Brighouse Town rounded off the festive period with a 3-2 home win over Liversedge to complete a double over their near neighbours from just four miles down the road.

Town won 1-0 at Clayborn on August Bank Holiday Monday but this was a more assured performance once they had gone down to another early goal-Liam Hardy scoring with just two minutes on the clock. Town had also seen themselves a goal down at Winterton Rangers on Boxing Day and need to switch on a little earlier!

In fact in this New Year’s Day derby game before a 387 crowd, Town went on to play some lovely football, possibly the best of the season and on a tacky pitch, and to be realistic with much tidier finishing they could have hit Liversedge for six and possibly more!

Town grew into the game after the earlier setback and began to trouble recognised central defenders Kurt Harris and Kevin Tarangadzo and their full backs Kwame Boatang and Jack Hardacre.

Town’s back four of Curtis Peters, Brandon Webster, Matty Hubard and Jamie Allsop played with assurity after the early lapse.

Sam Drake was denied by former Town keeper Jordan Porter who fumbled his shot on to a post before grabbing it before it went over the line. The Town faithful were confident a goal was coming after a header was also saved and they got their reward in the 44th minute when striker Kieron Ceesay came into the box and beat several defenders before steering his shot past Porter.

Into the second half and once Town had settled, striker Jack Normanton, who covered some ground the whole game, Ceesay, Mohammed Qasim and man of the match Cameron Bedford just took the game to Liversedge.

Chances to take the lead came and went for Cameron Bedord, Jack Crook, Normanton and Qasim but the score in the 74th minute still remained 1-1.

A minute later, however, the home crowd went wild with delight as a Normanton free kick 30 yards out on the left was blasted home by Bedford. The same player struck again eleven minutes later to put Town 3-1 up and with fresh legs on from Alex Phillipson, Ash Butterworth and Jordan Helliwell, Town continued their assault on the Liversedge goal.

Liversedge did pull a goal back in the 90th minute from a Jack Stockdill header as the board went up for five minutes added-on time. However, Town more than held out and once more finished the game on the front foot.

The seven points from the three games across the festive period have taken Town to 12th place in the table ahead of their away game on Saturday to bottom club Grantham Town (3pm).

There will be a coach leaving the Dusty Miller at 11am.

In the meantime Stocksbridge Park Steels have made an approach for Town’s No2 keeper Harry Garman who is currently on a dual registration with Maltby Main.

Brighouse Town’s assistant manager Stacy Reed is standing down after five seasons in the post alongside manager Vill Powell.

Reed, 51, was in a serious car crash in the summer and both he and his wife Nicola were injured as a result. This was in Sheffield shortly after his eldest son Sam had signed a full time professional contract with Sheffield Wednesday and the Owls had paid Brighouse Town a signing-on fee.

While his wife, a nurse, recovered pretty quickly, he has been into hospital for on-going treatment and he still, he says, is walking with a limp.

He has also, along with members of the family, also been watching Sam, 19, playing for the U21s until he was injured two weeks ago when playing against Manchester United’s U-21 side.

“He suffered a hairline fracture of a foot in the first half of the game and then at half-time complained it was hurting somewhat, but played on until the 65th minute when he was substituted,” informed his dad.

He continued: “They sent him for a scan a couple of days later and it revealed the fracture and so they put him in an air-cast boot. He is now some two weeks of resuming light training before a hoped for mid-January comeback.

“It has definitely come at the wrong time for the lad as he was the stand out defender in the squad and they were talking of looking at an outing with the first team alongside Bailey Cadamarteri who was the outstanding forward and is already taking his chance and banging in the goals for in the first team.

“They have looked after Sam very well and we are all telling him his chance will come again when he is fully fit.”

Besides coaching at Town, Stacy Reed has coached junior sides at Stocksbridge Park Steels and his 17-year-old son Alex is now impressing in the south Yorkshire side’s reserve team, while his younger brother Leo, 14, is playing with Brunsmeer U15s in the Sheffield Junior League.

“I have started following the two youngsters now after having Sam with me since he was fifteen at Brighouse and its pretty time consuming.

“I have really enjoyed my time at Brighouse where we have had some super players through our hands and they also have a good committee and some great supporters. I would certainly recommend a player finding his way in open age football gives it a go at the club.”

Town supporters are also keeping a close eye on Bailey Cadamarteri’s progress as the family live on the hill above Brighouse at Scholes and his dad, Danny, ex- Everton, Bradford City, Huddersfield Town and Leicester City goalscorer, occasional pops in to see a game.

Brighouse Town’s Christmas programme earned them a valuable four points but it could so easily have been six!

In the two games with Ashington AFC on December 23 and away to Winterton Rangers on Boxing Day, they also registered their first victory in twelve league and cup games.

Against Ashington they drew 3-3 and then four days later won 2-1 against the north Lincolnshire side in sight of the Humber Bridge.

Away to the Northumbrian outfit back in August, Town drew 4-4, but with just 10 seconds left of added-on time, and leading 3-2, it very much looked like all three points until right at the death, they conceded another late goal from a corner.

Jack Normanton opened the scoring for Town with a penalty in the 27th minute after Mo Qasim had been brought down in the box and that is how it stayed until the half-time whistle.

Oliver Thompson, on loan from National League side Gateshead, and the team’s outstanding player, levelled matters shortly into the second half ahead of what could only be described as a six goal thriller.

Kieron Ceesay hit back for Town after great build up to make it 2-1 but five minutes later it was 2-2 as Thompson grabbed his second.

Sam Drake, a second half substitute, made it 3-2 to Town in the 81st minute after a sublime cross in front of goal from Qasim coming in strongly from the left.

Town, with fellow subs Jordan Helliwell and Ash Butterworth now on, did try earnestly to add a fourth but the visitors keeper Karl Dryden was on form behind his two centre-backs, Gary Ormston and Darren Lough.

Referee Karl Parker added six extra minutes and it needed what has been lacking all season, some game management in the dying moments of a game. However, as the referee was into his final minute, Ashington gained a corner and in a goal mouth scramble, striker Paul Van-Zandvliet poked the ball home for the equaliser.

Town’s management team and players were gutted, as were the home supporters baying for a rare win.

At Winterton’s tidy stadium and on a good surface, Town were a goal down after just two minutes when from a free kick, some 35 yards out on the right, the ball was swung in to the six yard box and Scott Matthews beat the hesitant visiting defence and keeper Jamie Hassall.

Town gradually worked their way into the game and on 28 minutes Ceesay had the ball in the back of the net but referee Conor Ledgway disallowed it for hand ball. Town supporters behind the goal and their players were up in arms, but it made no difference, the match official waved them all away and it remained 1-0.

Five minutes later and Qasim had a shot kicked off the line ahead of home striker Steven Ridley hitting a post with an inviting open goal in front of him. Five minutes later Town vice-captain Curtis Peters had a strong shot turned round the post by William Mitchell for a corner.

It remained 1-0 at the break but Town had been building momentum and this carried on in the second half with their defence of Peters, Brandon Webster, Matty Nebard and Jamie Allsop tightening things up and pushing forward.

Wing-back Webster played a binder in the second half, tormenting the home defence up the left and midfielder Cameron Bedford was also winning balls and getting attacks moving.

Once the fresh legs of Jordan Helliwell, Ash Butterworth and Jack Crook had got on, the home defence was creaking and a goal looked imminent.

Town had to wait until the 88th minute when Crook pounced to the delight of his teammates and the away support.

Four minutes later and Town were in the lead with leading goalscorer Qasim blasting home to make it 2-1.

Game management was called for and it did `happen’ in this game and there was sheer delight on the bench and on the pitch at the final whistle.

Manningham Mills-based side Campion, currently heading the Northern Counties East Premier Division, for the second season running put their hosts Brighouse Town out of the West Riding County FA Senior Cup just days ahead of Christmas.

They scored the only goal of the match after 20 minutes and ironically it came from the boot of one of their former players Aidan Kirby.

He cut in from the right and was only two metres inside the box when he unleashed his pile driver on Town keeper Harry Garman and into the net.

Another former Town player, centre-half Danny Illingworth, ensured with his teammates Karl Fitzgerald and Michael O’Brien that they snuffed out in the remainder of the first half a lot of Town’s play on the edge of the box.

Town’s defence on the other hand at least kept Campion’s leading goalscorer Aidan Day quiet and the experienced Nicky Boshell.

Into the second half Town did penetrate the Campion defence and a promising move was thwarted as the pacy Myron Gibbons, heading for the box, only to suddenly pull up with a hamstring injury. He was helped from the pitch and strapped up and he missed Saturday’s home game with Ashington AFC and the Boxing Day game at Winterton Rangers.

Under 10 minutes later leading goalscorer Mohammad Qasim also pulled up with tightness in his thigh and was taken straight away to the dressing rooms by physio Nathan Fennell. Just ahead of this, Qasim had come in from the left wing and sent a great ball across the goal but substitute Jack Normanton stuck out a leg in the six yard box and could only scuff the ball goal-wards before then sending it dead with his other leg and with Campion keeper Brad Emmerson beaten.

After this Town just huffed and puffed and there was no more efforts on goal.

In five minutes of added-on time their substitute centre-back Jamie Allsop collided with his own dugout and was badly injured. Play was stopped and he received treatment from all three physios on duty including the Campion medic who he knew from when she was at Nostell FC where his father is chairman.

He left the pitch at the final whistle with a back injury and a badly cut finger.

Town’s centre-back Jack Dando, who was signed from Derbyshire club Shirebrook Town back in September, has left Town for Nottinghamshire club Retford Town. He will remain on a dual registration with them and Town. He has found the travelling from his home in Shirebrook to Brighouse hard and also with an addition to the family feels he needs to be nearer home.

Town have had a contract application for striker Myron Gibbons approved by the Northern Premier League and Football Association.

The 23-year-old former Doncaster Rovers’ player’s eligibility to participate in matches is governed by Northern Premier League Regulations.

It now means any clubs wishing to make a serious move for him will have to look at paying a transfer fee. Sheffield FC and Cleethorpes have shown serious interest over the past couple of weeks.

Brighouse Town Vice Chairman Charlie Tolley will once again be putting up two bottles of Scotch for the most festive home and away supporters attire for our last home game before Christmas against Ashington at the Heffernan Utilities Stadium Saturday 23rd Dec, 3pm KO.
So we are asking all supporters both home and away, to enter into the spirit of Christmas and get those festive hats and Christmas jumpers out on show and win yourself a bottle of Scotch; there will be a separate prize for the best Brighouse Town supporter and likewise Ashington supporter.
We especially ask Brighouse Town supporters to up their game this year, bearing in mind the home winner has previously been won by a dog !!!!

Lady Luck completely deserted Brighouse Town on their away day to the banks of the river Humber at North Ferriby last Saturday.

Seventh-placed North Ferriby took the lead in the 15th minute through a complete fluke of a goal that was given to the much travelled Tom Corner. Home debutant Harry Lovick played a well delivered free kick into the box; the ball hit the head of Town’s Jack Dando and the ball crashed off a post, then back to Corner and into the back of Jamie Hassall’s net.

Town had the experienced Curtis Peters back after a long term injury and with Cameron Bedford he was trying his utmost to get his forward line of Mo Qasim, Ash Butterworth and Myron Gibbons going forward. Town’s efforts on goal in the first half were limited and Hassall was the busier keeper of the two as he kept out efforts from McCauley Snelgrove and Corner.

Town did have an appeal for a penalty for hand ball turned down with ten minutes to the break but it remained 1-0 to the home side.

Vill Powell made two significant changes in the 58th and then 67th minutes with Kieron Ceesay on for Butterworth and then Jack Crook on for captain Josh Grant. Brandon Webster was also coming forward as a wing-back and creating chances down the left.

In the final 20 minutes as Jack Normanton joined the fray, Town were really bombarding the home goal. Cameron Bedford hit a post, Crook hit the crossbar and Ceesay had a shot just parried away at the last minute by Tom Jackson.

Town also had another penalty appeal turned down after Gibbons received a blow to the head in a tackle on the penalty box byline.

It looked all on as Town would at least get a goal and earn a point but two minutes into added time and with all their players forward, North Ferriby counter-attacked and Danny East was only faced by Hassall and he chipped the ball over him and into the net for 2-0.

Town’s management team and supporters were well pleased with the second half performance and with the rub of the green they knew full well they could have come away with a win and not another defeat.

On Saturday, Town entertain Ashington AFC from Northumbria (3pm) who they drew 4-4 with on the opening game of the season.

Ashington, who lost 4-2 at home to Newton Aycliffe last Saturday in front of a 1,084 crowd, are two places above 15th-placed Town.

The game is being sponsored by Andy Nunns Joiners/kitchen fitters of Brighouse, a good supporter of the club and himself a former local player and coach.

On Boxing Day, Town travel into North Lincolnshire to play 17th-placed Winterton Rangers (3pm) and then they entertain Liversedge on New Year’s Day (3pm).

Town manager Vill Powell has allowed former Shirebrook Town centre-back Jack Dando to take up a dual registration with Retford Town.

Brighouse Town Women were involved in the third round of the West Riding County FA Cup this past Sunday against Bradford Park Avenue who are in the West Riding Premier Division.

It was a very close first half but Town went in at half-time 1-0 down after a fantastic long range strike.

However Cara Mahoney’s charges came out fighting and wanting the game more than their opponents and scored some fantastic goals and came out 3-1 winners.

“Every player was fantastic today but a big shout out to Courtney Simpson and Summer Hadwin who were incredible over the 90 minutes,” said player-manager Mahoney.