Brighouse Town continued their disappointing form of late with their sixth defeat in the past eight Northern Premier League East Division games last Saturday when losing 3-2 at home to Bridlington Town.

They have only picked up two points in their past eight games and are now 15th of the 20 clubs in the division. While still nine points above 19th-placed Carlton Town, with bottom club being Tadcaster Albion.

On a positive front Town have another two home games now to to try and dig out some valuable points, with Newcastle club Dunston visiting on Saturday (3pm) and then Sheffield FC on Monday (7.45). Dunston are currently sixth and beat Town 4-0 on their ground back in October but they did lose 2-1 at Lincoln United last Saturday. Sheffield, who are level with Town on 32, points, had a good 3-0 away win at the weekend away to Ossett United, with all three goals coming from set pieces. Town lost 1-0 away to Sheffield back in early October.

Judging by the defeat to Bridlington, which saw the visitors complete a double, Town will have to cut out the defensive lapses which counted for two of the goals and also watch themselves near the box when giving away free kicks or penalties, as was the case with Bridlington’s second goal two minutes into added time on the first half.

Bridlington opened the scoring in the 17th minute in the five goal encounter, taking the lead three times in total before eking out the win.

Lewis Dennison scored first, before five minutes later, a squared ball from the boot of Mo Qasim out on the left was hit home by Bradford City loanee Cole Roberts. Dennison bagged his brace when converting the penalty which had been deemed a soft one just a yard into the box with the visiting forward not heading for goal at this stage. Town keeper Brett Souter got a hand to it but it just had enough power to creep into the corner of his net.

Just three minutes into the second half Souter punted a clearance well up field and it found Town’s leading goalscorer Jack Boyle who dribbled into the box from the right and then unleashed a good shot to beat Bridlington keeper James Hitchcock and level matters once more.

Town brought on two forwards in Javelle Clarke and Nathaniel Crofts to step up the pace for a another goal but after two free kicks awarded just outside the box, Bridlington took the lead once more. Souter saved the first free kick with an outstanding save, but the second free kick saw Town hesitate in defending their goal and Matt Broadley scored in the 64th minute to make it 3-2.

Town did rack up a few attacks but they failed to pull another goal back and register at least a point, with those now like goal dust at the Yorkshire Payments Stadium..

There were no injuries reported from the game and no news of any imminent signings to boost the squad. The deadline for signings for the season will be on Thursday, March 23 at 5pm.

Town officials were staggered to hear from the NPL Regional Meeting last Wednesday in Wakefield that the Women’s game is now funded to per annum to the tune of £45 million whereas Non-League Soccer is awarded just £400,000 to share between around 1,000 clubs.

Changes are afoot apparently but unlikely to come on stream until 2024. Clubs can now attain sponsorship for shirt sleeves onto of the League sponsors Pitching In being on there.

Two former high profile former full time professionals put the skids under a lacklustre Brighouse Town side at Grantham last Saturday.

Nathan Tyson, 40, with 17 clubs to his name and 184 appearances for Nottingham Forest and 71 for Doncaster Rovers, bagged a brace and could have had a hat-trick if Brett Souter hadn’t saved a second half penalty. His co-striker Chris O’Grady, 35, who got the third goal in a 3-0 win, was playing for his 19th club after moving to the Gingerbreadmen the week before from Ilkeston Town. He had played for the likes of Forest, Leicester City, Sheffield Wednesday and Bradford City along the way.

In the opening stages of the game the hosts looked edgy and Town should have capitalised through Sam Reed and Josh Dacre but they didn’t and were left to rue the day on 19 minutes as Grantham took the lead through Tyson. His side had been awarded a free kick just outside the box on the right and Damien McCrory’s weak effort was flicked in by Tyson to just evade Souter.

Souter then pulled off a good save from an O’Grady header and Mohammed Ibrahim scissor kicked off the line to ensure Town went in at the break just a goal down.

There had been very little constructive play from Town and their forward line was non-productive and midfield rather erratic.

Grantham added to their scoreline just four minutes into the second half when Tyson took the ball into the box and then turned sharply to send the ball beyond the reach of Souter.

On 60 minutes the Gingerbreadmen were awarded a controversial penalty as the home forward Declan Dunn was heading away from goal when he went to ground. However, the left-footed Tyson’s effort was well saved by Souter.

Substitute Bradford City loanee Cole Roberts had the best chance of the second half to pull one back for Town but a well taken shot on goal was deflected when looking to beat the home keeper Dan Haystead.

The home side, battling to get away from the relegation zone, made it 3-0 on 82 minutes when O’Grady scored his first goal for the club after being put clear by Tyson.

This was by a country mile Town’s poorest performance of the season and the management and supporters will be looking for a much improved showing on Saturday when thirteenth-placed Bridlington Town are the visitors (3pm).

Town, who lost 1-0 at Bridlington back on October 8 in controversial circumstances and played for most of the game with 10 men, play the first of three successive home games and need to up their game and bag some very vital points to climb up the table from their position one place ahead of Bridlington.

Once more there will be no place in the side for goalscoring machine Laurence Sorhaindo. Manager Vill Powell answered: “how long is a piece of string,” when questioned upon the possibly return of Sorhaindo who has been out of action since January 17 when Town played Campion in the third round of the West Riding County Cup.

It is understood the Cullingworth-based player still isn’t able to training.

Skipper Tom Haigh came back from an ankle injury in the second half at Grantham but it was mentioned that hard tackling defender Matty Nebard was injured and he may not make this Saturday’s line up. Doncaster-based striker Myron Gibbons is also on his fourth week out of action with a troublesome knee injury.

Saturday’s match is being sponsored by Rastrick Dental Surgery and their proprietor Chris Anderson. Chris, trading as Chris Anderson Dental Surgery Ltd, is also dental surgeon for Bradford City and Bradford Bulls, who he has been associated with for many seasons.

Town’s teenage left back Sam Reed played his second trial game on Monday for Sheffield Wednesday’s U-23 side in a 1-0 defeat by Sheffield United. From an early stage of the game he and his defensive colleagues were under the cosh as Wednesday had been reduced to 10 men following a sending off.

The `Sheffield Star’ reporter gave Reed, 19, a 7-10 marking and said he did the simple things well and showed sound positional sense.

5 years ago, on Feb 17th 2018, Isobelle Henbest enjoyed her visit to watch Brighouse Town along with the rest of the extended Parker family who were sponsoring the game and had a great day out !!
Town Secretary and Grandad to Isobelle commented “As you know Isobelle passed away on Saturday, December 10th 2022…….aged 11 after only the week before being at the December 3rd home game with Lincoln Utd when our family sponsored the match ball and I enjoyed them all around me to celebrate my 75th birthday.

Brighouse Town let go a 1-0 lead into the second half at Pontefract Collieries last Saturday to eventually lose 2-1.

The Pontefract side showed 10 changes to their starting line up at the Yorkshire Payments Stadium back in mid-November when Town ended up winning the re-arranged game 6-0.

This was a much taller, stronger looking and experienced outfit and after the game assistant manager Stacy Reed said: “We allowed them to bully us and this cost us the three points.”

Pontefract started the brightest and Town had to soak up some pressure on their goal and three times on counter attacks Town were just narrowly offside which would have left Nathaniel Crofts and Reon Potts clear on goal.

Town did score against the run of play on 23 minutes when Jack Boyle played a good ball out to Croft who when beat his man before rolling in Potts who struck the ball on the angle firmly beyond the reach of experienced keeper Kyle Trenerry.

Town could and should have added to that lead as good football put Mohammad Qasim in the clear but he fluffed his lines when coming one-on-one with Trenerry and Crofts also blew a great chance to add to the scoreline.

The teams turned round with Town still a goal to the good and the home side once more took the initiative and on 56 minutes were rewarded with an equaliser through debutant Dec Bacon. On 64 minutes they took the lead through wing back Ben Turner whose shot hit Brett Souter’s far post and turned into the empty net.

Town brought on substitutes Sam Drake, Javelle Clarke and Cole Roberts and did go close on three occasions but the home side held out for a deserved 2-1 win.

Town kept the same side that had had beaten Carlton Town 4-2 in midweek with skipper Tom Haigh out with an ankle injury he collected in the 2-2 draw with North Shields who are battling to raise £50,000 to help with ground improvements to stay in the NPL after this initial season from their EBAC Northern League promotion last April.

It is expected that Haigh will return for the away game on Saturday at Grantham Town (3pm). There will be a coach leaving the Dusty Miller, Hove Edge at 11am.

Defender Matty Nebard, who has missed the last three games while taking a school party during the Leeds area half term, could also be recalled but for added game time he has just signed a dual registration with Northern Counties East club Eccleshill United.

Reserve goalkeeper Jamie Hassall, who has shown some form this time when covering for Souter, has joined Selby Town on a dual registration and FC Halifax Town academy keeper Charlie English has come back to the Town ranks.

On Tuesday afternoon left back Sam Reed, son of the assistant manager, made his debut for Sheffield Wednesday U23s in a game with Peterborough United.

Town resume back at their Hove Edge base on Saturday week, February 25 when they entertain Bridlington Town and follow this up with home games with Dunston, Saturday March 4 and then Sheffield FC two days later on March 6.

Guiseley debutant Nathaniel Crofts ensured Brighouse Town salvaged a point from their home game last Saturday against North Shields.

Crofts, 26, a former Stocksbridge Park Steels winger who has been recommended to the club by returnee from Nethermoor, Mohammad Qasim, hammered home a corner from the edge of the box just one minute into the second half.

Town had gone into the break losing 2-1 after going into the lead after just 14 minutes through a Reon Potts penalty after he had been brought down in the box by visiting keeper Aaron Steavens.

Ten minutes later and the visitors were level when a powerful shot from the left from the boot of JJ Crisp skimmed off the head of Town’s captain Tom Haigh and into the net for 1-1.

Five minutes later the visitors took the lead when a Callum Larmouth shot came back off the crossbar and Paul Van-Zandvliet was in the right place to toe poke the ball home.

After Potts had equalised Town pushed to go in the lead again with North Shields hitting on the counter but both defences held out. Town went into the game once more without goalscorer Laurence Sorhaindo awaiting results on a knee scan, defender Matty Nebard who had to be on a school trip with his students over the week, fellow defender Callum Charlton who has gone to Emley on a dual registration and midfielder Corey Gregory who was nursing an ankle injury from the game at Hebburn Town in midweek..

On Tuesday night at Carlton Town, on the edge of the city of Nottingham, Town were also without their skipper Tom Haigh who had gone to France with his father Stuart for his annual skiing holiday.

Carlton Town 2 v Brighouse Town 4

Town sealed victory at Carlton after a two and a half hour journey.

Nine minutes into the match and Town scored their first goal through Mohammad Qasim who was set up by Nathaniel Crofts who weaved in between the defenders to pass to Qasim who smashed the ball in the back of the net from 10 yards out for the 1-0 lead.

Town could have two more very quickly through Reon Potts and then Jack Boyle but blocks on the line and a close offside decision kept them at 1-0 as Town saw out the remainder of the half and went in at the break with the upper hand.

As the second half commenced it was on 49 minutes that the speedy and skillful Crofts scored the second goal for Town as he latched on to a punched-out save from home keeper Richard Stainsby to fire home.

A free kick on the edge of the box saw Jack Boyle score the third goal of the game on 58 minutes as he bent the ball into the bottom corner of the goal. The masterful Boyle saw a gap in the wall and just went for it to deceive Stainsby.
The hosts then scored in the 67^th minute through veteran Bradley Wells to make it 3-1.

In the 70th minute Town lost right back Mohammed Ibrahim to a very controversial red card.

However, it was in the 78^th min that the talented Crofts bagged his brace as he beat the keeper at the near post for a 4-1 lead.

Despite being down to 10 men Town were still playing football, with some good contributions from Josh Grant, Aiden Walker and Sam Reed.

There was a second goal from the home team in the 84^th minute for Niall Davie but the game was wrapped at 4-2 to Town despite in injury time wing back Javelle Clarke going down in a tackle, and receiving a stud into the knee.

Keeper Brett Souter, who had a very good game, was booked in the 96th minute for time wasting.

Town gave a debut off the bench to their fourth Bradford City loanee of the season, centre forward Cole Roberts who looks a lively and challenging performer

Saturday sees Town travel to Pontefract Collieries (3.0) who they beat 6-0 at their last meeting back in mid-November.

Town are only seven points now behind the play-off places and will be looking to nail down another three points.

Brighouse Town’s outstanding player Sam Reed in the 1-1 away draw at Lincoln United last Saturday is training with League One Sheffield Wednesday with a view to trials.

Reed,19, son of the club’s assistant manager Stacy Reed, has quit his job in a Sheffield warehouse with a view to giving himself every chance to win a contract with Darren Moore’s team.

Strong rumours of interest from Wednesday and Sheffield United had been circling the club in the past two weeks and Derby County were also represented at the home game with Stocksbridge Park Steels on January 7.

Town’s faithful have been well impressed with the consistency and footballing skills of the 6ft 1ins defender, equally at home at left back or in a centre-back position who was handed an 18 month contract following the Stocksbridge game.

At Lincoln, Town got off to a very positive start and Mohammad Qasim, making his second debut for the club have signed on from Guiseley, could easily have scored after just 60 seconds but scuffed his shot.

Town had the better of the first half exchanges and Jack Boyle saw a 25 yard free kick just tipped over the bar and Mohammed Ibrahim, making his 100th appearance for Town, just failed to tap in a cross from his left after ball bobbled in the goalmouth.

Town’s all important goal came in the 41st when Qasim tapped home a Boyle cross across the face of goal and they could have made it two-nil just ahead of half-time when Javelle Clarke failed to meet a cross, again the ball bobbling, as he struck out his boot.

Lincoln’s players had obviously had a good talking to and looked a much sharper outfit in the opening exchanges of the second half.

They put Town under pressure and the equaliser came on 57 minutes through central defender A J Adelekan who was allowed to waltz through the Town defence and then send in a powerful shot to beat Brett Souter.

Shortly afterwards Lincoln hit the crossbar and Town’s attacks were becoming limited and they were battling to at least come out of the game with a point.

Town did come again towards the end of the match through Clarke and Ibrahim but the home side held out for a vital point.

Ahead of Tuesday night’s away game at Hebburn Town, Town signed centre forward Reon Potts from Marske United. Potts, 22, has previously played for Scunthorpe United, York City, Sheffield FC and Matlock Town and was taken to the struggling Premier Division club by manager Curtis Woodhouse.

On Saturday Town host North Shields (3.0) in a game sponsored by Chris Pickle’s company Crystal Clear and on the following Tuesday, February 7 travel to Nottingham to take on Carlton Town struggling at the foot of the East Division table.

Town have rearranged the Shildon away game that was called off earlier this month in controversial circumstances and this will now be played on Tuesday, February 21, while the postponed Sheffield FC home game postponed on January 21 will be played on March 6.

Towns visit to Hebburn ended in a one nil defeat. The game was played in gale force conditions with driving rain and Hebbon’s goal came from a rebound off the home centre forward Amar Purewal as he and Brett Souter on the edge of the box tried to clear the ball against the wind.

Josh Dacre tried his best to prevent it going in the goal backed by the wind, but only helped it home and that was after 33 minutes.

Town had battled against the conditions in the first half and been unlucky not to score when Mohammed Ibrahim only just failed to curl the ball home and Jack Boyle went close with a firm shot.

When they returned for the second half the wind had slightly eased.

Town did hit the post with a free kick from Jack Boyle and Shaun Newbrook, the Hebburn goalkeeper, also tipped a ball over the crossbar from a Boyle free kick.

The game ended in chaos as both managers, Vill Powell and Hebburn’s Daniel Moore were both shown straight reds and Hebburn also had two other players shown red cards on the night while Brighouse Town had three players cautioned.

Town’s loanee wideman from Bradford City Jack Wilson, is to the return to the Bantams to be monitored on a daily basis. Fortunately the Wakefield-based prospect did not break his ankle but has ligament damage and will be sidelined for a minimum of four weeks before he can start light training. It is understood Town may take another player on loan.