Brighouse out of FA Cup

The Rotherham visitors from two divisions lower took control of the preliminary round tie with two goals in eight minutes in the first half.

Skipper Tim Whittaker volleyed home from 30 yards out after 27 minutes and shortly after outside left Elliott Simpson drove the ball over the head of home keeper Jordan Porter from 25 yards out.

The home side huffed and puffed looking for a response but the visitors’ tall and sturdily-built central defenders Matthew Crookes, Whittaker and Brandon Cardwell did not let them have a look in during the second half.

Town thought they should have been awarded a penalty with 25 minutes to go when striker Aaron Martin appeared to be pushed over in the box.

The Steelman had picked up only one point from their opening two league games and their manager Billy Fox had claimed that “on paper they (Brighouse) can’t lose.”

Brighouse, with the chance of some serious prize money gone, must now lift themselves and improve dramatically for tomorrow’s home Evo-Stik NPL game against Ossett United in the First Division East.

Ossett let a 2-0 lead slip and were held 2-2 at home by Mossley in front of a 432 crowd in the cup yesterday.

They have six points to Brighouse’s three after two rounds of league fixtures.