Match Preview

By Dave Parker

BRIGHOUSE TOWN face another `six point' fixture on Saturday as they travel just inside the Wigan boundary to take on Atherton Collieries (3.0).

Having lost last Saturday's `six pointer' with Radcliffe Borough, another club below them, Town need to pick up the form of earlier in January that saw them net two wins and a draw for seven valuable points to take them into 17th place of the 22 clubs.

Town went in to last Saturday's game without quality midfielder Tom Haigh (knee) and experienced fellow midfielder Adam Jones (hip flexer).

"Haighy tried to train on Tuesday night but it was no good and I feel we are looking at a scan to sort this one out," informed manager Vill Powell.

"It could not have come at a worse time as he was on fire and fully justifying the faith we had put in him with a contract award earlier in the month. On Jonesy, we are looking at another two weeks, and rest will be the cure on this one. To lose two players of their value at this time is not good.

"We have ensured that we have retained Guiseley's versatile player George Gomersall with a loan deal until the end of the season and there are one or two other movements behind the scenes but I don't expect a new face on board in time for this Saturday.

"Supporters will have seen goalkeeper Chandler Hallwood warming up with Christopher Butt last Saturday and we are probably looking at another 10 days before he will come back into contention having been out since November with his broken hand injury.

On last Saturday's setback Powell commented: "Up to this game we've had three good results and this was not a result we wanted.

"So, we've got to start again and this week at training its been back to basics and then we will go again on Saturday."

Town had their chances against Radcliffe, who were accompanied by director Bernard Manning Jnr, son of the late comedian and club owner, and the football parlance of, `they need to be more clinical in the final third' could have summed up their performance in the 1-0 defeat.

The Colls, who defeated Town 3-0 back in November at the Yorkshire Payments Stadium, have re-signed much travelled striker Gary Burnett from Colwyn Bay. They have had a disappointing January with a 5-2 home defeat to Clitheroe and then drawn 1-1 at Goole followed by a 0-0 draw last Saturday away to Skelmersdale United with a postponement in between on January 22.

They should have played Bamber Bridge on Monday night in the Integro League Cup but their Kensite Alder House stadium pitch was waterlogged with pictures posted on their club website.

Town, with a 12 point cushion from bottom club Goole and a far superior goal difference, saw their rivals cause a shock last Saturday with a 5-1 home win over Mossley. Powell's charges need a result from this game ahead of meeting Goole at home Saturday week in a re-arranged fixture from the postponed date of December 30, and yet another `six pointer'.

Town follow up that game with another home fixture on February 17 with promotion chasing Bamber Bridge who last Saturday beat Trafford 5-0.

Town, thanks to coach Tom Stacey, have now got their own television station-Brighouse Town TV- up and running and you can catch match footage, interviews and news on the club's website and Twitter account. Club sponsors also have their own back drop board for all the interviews.

In the meantime, news was coming to hand yesterday morning that Brighouse Town Ladies manager-coach Rob Mitchell is favourite to land the manager of the month award for his team's cup winning performances in January. The inclement weather has prevented his team continuing with their league programme which saw them top of the Northern Premier League back in early December.