Brighouse Town put up a sterling performance in their 1-1 home draw with third-placed Belper Town last Saturday. Having beaten the Nailers 2-0 at their place six weeks ago, Town were confident after their 4-1 beating of Carlton Town they could look to their first double of the season.

Once again Town got off to a slow start when they should have been a goal up after just five minutes. New striker Akeel Francis was looking at an open goal but failed to put his boot through the ball and beat Kieran Preston.

The Derbyshire side, knowing they had been let off the hook, took the ball to the other end and put Town under pressure. On ten minutes from a corner taken by Mason Warren they went ahead when debutant Tavonga Kuleya out jumped the home defence to head home despite Town keeper Kyle Trenerry and two defenders also on the line.

Four minutes later, Town’s Niah Payne ran on to a flicked header to leave him well clear and his finish was expertly despatched beyond Preston, who was furious with his defence.

Both keepers made some good saves towards the end of the first half but there were few moments of quality to put either side in front.

Kelan Swales fired narrowly wide for Belper after the break but it was Town who nearly won it on two occasions, once in the 85th minute when they hit a post from a corner and Ethan Vaughan’s shot on the rebound was blocked. Town, who were being well served by diminutive substitute, Rhys Plater, also snatched it three minutes into added time but Preston just got a boot to deny Payne a second.

Town’s creative player Romario Dunne left the pitch early in the first half with a knee injury and could have been doubtful for last night’s (Wednesday)re-arranged game away at Pontefract Collieries. He was more hopeful of making this coming Saturday’s home game with Cleethorpes Town (3pm) when Town hope to avenge a 5-1 scoreline on the opening game of the season. Cleethorpes, after their 2-0 home win over AFC Emley last Saturday, are currently leading the NPL East Division One table by four points and it will be a tall order for Town to take points from this one but the team is much more settled and improving game on game.

On Boxing Day, Town are away to ninth-placed Garforth Town and it is a 1pm kick off. 

Assistant manager Mick Norbury has stood down citing work and personal as his reasons. The South Yorkshire-based  former Halifax Town, Cambridge United, Preston North End and Doncaster Rovers striker was very popular with his players and the supporters. 

Taking over from him is Darren Young who was born in Whitehaven and then emigrated with his family at 11 years-old to Auckland, New Zealand. He came back to the UK at the age of 18. He signed a two- year professional deal with the Tykes, before moving back to New Zealand to play for Football Kingz (in what would now be the Australian A-League), and during this time made four appearances for New Zealand U20s.

He moved back to Barnsley in 2004 where he spent half- season before moving to the Republic of Ireland. In his six years there he played for Limerick, Waterford United, Athlone Town and Mervue United before retiring from playing in 2011. More recently he has been the manager of Dodworth Miners Welfare in the Sheffield & Hallamshire County Senior League Premier Division. He knows manager Grant Black well from their playing days and was in the dugout for the game with Belper.  

Yet another postponement for Brighouse Town last Saturday along with many more across the British Isles.

However, this game was on at 9.45am on Saturday morning after a pitch inspection at Dunston in Gateshead, but by 11.45am it was off, but Town players and officials had set off.

Dunston secretary Billy Montague, two hours after a referee had passed the pitch and weather conditions as fit for the game to go ahead at 3pm, he was on the phone to secretary David Parker to say Storm Darragh had struck Tyneside and the high winds were rendering things not safe for the players or spectators.

Manager Grant Black and assistant Mick Norbury, travelling separately made Scotch Corner but were stopped and turned around. The players and others were just north of Wetherby and were stopped in their tracks.

Messrs Black and Norbury headed to South Yorkshire to watch the Isuzu FA Vase 3rd round tie between Wombwell Town and Hallam, which the latter won 4-0. Others headed off to a hostelry to watch Leeds United v Derby County and others to the Welfare Ground, Emley to watch the derby game between Emley and Liversedge.

Town have now been preparing this week for the home game on Saturday with Belper Town (3pm) which is being sponsored by Andy Nunns Joinery of Brighouse Limited.

Town will be looking to chalk up their first double of the season having beaten the Derbyshire side 2-0 back last month.

Black will have almost a full squad to pick from, only long term injuries keeping Curtis Peters and Danny Edwards out. Players coming back from injury really strengthened the squad for the last home game with Carlton Town and saw them win 4-1. Carlton beat a resurgent Bradford Park Avenue 2-1 last Saturday in one of only three games in the East Division of the NPL that went ahead. Town games had been played on the Friday evening at Consett and the other at Garforth Town.

Town also have a re-arranged game next Wednesday at Pontefract Collieries (7.45) ahead of the game on the Saturday, December 21 at home to Cleethorpes Town (3pm).

Town host Dunston in a re-arranged home game on Wednesday, January 8 and will not be looking to travel up north east the following week to get in last Saturday’s postponed game, although the league ruling is that games should be played within 42-days of the postponement.  

A stunning 4-1 home victory over mid-table Carlton Town took Brighouse Town out of the bottom four ahead of a tough December programme ahead.

On 11 minutes it looked very much like another bad day at the office as Town conceded a penalty as a Carlton attacker was pulled to the ground. Nathan Watson scored from the spot to put his side  

1-0 to the good.

Town were without giant central defender Kevy Tarangadzo (holiday) and the home supporters thought they were looking down the barrels of another defeat. However, Grant Black’s charges responded in tremendous style and were soon on top and frequently attacking the quarry end. There was a debut for new striker Akeel Francis from Wakefield and he was soon putting himself about. On the strong-looking Town bench were Darius Smith and Myron Gibbons, who were to feature later in the game, plus Hyde United signing Akeem Hinds and on loan FC Halifax Town player Harvey Coates.

Brighouse pulled level nine minutes before the break when Francis headed home Romario Dunne’s corner and they went into the break ahead with a carbon copy of the first half goal. This time it was another former Wakefield player, centre back Jack Durkins who headed home Dunne’s cross.

After the break there was no let up in Brighouse’s attacking play and a third goal came after the visitors failed to clear a Town attack which keeper Felix Annan thought he had snuffed out with a fisted clearance but Josh Waldram was on hand to slam home from 15 yards out in the 57th minute..

Town then sat back somewhat and Carlton had a 15 minute purple patch during which time they hit the foot of an upright and also sent a shot across the face of the goal.

Substitutions by the management altered things with fresh legs and an impetus to go forward. Darius Smith was electric down the right and caused Carlton grief. However it was shock inclusion Myron Gibbons after seven weeks out who used his pace on the left to catch a ball a foot from the deadball line and swing over a great cross which Smith slid beautifully into the net.

The Town faithful went wild on the final whistle and now have to see if their favourites can repeat the performance up at Dunston on Saturday (3.pm).

It was smiles all round as the management and players came into the clubhouse to meet the supporters and with games in hand Town now need to win up and climb the table.

Former Town fullback Sam Reed has joined Boston United on loan from Sheffield Wednesday and former Town manager Vill Powell, who brought Reed to the club as a sixteen-year-old, had his first win as manager of Sheffield FC with a 2-1 scoreline over Pontefract Colliery.

own released their dual registration goalkeeper Paul  Cooper so he could sign for Gainsborough Trinity and be in their FA Cup squad last Friday night away to Harrogate Town in BBC 2 televised tie
Cooper, who came to Town from Buxton on loan, did not come on but former Town player Javelle  Clarke played in his sides 1-0 defeat

Postponements rather than much wanted points has been the order of the day for Brighouse Town in the past week.

The snow and hard frosts of last week caused the home game with Dunston to be called off on the day of the game and then on Saturday as players and fans awoke to more fresh snow, transportation to Shirebrook near Mansfield became a problem.

ZId Khan, proprietor of Brighouse Travel, couldn’t get the team coach out of the garage that is on a slope and with many players saying to manager Grant Black they had problems, the League gave permission for the game to be postponed under the banner of` ‘travel issues’.

It turned out later in the morning that the entire NPL East Division programme of 11 matches was postponed. The League sent out an edict for clubs not to try and rearrange the fixtures as the feeling with all clubs involved the League would look to take the vacant date of Saturday, March 8 and slot the entire programme for last Saturday in there. Town are looking at Wednesday, January 8 to get in the Dunston fixture.
Manager Black continues to sign players, the latest being Akeel Francis from Wakefield AFC following on from the capture of Akeem Hinds last week from Warrington Rylands and previously Hyde United.
Francis 24, has netted 13 goals so far this term for Wakefield and has besides playing for Rochdale and Wrexham played north of the border with Falkirk
Both players were to have made their debuts for Town at Sherwood but will now, weather permitting, be set to turn out against south Nottinghamshire club Carlton Town on Saturday (3pm) at the Heffernan Utilities stadium
Hinds 26 has also played for Rotherham United, Buxton and Aberystwyth Town in the Welsh Premier League
Carlton, who made the play-offs last season, will provide stiff opposition being six places above Town and performing well on the road
Saturdays game will come too early for Doncaster-based striker Myron Gibbons who has been out with a leg injury since early October.
Black reckons he will be another two weeks before he is ready again for match action
Fullback Curtis Senior, who was on dual registration with Wombwell Town, has been crossed off and could be set to join Liversedge.