Brighouse Town FC

Ovenden West Riding 1-4 Brighouse Town Reserves

Town put Ovenden to the sword in derby match….

Town’s second team picked up their first win of the season with an excellent away win at Natty Lane, with several withdrawals before the game, Town added six player’s from their Under 19 squad to the team. From the start of the game Brighouse stood up to there much older opponents, and took the game to them. The first chance of the game went to Glen Hall, when a fine ball down the line from Sam Coop was flicked on by Dave Maguire, but Hall blasted wide from the edge of the box. Town dominated the early exchanges, and took the lead after twenty minutes, Lee Burgess was fouled outside the box, Chris Dennison smashed the free kick over the wall, and it was too hot to handle for Chris Moroney, and the ball escaped his grasp into the roof of the net. Town then had to be on their guard as Ovenden forced three corners in quick succession, Ovenden equalised with ten minutes of the first half remaining. Ben Charlesworth brought down Rob Gerrard on the half way line, and from the resulting free kick Ovenden scored, the ball was miss hit into the area, but young keeper Reece Richardson lost his footing and the ball sailed into the net. Town then almost regained the lead within a minute, but Burgess’s turn and snap shot was saved low down by Moroney. With the half time whistle approaching ex-town wingman Mathew Roy broke clear of Sam Coop, but Richardson made up for his earlier slip to save well with his feet. At the break it was 1-1 but Brighouse felt they had much the better of the play, but Ovenden looked dangerous from their set plays.

Brighouse started the second half well, but it was Ovenden who created the early chances, first Graham Hall headed wide from a Richard Ingram free kick, and Mathew Howgate had to be on his toes to deny Ingram from a corner at the back post. Town started to get to grips with their opponents after the early exchanges of the second half, Howgate beat his man for the umpteenth time and crossed for Daniel Bentley, but he saw his shot go narrowly wide. Town then took the lead, Dave Maguire beat his man out wide but Ingram blocked the cross, Maguire was quickest to react and he wiped the ball to the back post, where Howgate tapped the ball back to Burgess who scored his first goal for the club from five yards out. Town soon made it three when the excellent Howgate slipped in Burgess who calmly rounded Moroney to score his second and Town’s third of the game. Town were now well on top and were attacking at will, and the fourth came with ten minutes left, Howgate once again raced clear down the left, and squared the ball to Maguire who slotted home from twelve yards to give Moroney in Ovenden’s goal no chance. Town now made changes, first the hard working youngster Mathew Eastwood was replaced Glen O’gara and Bently was then replaced by Joe Swallow. Brighouse now shut up shop and restricted Ovenden to shots from distance, with Man of the Match Joe Townsend a colossus at the back for Town, ably supported by Coop, Charlesworth and Dennison. Town showed they have strength in depth, and now must continue to improve and now string some results together. Darren Laycock commented “it was hard to pick out players from the game as all eleven and the two subs who came on all played their part in the game, but Townsend, Charlesworth, Coop, Howgate and Burgess were exceptional for Brighouse”.