Hemsworth MW 0 v Brighouse Town 5

Hemsworth MW 0 v Brighouse Town 5
Club News | Sat 5th Sep 09
Posted by Ray McLaughlin

Crossley bags hat-trick in excellent team performance.

Brighouse Town recorded an emphatic win against Hemsworth MW, but although the scoreline suggests otherwise, this was anything but an easy game and this probably made the result even more pleasing, as it required the whole team to keep battling away until the home side finally cracked.
The opening period was even, and there were plenty of tackles flying in as you would expect from any visit to Hemsworth. Town settled first, Kieran Corley having a 20yd shot go just wide after 8 mins and 3 minutes later Dave Watson thought he had given the locals the lead when he took a pass from Damien Melvin and blasted a shot at goal from 10yds that the keeper somehow managed to fling himself in front of and force out for a corner.
Town were well on top, and eventually got the goal this dominance deserved after 31 mins, when Melvin fed Watson who went on a jinking run along the by-line before firing home from an acute angle. Melvin’s last contribution, before being replaced at half-time by Wayne Crossley due to an ankle injury, was to force the keeper into another good save on 44 mins.
Town started the 2nd half again creating chances; Watson testing the keeper on 46 mins, then Wayne Crossley might have done better when he got on the end of a Ryan Brooke clearance but couldn’t beat the advancing keeper and then Watson fired over after dispossessing a defender.
Hemsworth then had their best spell of the game and built some pressure. On the 55th min came a real pivotal moment in the game; a low shot looked destined to give Hemsworth an equaliser but new signing Daryl Leach did brilliantly to clear the ball off the line.
This seemed to inspire Town and they went on to dominate the rest of the game. Andy Markham’s superb run and cross saw Watson’s shot get blocked and Crossley’s follow up was cleared off the line. The second goal came after 65 mins when the influential Watson burst forward from midfield and when his shot was parried out to the edge of the box by the keeper, debutant Nathan Cartman smashed a volley into the corner of the net.
Lee Malcher replaced Corley after 70 mins, and Town immediately made it 3 -0 when Watson’s free kick was dummied by Leach and Crossley fired in. Cartman forced the keeper to save well, but he couldn’t prevent Crossley making it 4 – 0 after 82 mins but great credit should go to Callum Rodgers who ran from inside his own half to the by-line before whipping in a cross that Watson played back to Crossley to knock home. Crossley then went on to score Town’s 5th goal and complete his hat-trick from the penalty spot in added time.
No game against a physical Hemsworth team is easy so the whole Town team should take credit for this win. Special mention must go to the two debutant’s; Daryl Leach didn’t put a foot wrong and was a real presence at the back for Town, and young Cartman’s skill and work-rate really caught the eye in the Town midfield and he topped this performance off with a cracking goal. Dave Watson also had his best game for the Club and seemed to be involved in all Town’s best attacks. A hat-trick in any game is a feat, ,but Wayne Crossley came off the bench to score one in 45 mins so again deserves special praise.
This win moves Town up to joint third in the League.