Match Preview

Brighouse Town (H) – Tuesday, 23rd January 2024

The Opposition
Brighouse Town were formed in 1963 as a works team of the Blakeborough Valve Company. When they were shut down in 1988 the club adopted its current name.
Success was achieved early for Blakeborough, winning the Huddersfield Works League in their first year and then a further four times in the next decade.
2008 saw promotion to Division One of the Northern Counties East League and within a couple of years they had reached the Premier Division.
In 2014 they won the Premier Division to enter the Northern Premier League for the first time.
Like Belper, they have been moved around a bit, starting in the North before switching to the East then the North West. They moved back to the East in 2021 and have remained there since.

In 2023-24, Town started with two high scoring draws, with spectators treated to 14 goals in their opening two matches.
Gameday 4 saw their first victory, over Grantham and they followed this up with another to sit 8th at the end of August.
September saw only one victory, on the final day of the month at home to Newton Aycliffe.
Despite picking up back to back victories in October, defeat at Bridlington kicked off a run of 11 games without a win which included Belper's win at the Heffernan Utilities Stadium.
The winless run ended on Boxing Day and was followed up by victory over Liversedge on New Year's Day.
Their last two matches have seen them go down 3-1 away to Grantham and pick up a 0-0 draw at home to Grimsby Borough.
They currently sit 15th in the table with the following record: P 23 W 6 D 7 L 10 F 34 A 47 Pts. 25.
In the FA Cup, the campaign was ended by defeat to Albion Sports.
Supporters got value for money in the FA Trophy where all three matches went to a penalty shoot-out. After victories over Hebburn and Clitheroe, Premier Division side Ashton United ended Town's campaign 5-4 on pens in the 3rd Qualifying Round.

Manager Vill Powell took over 6 years ago.
Mohammad Qasim leads the scoring charts with 16 goals in all competitions, followed by Myron Gibbons with 7 and Jack Normanton has 6.

The Nailers
Belper survived December unbeaten in the league but the opening game of 2024 saw a long midweek trip to Ashington from where we returned empty handed.
The previous league fixture saw a return to form with victory over North Ferriby at the Raygar Stadium despite playing three quarters of the match with ten players.
They currently sit in 3rd position with a record of P 22 W 12 D 3 L 7 F 46 A 33 Pts. 39.
At home, Belper have won six out of eleven matches played.
Kevin Bastos leads the way with 15 goals. Cam Johnson hit 8 before his transfer to Sheffield and Phil Watt has 6.

Head to Head
Just three previous competitive meetings between the sides.
Brighouse won both encounters in the 2018/19 season. In early November, it was 2-0 to the home side in Yorkshire, a goal in each half enough.
Back at Belper at the turn of the year, it was 3-1 to the visitors with an own goal for the home side meaning still no Belper player had scored against Brighouse yet in a competitive fixture.
That run was ended in the fixture earlier this season when Belper clawed one back in the head to head record, with a 2-0 victory at the Heffernan Utilities Stadium. Kev Bastos with a brace of first half penalties.
A pre-season friendly was played ahead of the 2019/20 season at Brighouse which the Nailers won 2-1.

Form Guide (League)
Brighouse - (16 Dec) LDWWLD (13 Jan)
Belper Town - (16 Dec) WDDWLW (13 Jan)

Team News
Declan Dunn serves a suspension following his red card against North Ferriby.
Ben Rhodes remains an injury doubt.
Ollie Brown-Hill is available for selection after signing on dual-registration terms from Stamford.

Permutations
Victory for the Nailers will move them to 2nd.
Consett could leapfrog Belper with a victory if we don't win the fixture at the Raygar Stadium.
Brighouse's goal difference of -13 is holding them back in terms of how high they can move even with a win, with jumping up 2 places to 13th their best outcome from tonight.
There is a gap of four points to Sheffield beneath them so they cannot drop a place no matter the result.

Match details
Belper Town vs. Brighouse Town
Northern Premier League Division One - East Division
Tuesday, 23rd January 2024 – 7:45pm kick off
Raygar Stadium
Bridge Street
Belper
Derbyshire
DE56 1BA
Tickets: Adults £11, Concessions (11-16 and 60+) & Students £7, U11 with paying adult £0

Follow the match
Live commentary is available with Tom on Radio Belper Town - https://radiobelpertown.mixlr.com
Full coverage on X (Twitter). Team news, HT & FT scores on Facebook.
Match reports to follow on the website and in the Non-League Paper.

Elsewhere in Division One East

Consett entertain Ashington and Grimsby Borough travel to Liversedge in the other NPL East games tonight.
Tomorrow sees Cleethorpes host Dunston.

Tuesday, 23rd January
(6th) Consett AFC vs. Ashington AFC (10th)
(14th) Liversedge vs. Grimsby Borough (11th)

Wednesday, 24th January
(12th) Cleethorpes Town vs. Dunston UTS (7th)