Bottesford 3 v 0 Brighouse Town

Bottesford 3 v 0 Brighouse Town
Club News | Sun 5th Apr 09
Posted by Ray McLaughlin

Gommersal off in disappointing display.

Town turned in a disappointing performance in North Lincolnshire, but could maybe look at quite a bit of disruption to the preparations for this match as going someway to explain the reason why. During the week Club stalwart Tony Nicholson, who has been in fine form this season, broke the news that he has had to retire with immediate effect on medical advise due to a persistent Achilles problem. Danny Ryan and Chris Wdowczyk were both unavailable and then Damien Place broke down in pre match warm up, meaning that assistant manager Darren Attwood had to fill in as one of the Town substitutes.
The opening 20 mins was Town’s best period of the game, dominating the play, but crucially not turning this dominance into goals. Wayne Crossley was at the heart of most attacks, putting in a good cross after 2 mins that Danny Bentley couldn’t quite get his head to. Crossley then cleverly turned his marker and put in another dangerous cross, this time Joe Pinnock was inches away from giving Town the lead. After 15 mins, good interplay between Matty Roy and Bentley set up Pinnock to shoot over the top. Five minutes later, Matty Roy and Pinnock worked the ball to Crossley who wriggled free of his marker but his shot was saved.
A minute later, Bottesford took the lead from their first chance of the game. Town’s defence was guilty of being caught square and a simple through ball found Luke Clifford who shot past Paul Brown. This seemed to knock the confidence out of Town and Bottesford started to get on top. On 32 mins there was a major blow for Town when Damien Gommersal was given a straight red card for a last ditch tackle on the edge of the area which the referee deemed as a professional foul. Town reshuffled the team with Chris Haddow dropping into the defence. Town looked flat and only a couple of surging 50 yd runs with the ball by Sam Talbot looked like inspiring Town. Both runs ended with him being up-ended on the edge of the box, but disappointingly, Town failed to trouble the keeper from either free kick. Five minutes before half time Town conceded a second goal in very similar circumstances to the first. Again a simple through ball caught the Town defence out and John Joe McCaffrey made it 2 - 0 to the home side.
The second half had a real end of season feel to it. Bottesford were in control of the game against ten men and there didn’t seem to be a belief in the Town side that they could mount a fight-back. This was certainly true after 65 mins when the impressive Carl Derbyshire made it 3 - 0 with a crisp low shot from the edge of the box. Town used their subs to try change the game, Avram Noel and Richard Walsh replacing Matty Roy and Danny Bentley. With 20 mins to go Attwood also got a run out at centre forward replacing Joe Pinnock but all was to no avail as the game was already well out of Town’s reach. Jamie Fradgley and Ryan Brook never stopped trying for a below par Town team.
Town remain 14th in the League and will hope that they can get enough points from the last five games of the season to at least keep that position, but if at all possible try to improve on it.