Brighouse ready for home opener

NEW BOSS Vill Powell is confident Brighouse Town are ready for a tough start to the 2017-18 Evo-Stik Division One North season.
Football - Brighouse Town v Colne. Tom Haigh for Brighouse.Football - Brighouse Town v Colne. Tom Haigh for Brighouse.
Football - Brighouse Town v Colne. Tom Haigh for Brighouse.

Town have a home game against relegated Skelmersdale United on Saturday (3.0) and a trip to title favourites South Shields on Tuesday (7.45).

There has been a late flurry of signings at the Yorkshire Payments Stadium including the captures of two Huddersfield-based midfielders.

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They are Robert Worrall, recently released by Nottingham Forest, and Iwan Heeley, who played 40 games last term for Glossop North End.

Town have also snapped up two wingers, Frenchman Annor Ferninand who lives in Leeds and has been playing for Albion Sports, and London-born winger Cephas Turibamwe, now living in Huddersfield.

Mirfield teenager Harry Stead, who has come though the Development squad at Town, looks likely to hold on to the goalkeeper’s jersey after impressing against FC Halifax Town and then Worksop Town.

However, Powell has drafted in two ‘keepers with more experience - ex-Sheffield United and Maltby Main player Declan Howard and Chandler Hallwood, the former Walsall, Bradford City and Tadcaster Albion custodian, who has signed on a dual registration from Harrogate Town.

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Powell believes he has now recruited a good set of committed players, a far cry from when he took over when few players were still on board.

“It’s going be a tough call picking 16 players for the first match and then reducing that to 11, but it is a good problem to have and we have to keep this unit together.

“They are a close-knit group and we have a long season ahead. They will all play a big part in the 50 to 60 games we are likely to have.”

One player not available on Saturday is Tom Haigh, who starts a three match ban carried over from last season.

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Speedy right winger Matty Ord, who jarred a knee in the 1-0 win at Basford United last Saturday, is an injury worry.

LUCKLESS Brighouse Town have another away draw in a cup competition. They must travel to Merseyside club Marine in the first round of the Integro League Challenge Cup in the week starting October 16.

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