Brighouse Town 2-3 Steels

Stocksbridge Park Steels once again scored in the 90th minute against Brighouse Town, finally sealing a win against the traditional bogey side.

It was Brighouse who started off as the better side and they very quickly took advantage of their better player. An initial corner was cleared by Stocksbridge, but not very far. Javelle Clarke hit a shot that Ben Townsend was able to palm away but Myron Gibbons, who scored a hat trick against Stocksbridge the last time he played against them, was first onto it and score the opener.

Stocksbridge were not behind for very long though. The Steels had an attack down the left and Tomas Poole was able to break in from that area. He had options in the middle but instead he went for it. The strike was too strong and powerful for Brett Souter to save at his near post, putting the Steels back on level terms.

The game would continue to be lively with the wings playing a big part for both teams. Ify Ofoegbu was having a fantastic duel with Brighouse’s Player of the Season elect Sam Reed, while Lewis Macaskill was getting the better of Mohammed Ibrahim on the other side. At the other end, Clarke continued to effect the game during his battle with a returning Jordan Lemon while Jack Wilson on the other side looked to have a similar impact as he did when he played against us for Ossett United in the FA Trophy. However Bailey Baker was able to keep a handle on him.

It was one of the wingers who’d make a big impact and thankfully, it was Macaskill. He bundled past the defence once again and his terrier like persistence forced a mistake between Souter and Aiden Walker allowed him to break through on an empty goal. Walker then would wrestle Macaskill down to the ground to stop him from getting that opportunity. The referee instantly pointed to the spot. Ify Ofoegbu stepped up for his second in-game penalty of the season and while Souter guessed the right way, Ofoegbu’s penalty was too powerful to stop as it went into the bottom corner.

Brighouse did improve as the game got closer to half time with their centre of midfield starting to get more into the game. But in the end, they weren’t able to do much, with their biggest chance before the end of the first half being a distance shot from Thomas Haigh which Townsend was able to save fairly simply.

In the second half, the Steels looked to try and extend their lead to avoid a tense ending to the game. They were only a few inches away from doing that as well. One free kick was whipped in from the left hand side and Charlie Oglesby rose highest to head it and it looped onto the top of the bar before going out. Oglesby wasn’t too far later from a similar set piece as his header that time hit the post.

Frustratingly, Brighouse continued to grow into the game with Clarke starting to have more and more influence. Clark almost danced his way through the box before shooting at the near post, but Townsend showed David de Gea how to save with his feet. However, Brighouse’s goal eventually came. They had missed a few from distance during the game but eventually one came good. A ball was cleared and former Steel Corey Gregory hit a sweet shot that left Townsend with little chance.

The game would become end to end for the final minutes as both teams chased a late winner. Brighouse carried a lot of threat but in the end, luck would shine for the Steels. Kurtis Turner earned a free kick after being tripped on the left wing and with Poole off the pitch, he stepped for a free kick that seemed like a good crossing opportunity. Turner curled it in and it evaded everyone, including the goalkeeper, and the ball found the bottom corner.

Brighouse would throw everything at Stocksbridge in the final few minutes but they couldn’t find the moment to get it. It seemed destined for Jack Boyle after Brighouse got a free kick on the edge of the area but after he sent that over, the referee blew for the final whistle and the Steels won their first game at the Yorkshire Payments Stadium for a generation.