 1942 Derek Top club 01484718477
2nd 2074 June Beeden 07974206046
3rd 1438 Mick Dunk c/o Tony Lyons
4th 1443 Peter McGowan /o Tony Lyons
5th-Champagne 2345 Sam Reed 07852598935
6th-Bottle Gin 1606 Andy Joyce
7th-Red wine 1252 Phil Graham t/club 01484
712887
8th-Wine 2150 Sue Beeden 07974206046
9th-Wine 2733 Dave Rowlands 07787113070
10th-Chocs 1237 M France Arnold Royd