BRIGHOUSE TOWN’S dismal run in the FA Cup continued last Saturday on the banks of the river Mersey when they lost 5-4 on penalties after the game with Runcorn Town ended in a 1-1 draw.

In normal times that would have meant a replay but not under current covid FA rulings, it was straight into penalties and Vill Powell’s men came up against keeper Adam Reid who saved three vital spot kicks.

Town could easily have been 3-0 up at the break for again Reid saving twice from Eddie Church and a Jack Boyle free kick being deflected away for a corner at the very last second.

It wasn’t until the 74th minute, after three changes made by Powell, Town got the first goal when, after pressure on the home goal saw Church finally get the ball over the line. Protests followed by the home players despite the assistant referee seeing it had gone over the line by at least a metre and as a result Joe Holt was shown a red card.

Down to 10 men, and with Powell asking his players to give him width, it was Runcorn who three minutes later came up the left and with no defence “at home” Marcus James cut in to the box and easily beat Matt Smith to level matters.

That is how it stayed until the final whistle ahead of the penalty shoot-out.

Tom Haigh, Joe Jagger, Joe Wilikinson and Shiraz Khan hit the target for Town but it was not enough as the home side were more accurate despite a good save from Smith for their second attempt.

So, out of the cup once more with their first outing and now its the North West Division of the Pitching In Northern Premier League and the FA Trophy that is left for Town this term.

On Saturday, Town entertain Clitheroe who have beaten FC Halifax Town 2-1 in a pre-season friendly but then lost 1-0 to Warrington club Rylands 1906 in their preliminary round tie last Saturday.

At this moment in time the Bill Dyson Skip Hire sponsored game has a capacity of 405 with entrance on a first come first served basis after the Lancashire club asked for 100 tickets. Turnstiles will be open at 1.30pm and it is hoped the newly extended and decorated clubhouse and food kitchen is fully up and running in time for the game. Admission prices this season, see adults now paying £9 instead of £8 and concessions remain the same at £5.

There were no injuries in the game at Runcorn and it is expected that Alihassane keita will be up for selection after missing the game and also at the same time getting married.

Town have moved back their Tuesday night away game with Marske United that was set for September 29 to Saturday, September 26 at 3pm.

Ahead of last weekend’s final pre-season match with Sheffield club Handsworth Parramore, Town possibly, only temporarily, have lost their impressive ex-Rotherham United centre-back Harrison Beeden, writes DAVE PARKER

Since his release in June the 19 year-old has been working with the community team at Chesterfield FC. Following a game last Wednesday against a community team from Doncaster Rovers, the club’s newly appointed first team manager John Pemberton has pulled him into what he calls their first team bubble for trials.

Town won their game with Handsworth 2-1 to remain unbeaten in pre-season and their goals came in the first half via Jack Boyle after Joe Wilkinson, taking over from Beeden, played him in, while striker Joe Jagger hammered home the second. Just before the break Boyle was denied a second from a free kick just outside the box, keeper Glen Townsend parrying the thunderbolt against his near post and away to safety.

Handsworth did pull one back via Ehsan Mohammed from a corner but couldn’t penetrate the home defence after that for an equaliser despite some good work from Rikki Paylor.

Eli Hey missed the game as a precaution with a leg knock but Powell says he will be in contention for Saturday’s Emirates FA Cup preliminary round trip to Runcorn Town (3.0). The last time Town played Runcorn was in 2012 when they were in the Northern Counties East Division One and they came away from the extra-preliminary round tie as 4-1 losers. Manager Mick Couzens’ short tenure ended shortly after the visit to the Viridor Community Stadium.

Current Runcorn Town manager Paul McManus steered his NW Counties Division One side to a late 2-1 win over Thackley last week to earn the right to entertain Town, now two divisions higher than them.

Town’s manager has increased his coaching staff by taking on a goalkeeping coach in the shape of Lewis Clemmett.

Dave Parker

BRIGHOUSE TOWN continued their unbeaten pre-season campaign with a 0-0 home draw against new Football League side Harrogate Town in the driving rain on Tuesday night.

After the opening ten minutes of the game sponsored by Home Improvements and Donovan Smith Opticians when the visitors did come at Town, it was a different kettle of fish as Vill Powell’s men settled down.

With Tom Haigh bossing the show, and head and shoulders above everyone else on the pitch, Town did take the game to Harrogate and were unlucky with blocks and a great save from a cracking 20-yard angled Jack Boyle shot to not take a half-time lead.

Just prior to that shot Town lost frontman Alhassane Keita who was helped off with a knee injury.

In the second half both sides had their moments, but there was great defensive work all round. Town striker Joe Jagger had three rasping shots on target blocked as did Laurence Sorhaindo and Eli Hey.

Keita left the ground for Leeds General Infirmary for an assessment with manager Powell and his staff keeping their fingers crossed no serious damage had been caused to a player hitting form once more.

Town’s unbeaten run in the pre-season friendlies continued with a 3-2 home win over Scarborough Athletic in front of their first crowd of the season, albeit only the allowed 15% of their 1500 capacity-200.

Town took the lead on 17 minutes when Joe Jagger’s 25-yard thunderbolt free-kick slightly deflected off a visiting defender’s leg and rattled into the net. They could have a second four minutes later before Jagger made it 2-0 with a rocket of a shot that hit the underside of the crossbar off an a Eli Hey cross from the left. The two tall strikers were really making it uncomfortable for the Premier Division side,

On the stroke of half-time former Town and Goole wideman Piteu Cruz was brought down in the box and referee Henry Naylor pointed to the spot. Cruz dusted down and beat Matt Smith who dived the right way but was just inches off palming it clear.

Scarborough, who just edged the second half, equalised in the 70th minute when Halifax-based former Town man Nathan Cartman turned just outside the box and beat George Clarke who had taken over in goal.

However, Town, with subs Laurence Sohaindo, Alhassane Keita and Javelle Clarke enjoying some space, really turned the screw on the visitors to try and regain the lead. Lively ex-Sheffield Utd teenager Clarke latched on to a Keita ball and beat three men before curling the ball superbly past the Scarborough substitute keeper.Assistant manager Stacy Reed commented: “In pre-season we are looking at the level of performance from the players and from our first four pre-season friendlies we have had a very high level. We said before the game that it’s all about consistency now and can we keep those levels up? I thought we played some excellent stuff in the first half and should have had more goals with the chances we created.Second half Scarborough were the better team but we defended excellently again and got a great goal on the break. The pleasing thing is we have competition in all positions and this makes a strong squad who will all push each other.”

Following the game, Town re-signed French Guinea striker Keita for a second season and now showing the form that made him such a target last autumn.

On Friday, Town travel to Penistone Church (7.30) for what is their now annual friendly again st the NCEL Premier Division side and then a week on Saturday, September 5 entertain Handsworth Parramore (3.0) when they will be allowed 400 spectators in the Yorkshire Payments Stadium.

In the meantime Town fans were delighted for their former Huddersfield Town loanee midfield player Tim Akinola who has signed a contract with Arsenal following his release from the Championship club.

Akinola, who was with Town in the 2018-19 season, has gone straight into training with the Premier League club’s U23 side.

A CHANCE TO SEE BRIGHOUSE TOWN TAKE ON HARROGATE TOWN, WHO ARE THE LATEST ADDITION TO THE FOOTBALL LEAGUE FOLLOWING THEIR RECENT PLAY-OFF VICTORY AT WEMBLEY OVER NOTTS COUNTY. 

THIS IS AN ALL TICKET MATCH WHICH LOOKS LIKELY TO BE A SELL OUT DUE TO CAPACITY LIMITS IMPOSED BY COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS
TICKETS ARE NOW ON GENERAL SALE ON A FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED BASIS, PRICED AT £7 (no concession)
ALL APPLICATIONS TO andy.btafc@gmail.com
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THERE LESS THAN 70 TICKETS AVAILABLE SO EARLY APPLICATIONS ARE ADVISED

By Dave Parker

ALTHOUGH THERE is an air of normality surfacing with the Emirates FA Cup Draw and a date for the start of the Northern Premier League next month- September 19-Brighouse Town continue with their plethora of behind closed doors pre-season friendlies.

On Saturday they entertain Scarborough Athletic (3pm) and next Tuesday EFL new boys Harrogate Town (7.30).

The FA have informed the NPL that club’s can allow between Saturday, August 22 and the 29th 15% of their ground capacity and in Town’s case that is 200 spectators. Details are on the club’s website and also those of Scarborough Athletic and Harrogate Town what spectators of both clubs should do to obtain tickets before they all go.

Tuesday night’s friendly at NCEL club Maltby Main in south Yorkshire was called off as the home side’s landlords would not open the dressing rooms.

Last Saturday, Town entertained Matlock Town who were captained on the day by Siddal-based Reece Kendall who left Town in the closed season for the Derbyshire NPL Premier Division club in what was the locals first ever transfer-fee transaction.

The game turned out to be a stalemate at the Yorkshire Payments Stadium as defences played a major role, with Town’s skipper Kurt Harris and the player alongside him, Harrison Beeden having `blinders’. Along with their teammates and goalkeepers, George Clarke in the first half and a diminutive trialist keeper in the second half, they kept the visitors well in check.

Beeden gets stronger and oozes more quality with each game and you have to question how Championship club Rotherham United could release such a promising teenager.

A smart one-two between Joe Jagger and Tom Haigh, early in the first half, set up former Clyde and Huddersfield Town striker Jack Boyle and he rattled the foot of the post and the Gladiators replied with experienced Callum Chippendale steering a looping header on goal but Clarke dealt with the danger. Javelle Clarke and Alhassane Keita, with their pace and skill, ran Matlock ragged at times and there was real skill from Haigh and Josh Grant.

Alex Burn put in a great cross early in the second half for the visitors but Louis Potts put his shot wide. It was end-to-end football on a great surface and in the dying minutes both sides had a chance to break the stalemate. Spencer Harris whipped in a free kick and it met the head of Kade Coppin but Town’s keeper dealt with, while at the other end Eli Hey escaped his markers and turned just inside the box and his left foot shot just went narrowly wide of the keeper’s near post.

Three clean sheets in the first three games and manager Vill Powell was delighted with the commitment and football on show from his young charges against a much more experienced side.

“Everyone of the players turned up today and put in a real shift and I am particularly pleased with our defence, while we are also creating chances at the other end.”

Brighouse-based midfielder Jake Lawlor will return on Tuesday with Harrogate to his first ever club. Lawlor signed last week for the newly promoted club after being one of eleven players to leave Wrexham who he joined from Guiseley two seasons ago. Lawlor, well known to Town fans, has sold his share in a Bradford fitness centre and gone full time with Simon Weaver’s side.

Town will travel on Saturday, September 12 to the winners of the Runcorn Town v Thackley Emirates FA Cup extra preliminary round on September 1, while in the Buildbase FA Trophy second round qualifying, Town are away to Kendal Town on October 17.