Brighouse Town’s five game unbeaten run, which propelled them from sixteenth to eighth in the NPL East Division table, came to an end at Long Eaton last Saturday as they lost 3-0.

United were on the board after two minutes when centre forward Alex Marshall headed home from a corner out on the left.

Town then quickly took charge of the game and played some lovely football up to half-time but could not get the ball in the net. Jack Boyle saw a 25 yard shot on the angle tipped over by home keeper Ross Durrant just as it was dipping to go into the net and five minutes later a free kick into the six yard box should have been tapped home.

Town were lacking the services of potent finisher Mohammad Qasim and it cost them dearly.

Town went in at the break 1-0 down but the travelling support felt they had a more than a chance in the second half with skipper Tom Haigh and Corey Gregory bossing the show on 45 minutes and having great support from the talented duo Sam Reed and Javelle Clarke.

However the home side scored a second, a weak effort in a goalmouth scramble just five minutes into the half from interval substitute Tom Cursons, so it was always going to be an uphill struggle after that.

Matty Nebard came on for his first game in five matches after 67 minutes and was only on the field for five minutes when United got their third and ensured they would be travelling to Hebburn on Tuesday night in the play-offs.

A high ball into box and Jamie Walker beat Town keeper Jamie Hassall to the ball and it was 3-0, game over.

A disappointing end to the campaign but the main thing was that Town in seventeen days ahead of the game had made sure they were not looking over their shoulders at a possible relegation play-off game.

On Tuesday evening’s play-offs in the NPL East Division Stockton Town and Long Eaton United made it through to Saturday’s final
Stockton drew 2-2 with Stocksbridge and then won 4-2 on penalties while Hebburn Town also drew 2-2 with Long Eaton but then lost 3-2 on penalties
The winners will be promoted to the Premier Division with champions Worksop Town.
Liversedge after one season in the Premier Division have been relegated.

The Calderdale Schools finals will be played at the Yorkshire Payments Stadium home of Brighouse Town on Wednesday and Thursday May 10 and 11 from 3.30 each afternoon
There will be three finals on the first day and two on the second from Year 7to Year 11.

Goals from leading scorer Jack Boyle and Josh Grant in either half against Consett saw Town win their fifth game in six.

Swelled by the sponsorship of the game by former Brighouse Town old boys, friends and relatives of the late player Pete Gill, Town, in front of the 427 crowd, played some tidy football in the early stages but also found Consett, fighting to stay out of the relegation play-off places, also attack the home goal.

From one of their attacks keeper Jamie Hassall punted the ball well up field on the right and Boyle was well brought down by Boyle who in turn fired low and hard through the legs of the experienced Durham club’s goalkeeper Mark Foden and into the net on 16 minutes to the delight of the crowd.

On 21 minutes Joshua Baggs was sent clean through on goal for Consett but fortunately for Hassall and Town he is a fullback rather than a striker and he calmly shot straight at the custodian.

At the other end moments later Mo Qasim, who was, along with man of the match Javelle Clarke, giving the visitors some grief, had a close range header saved by Foden on 33 minutes. Town’s midfielders Corey Gregory and skipper Tom Haigh were busy organising their front runners and supplying good balls and defenders Sam Reed, Josh Grant and Aiden Walker were up for the challenge of the second 45 minutes.

The versatile Mohammed Ibrahim was just wide of the mark early in the second half as Town looked for another goal or two to `kill off’ the game and land their second double in a week.

Town got the all import second goal with 23 minutes left on the clock as Grant, some 25 yards out on the left, sent in an unstoppable screamer which Foden could only watch go into his net as he grasped fresh air!

Town then introduced substitutes Cole Roberts, Reon Benjamin-Potts and later Sam Drake, with Roberts going nearest to adding a third, with Foden just tipping his shot wide.

Two goals in five minutes in the second half at Cleethorpes on Tuesday night saw Brighouse Town continue their winning run.
The six consecutive wins has certainly spiraled them up the table and put them into eighth place but just two late for the play-offs.
On a cold and blustery night on the Lincolnshire coast, Town played against the elements in the first half and defensively did well to keep the Owls at bay.
Keeper Jaimie Hassall was in great form throughout for Town and kept yet another clean sheet-his fourth in succession..
His attacking force against the wind only really had one good chance when Jack Boyle dribbled into the box from the left after 10 minutes but his angled shot was just a foot wide of the target. Town defender Josh Grant led the defence exceptionally well, aided by Corey Gregory, Aiden Walker and Josh Dacre.
Commencing the second half, Town, with the wind at their backs, started to pressure the home side and after 55 minutes Boyle found himself in space some 22 yards out in front of goal and hammered home beyond the reach of James McKeown.
In the 60th minute and Mohammad Qasim trapped an aerial ball to him with style and then delivered a fine shot across the goal to beat the keeper.
Town then really managed the game well with skipper Tom Haigh and Javelle Clarke outstanding and they left the field to rapturous applause from the travelling supporters.

On Saturday, Town play their final game of the season at Long Eaton United in north Derbyshire (3.0).

They are running a coach that will leave the Dusty Miller at 11.15am

Manager Vill Powell has just one injury concern, utility player Mohammed Ibrahim who missed the game at Cleethorpes with an ankle injury.

The club’s presentation night will be held in the clubhouse on Saturday, May 13.

Gilly’s game was sponsored by Brighouse Town Old Boys, ex-teammates and friends and family of Club legend Pete Gill, and were presented to the crowd before the game against Consett AFC on Saturday.

A big thank you to Brighouse Town & District Inner Wheel & Tesco Brighouse for their support of the Junior section here at the Yorkshire Payments Stadium.

During March, the Junior section was the beneficiary of the store’s Community Bookshelf initiative which raised £481.88.

Sam Edmondson, Tesco Community Champion, along with Inner Wheel members Janet, Martine, Anne, Trudy, Alison, Judy, Eileen and Linda were at Brighouse Town’s fixture against Consett AFC on Saturday to present the juniors represented by players Annie and Lewis with the fabulous cheque.