Brighouse Town 4-1 Carlton Town

Brighouse Town 4-1 Carlton Town

Northern Premier League (North-East Division)

Saturday 3rd September 2022

Although they deserved this win and the scoreline was (just about) a fair reflection of what unfolded, Brighouse Town didn't half make hard work of picking up these three points.

Initially, they were 2-0 up thanks to goals by Corey Gregory and Mo Qasim and seemed 'home and dry' until they gave away a cheap penalty with about 10 minutes to go which was duly dispatched by Aaron Opoku.

That led to panic and pandemonium during what the remaining minutes of normal time and Mike Roxborough was forced to pull off a few brilliant fingertip saves to keep them ahead. It was bizarre and it really did look as if Brighouse were about to throw away what they'd worked so hard for.

But order was restored and after Javelle Clarke capped off a fine performance by tapping home a third, Bobby Pointon (what a player!) fired in a fourth goal from a tight angle to enhance his growing reputation as a quality upcoming player.

It's easy to buy into what Brighouse are all about and I've got a lot of admiration for their recruitment and the team they're trying to put together. They've got plenty of talent; a desire to work hard and although the bobbly pitch kills them a bit, they're a team I wish I could watch more often.

They've got several players who've come through the same level of academy football I watch on a regular basis. Harrison Beeden (ex-Rotherham - and so good looking that Carlton's No.10 wanted to rip his shirt off in one of many grapples between them) is their skipper and always has something to say for himself and his centre-back partner is none other than Aiden Walker (ex Mansfield; a youth team title-winner back in the day and a generally all-round top lad). 

Behind them is Mike Roxborough (whose name I'm familiar with as he's been at Huddersfield and played in various games I've watched), they've got a Doncaster Rovers connection in Myron Gibbons and to top it off, they signed Bobby Pointon on a six-month loan from Bradford City at the start of the season - and he was comfortably the best player in the Youth Alliance last year. It's no shock to me that he's already claimed the 'Player Of The Month' award for August.

Each of them played a part in this win and collectively, Brighouse showed different elements to their game in order to get the points.

After a quiet start, the hosts broke the deadlock on 25 minutes. Sam Drake's long-throw into the box dropped to Walker who momentarilly morphed into Paolo Maldini as he made a clever run to the byline before his inviting cut-back was emphatically slammed home by Gregory.

It was good play by Walker and, pressing high whenever it was right to do so, he sprayed another inviting ball into the box not long afterwards as Brighouse threatened to double their lead. He showed what he was all about at the other end when Roxborough parried an effort and he threw his body towards the ball to make a vital clearance on the goal-line from the rebound.

Brighouse could have also scored before the break when Danny Brown had a trampoline touch from an aerial ball which very nearly allowed Qasim to break clean through - though Carlton's No.3 atoned for his mistake by offering enough of a presence to draw a foul under pressure.

In the second half, the hosts initially had to show plenty of resilience as Carlton played on the front foot for a good 10-minute spell immediately after half-time and pumped balls forward. Big Beeden did well to negate the threat of Opoku and Carlton's bench were left incensed when one of their spells of pressure was brought to a premature end as the linesman wrongly gave a throw-in the wrong way (claiming the ball had gone out when it clearly hadn't). It prevented them from utilising their own long-throw weapon.

Just past the hour mark, Brighouse bagged a second as Jack Normanton's work took him to the byline and his whipped in ball was finished with aplomb by Qasim. It was good, positive and fluid attacking play and that 2-0 lead soon nearly became a 3-0 advantage when Pointon got on the end of a near-post cross only to see his close-range shot somehow or another deflected wide.

Up at the other end, Beeden bravely blocked a shot but if truth be told, Carlton looked a beaten team. Their body language suggested they didn't believe they could find a way back into the game and when one of their players needed treatment for almost five minutes and was forced off through injury, a comeback (from either him or Carlton) appeared to be even more unlikely.

That player did go back onto the pitch though; simply so the visitors had 11 men rather than 10 and could utilise his long-throw, and in the final 10 minutes, the visitors were given the chance to reduce arrears when an attacker with his back to goal was fouled inside the box and Opoku duly converted the resulting penalty.

At 2-1 it was 'Game On' again and the Nottinghamshire side went 'hell for leather' to try and get an equaliser. Brighouse's midfield didn't help themselves with an almost subconscious tendency to drop back too deep and invite pressure, and the hosts ultimately had Roxborough to thank for keeping them ahead. Having survived a mini-scramble, the Huddersfield loanee made a brilliant fingertip save when Opoku flashed a wicked shot at him and he saved again from the resulting corner after Brad Wells hooked the ball goalwards following some acrobatics.

It was 'heart in mouth' stuff for Brighouse because they'd had the game won - and it's hard to emphasise just how comfortable they looked at 2-0 and how straightforward it should have been to see the game out, but during four minutes of injury-time (which should have been more), they bagged two more goals with Clarke slotting home the third to 'kill' Carlton before Pointon's pinpoint banger from a tight angle beat the 'keeper to make it 4-1.

It was a good game to watch and, if nothing else, I've a new found respect for Mike Roxborough because without those late saves, Carlton's handful of fans could quite feasibly have been singing '2-0 up and you f**ked it up'. It was a class contribution from him and I hope it gets back to Huddersfield Town's academy hierarchy.

Harrison Beeden is so vocal and confident and, at 20, he's still quite young for a footballer. He epitomises bravery with how he defends in an 'old school' way, he'll throw himself infront of every ball and battle, scrap and grapple for everything, he has a big physical presence and wins his headers and whilst there's definitely certain things he needs to improve regarding his footwork, he'll only get better with age and more experience. I've always liked him (hence why I remember him from his youth team days) and I know he'll never change and be consistent with qualities. I've got no doubts that eventually he'll put himself in with a chance of earning a move higher up the pyramid because managers will always be attracted to a defender with his attributes.

He compliments Aiden Walker so well because, technically, Aiden has more technical qualities. He got an assist, put some good balls about and made the important goal-line clearance. It's good to see him playing (and playing well) after the injury problems last year! Keep it up!

Brighouse's No.11, Javelle Clarke, was fantastic and the tactic by the coaches to leave both wide players in high positions worked wonders. The goal was testament to his display and I've never seen a player kicked and booted as much as he was at times in the first half. Mo Qasim was also class upfront.

On the other flank was Bobby Pointon and, personally, he had one of his quieter games by his standards until he was moved into a central position late on where he posed a lot more problems. Even on a quiet day, he can still bag a goal; that's what he did and he's only going to get better. It was good to see that the rest of the Brighouse team were offering loads of encouragement, talking to him throughout the game, and I know that they all appreciate and admire what he offers. Keep it up and well done on a brilliant start to the season and creating another positive impression on so many.

It was good to catch up with Myron Gibbons ('he's magic yanoo, that boy we all call Gibbo') as the chant will one day go, and I know he'll have a part to play having been one of the top scorers at Rossington Main in the NCEL First Division last season.

If and when the chance allows, I'll be back at some point but well done on getting the three points!