AFTER THEIR enforced inactivity last Saturday owing to going out of the FA Cup at the Preliminary Round stage, Brighouse Town return to action on Saturday (3.0pm) at the Yorkshire Payments Stadium with a new club from Merseyside visiting.
City of Liverpool formed in 2015 and now under manager Craig Robinson make the 65 mile trip. They won the North West Counties Premier League title last season and the previous season were Challenge Cup winners. They have over 500 paid up members and currently groundshare with Bootle FC but are working with Liverpool Council for a new ground of their own with a 3,000 capacity at nearby Fazakerley Playing Fields.
They have not got off to the best of starts like Town and have just the one win and a draw like their hosts. Town had coach Simon Ward at City of Liverpool's home on Tuesday night for their Emirates FA Cup replay with Warrington Town after a 2-2 draw last Saturday. It was a game they lost 4-0.
Town will have their goalkeeper and captain Jordan Porter back in goal following his absence from two games owing to a rib injury received at Ossett United on August Bank.Holiday Monday. A scan last Wednesday revealed just bruising and no broken or cracked ribs or even worse, displaced cartilages. Matt Smith and Finley Madigan have stood in for him during his enforced absence.
Talking of scans and diminutive Sheffield-based striker Mohammed Ibrahim had a scan yesterday (Wednesday) on his knee problem and expects to hear from the hospital after the weekend.
Wing-back Mikey Starkey, signed from FC Emley in the closed season, will be out for another 10 days at least with his leg injury, while back in contention for Saturday are centre-backs James Hurtley and Connor Griffin following leg injuries.
Town have allowed former Penistone Church players Tom Brennan and Kieran Ryan to return to the south Yorkshire club on dual registration to help keep them match fit.
Manager Vill Powell said: "They need games to keep up to match fitness to challenge for a place in the squad and they have r e turn to a club they know and will easily settle back in there.
Town had a behind closed doors friendly with Bradford club Albion on Tuesday night with having had no match action since a week last Tuesday at Morpeth Town
Chairman James Howard is hoping for the best crowd of the season so far with Huddersfield Town playing on Sunday in their televised derby with Sheffield Wednesday and FC Halifax Town away at Notts County on the Saturday.
"We have also been informed that City of Livwerpool have a decent away following and have told us to expect upwards of 100 supporters," he added.
Under-18s coach Simon Ward has gone on record after the great 4-1 cup win over Bradford PA to say: "This year’s U-18 team is a very unique one as it has adopted our first team’s model of drawing player contributions from manager Vill Powell's home city of Sheffield and thanks go to assistant manager Stacy Reed who has contributed three players to the back four. They are Josh Robinson, Harvey Smythe and Luke Battle who have joined local product Spencer Pearson. "I have pulled in a midfield quartet and striker from local club Brighouse Sports Old Boys, namely Harry Stone, Cieran McFarland, Robbie Thompson and Marcus Mangoro plus striker Curtis Broadfield. The newly formed Brighouse Sports Old Boys team that is run by ex-Town legend Glen Hall and well-known local coach Dave Thompson, has some quality which can be seen by their results so far this term. In addition I have added the best of his academy students to complete the line up and we hope to have a good cup run.
Monday's planned Inegro League Cup tie with Stocksbridge Park Steels has been postponed with the former club of Jamie Vardy having a Sheffield and Hallamshire CVup tie which takes preference.
Town in the West Riding County FA Cup first round have been drawn away at Harrogate Railway Atheltic on Tuesday, October 8.