A six points haul over the festive period has seen Brighouse Town head to within four points of the play-offs and into eighth position in the NPL Division One East table.

Town followed up from their 2-1 home win over Ossett United on Boxing Day with a 3-0 away win on Bank Holiday Monday at bottom of the table Tadcaster Albion to replicate the scoreline back in August at the Yorkshire Payments Stadium.

They did this with two goals from Bradford City loanee winger Jack Wilson and a sublime free kick from Jack Boyle.

Vill Powell’s men suffered a big blow after just ten minutes when last season’s leading goalscorer Laurence Sorhaindo jarred a knee on the tacky surface and had to be replaced by Jack Normanton.

Town took a little while after to settle as the home side, desperate for points, were chasing the ball and thwarting whatever Town were trying to create. However, on 37 minutes Boyle down the left delivered a superb ball to Wilson who then met it sweetly and chipped advancing keeper Max Culverwill for the first goal.

Town’s healthy following in the 250 crowd let their presence be known and then five minutes later there was another big cheer as Boyle whipped in a free kick from 22 yards out to completely leave Culverwill grasping fresh air.

Town came out for the second half and immediately once more took up the cudgel and in the 51st minute it was man of the match Wilson who beat his man Tnique Fishley to come into the box and then send a bullet of shot across the face of goal and into the far corner of Culverwill’s net for 3-0.

Five minutes later Wilson once more had the beating of the former Town player and he was a good yard inside the box when Fishley pulled him down by his shirt and screams went up from the Town faithful for a penalty but referee Matthew Langdon waved away the claims.

There were no more goals in the remainder of the game but Town did go close on occasions and keeper Jamie Hassall, standing in for the injured Brett Souter (hip and thigh from the Ossett game) had very little to collect behind a solid wall of the returning from long term injury of Aiden Walker, Joshua Dacre and both wing-backs Sam Reed and Mohammed Ibrahim.

Town now entertain on Saturday the third-placed club Stocksbridge Park Steels (3.0) from south Yorkshire. The clubs drew 1-1 at the former home of Jamie Vardy back in August, shipping in a goal in the dying minutes on a rain-soaked night.

Stocksbridge warmed to the game with a 1-0 win over Sheffield FC in their festive derby on Monday.

Its questionable if Sorhaindo will be fit to resume after his early injury at Tadcaster but back in contention for the defence after a four week absence will centre back Matty Nebard. The Leeds-based schoolteacher has been staying away from the squad after contacting scarlet fever at his school.

Winger Alex King has left his dual registration run with Hallam FC and gone to Eccleshill United where he made his debut for them on Monday against high flying Emley.

Neither Zeph Thomas (Achilles) or Elliott Harrison (knee) were fit for inclusion on Monday. Veteran Thomas is also looking at taking coaching badgers.

Town have arranged their home West Riding County FA Senior Cup third round tie with Campion for Tuesday, January 17th 7.45 and the postponed away game with Hebburn Town on Saturday, December 17 will now be played on Tuesday, January 31 (7.45).

Three Boxing Day points from a 2-1 home win over a ten man Ossett United side took Brighouse Town five places up the table and to within seven points of a play-off place.

The game was only three minutes old when Ossett’s rangy centre-back Danny Burns powered into Town’s keeper Brett Souter who caught a stray knee in his stomach and immediately went to ground in agony. Barnsley referee Connor Everard, after restoring order, showed Burns a red card and there was no protesting from the player although the visiting supporters in the 424 crowd vented their feelings.

Souter, who joined Town from Ossett, had lengthy treatment and was then deemed fit to continue.

Town’s players appeared more shaken by the incident as they proceeded to have a poor first half, giving away too many free kicks and also not finding their men with that vital pass and former Town keeper Ed Hall in the Ossett goal had a quiet time of it.

Anyone coming in late would not have realised the visitors were down to 10 men as they attached with purpose and put the home defence under pressure.

From a corner coming in from the left, Souter punched the ball out of the box but it fell to the feet of Alex Peterson, the former Doncaster Rovers, Belper Town and Sheffield FC striker who smashed the ball into the net on 33 minutes to give his side the lead.

A lead they took in with them at the break as Town, looking slightly more lively in the final five minutes of the half, squandered chances to level the scores.

Town manager Vill Powell replaced Javelle Clarke at half-time with pacey Myron Gibbons and eleven minutes in his side were level when Gibbons came powering in from the left and then unleashed a great shot across the face of goal to level matters as Hall grasped fresh air!. Just ahead of this goal Souter had left the field feeling unwell and was replaced by his deputy keeper Jamie Hassall.

Town were gradually growing more and more into the game and playing the football they are capable of while wing back Mohammed Ibrahim was creating plenty from the back.

Town’s defence had also tightened up with Callum Charlton, Sam Drake, Sam Reed and Josh Dacre all lifting their games.

Powell then delivered a masterstroke as he brought on Bradford City loanee Jack Wilson for Jack Normanton on 70 minutes and within two minutes he had put Town level. Town were now completely on top and Laurence Sorhaindo beat his man and then lined up Wilson on the edge of the box who rifled the ball into the net. Wilson, who earlier in the season had been on loan with Ossett before returning to Valley Parade, continued to torture his former teammates with some tremendous play down the left.

Both Jack Boyle and Sorhaindo missed great chances to make the game well and truly safe while Hall denied Wilson.

Town’s manager was delighted with the second half display and result and said he could put up with some indifference in that first half as long as they well and truly came out and delivered what they are capable in the second half, as they did.

Town had got in some valuable game time last Thursday after two weeks off with the frost in the friendly with Stalybridge Celtic where they won 1-0 with a Sam Drake goal.

On New Year Bank Holiday Monday Town travel to the Brewery Fields to take on bottom club Tadcaster Albion !.0pm) who lost 2-0 at Bridlington Town on Boxing Day.

Powell will be checking on his keeper Souter, who had a safe custodian in Hassall taking over from him and he was in total command of his area when Ossett did fire the occasional shot on his goal.

Town’s next home game is on Saturday, January 7 against Stocksbridge Park Steels in what is looking a very busy month for them with the Hebburn Town away game to re-arrange and for midweek and also the West Riding County Cup third round home game with Manningham club Campion. Gateshead-based Hebburn have put forward Tuesday, January 17 only three days after Town will have travelled to Shildon in County Durham. Town are looking for an alternative date.

Good news for Brighouse Town this week on the injury front with two key players set to be in contention for a recall against Ossett United on Boxing Day in the derby at the Yorkshire Payments Stadium (1.0).

Assistant manager Stacy Reed said that skipper Tom Haigh (swollen ankle) trained both nights last week, and after two more sessions this week would be fit to lead the side on Monday. He has missed the last three games and would be a major asset in midfield with Corey Gregory still to serve a match from his two match ban from a sending off at Consett.

Reed also revealed that centre back Aiden Walker, who has been out with a leg injury for the past nine weeks, will also be fit after two good sessions and more workouts this week.

Right winger Jack Wilson on loan from Bradford City will also be back in contention. Injured one game into his loan he returned to City for treatment but they have now sent him back to further increase the squad for the festive holiday games which see Town also head to the Brewery Fields, Tadcaster, on New Year’s Day. That game will now also kick off at one o’clock after an approach from the club that currently sits bottom of the Northern Premier League Division One East table.

Former FC Halifax Town and Bradford PA winger Alex King, who came on as a substitute against Lincoln United in the 2-2 home draw and really impressed after a dual registration agreement with Hallam FC, is also in line for a place in the side.

“He was down to play against Pontefract Collieries before the frost intervened and its good that the squad is receiving a real boost at this time with the two derby games to challenge us,” said Reed.

Ossett United are currently two places and two points below Town and their experienced manager Grant Black has just treated himself to a Christmas signing in James Carvell a pacy winger/striker from Barwell Town. He has previously played for Ilkeston and his hometown club Belper.

Town are hoping for their best gate of the season and also keen to see the game go ahead with only one home game in the past five weeks.

Having lost their physiotherapist Emily Harnden to Harrogate Town, the club are still searching for a permanent physio and its not proving an easy task. Its a paid position and the club are asking if any interested physiotherapists would contact the club on 07483 119054.

The January 21 home game with Sheffield FC will be a tribute day to former player Peter Gill who passed away at the end of November.

Two of his former colleagues Bob Pinder and Mark Wood, who is also on Town’s executive committee, are in conjunction with his family rounding up all his old pals for a day of celebration of his life.

At the Boxing Day game, vice chairman and director of football Charlie Tolley is once more putting up two bottles of champagne for the best festive dressed home supporter and visiting supporter.

Town’s manager has organised a friendly with NPL Premier Division club Stalybridge Celtic at their Bower Fold ground this Thursday evening 7.45.

Powell felt his team needed some match practice-always better then training, in his words- and was delighted when Lincoln Adams, assistant manager to Chris Wilcox, came on and suggested the game as they felt they were in the same boat after the recent freeze up.

It is not behind closed doors and Town fans will be able to gain admission.

Prospects for the second week running do not look good with the current state of pitches and the weather forecast for Brighouse Town just as their form was picking up after a disastrous October and two weeks into November. They then picked up with a 6-0 thrashing of Pontefract Collieries ahead of a 4-1 setback to Long Eaton United, and had then gone three games undefeated until the freeze up.

Last Friday night’s away trip to Pontefract Collieries was called off at 10am in the morning and like all fixtures in the Pitching In Northern Premier League Premier League and Division One East on the Saturday they were called off. Only Division One West leaders Macclesfield Town played and they defeat bottom club Ramsbottom United 4-0.

On Saturday Town are due to travel to Gateshead to take on fourth-placed Hebburn Town (3.0) to try and avenge a first game of the season 3-1 home defeat. Should this fall by the wayside then Town’s next game is at home on Boxing Day to Ossett United (1.0).

With a major sponsor in Andy Nunns Joinery Limited and the usual holiday footfall from home and away support plus neutrals looking for fresh air and some action Town are keen to ensure they can play this game.

So much so that they have approached Super League RL club Wakefield Trinity to loan their covers and arrangements were being made to have them collected and brought to the Yorkshire Payments stadium.

Club officials cannot thank Trinity’s CEO Michael Carter enought for his generous loan of the covers with his side being out of league action until February for the 2023 season.

The Pontefract postponed game on a league directive for all clubs will now be played on Saturday, February 11-a free weekend for all- four days after Town have made a long midweek trip to Carlton Town in the city of Nottingham.

While not playing the Pontefract game prevented vice captain and midfielder Corey Gregory completing his two match suspension the week off did help with more recovery time on an ankle injury for skipper Tom Haigh.

The players and management went to Liverpool on the Saturday for their Christmas party and after watching England’s defeat to France in the World Cup they enjoyed the city’s nightlife.

For the Ossett United derby game once more vice chairman Charlie Tolley will put up two bottles of champagne for the best festive dressers on the home supporters front and also from Ossett.

Bobby Pointon, who started the season with Town on an impressive loan from Bradford City before being moved up two divisions by the Bantams coaching management to National League North Farsley Celtic, has moved down to the Northern Premier League until the end of the season with Liversedge who are currently second from bottom in their first season since leaving NPL Division One East as champions.

FC Halifax Town had hoped to play their re-arranged West Riding County FA Cup second round tie with Albion Sports, postponed last Wednesday at the Yorkshire Payments Stadium this past Wednesday evening but once more it was called off due to a frozen pitch.
The game has again been rescheduled, now for Wed 21st Dec KO 7.45pm in the hope that the weather will be kinder and allow the game to be played at the third time of asking at the Yorkshire Payments Stadium.