Much improved second-half display earns victory over Prescot
TWO GOALS in a minute saw Brighouse Town gain sweet revenge over Prescot Cables for a 2-1 defeat on Merseyside three weeks ago.
In this re-arranged game from March 21, with other clubs in FA Cup action, Town were second best in the first half as Prescot led by Matthew Hamilton, Martyn Jackson and George Hassall put pressure on the home defence.
They didn’t crack, with Josh Grant, Joe Wilkinson, Connor Griffin and Kurt Harris being strong ahead of keeper Jordan Porter.
It needed some strong halftime words from manager Vill Powell to inject purpose and life into the team and they were soon looking a completely different outfit as they rocked Prescot back into their half on the resumption.
Wide men Ousman Cham and Thomas Robinson were getting quality balls and making progress each time and the visiting keeper, Ollie Taylor was under pressure.
In the 51st minute Town took the lead with a superb goal that saw Cham beat a man down the left and then swing in a perfect cross for Carl Stewart to meet with his head and Taylor could only parry into the roof of the net.
From the kick-off, Town won possession and they unleashed a swift attack down the centre of the pitch and both Tom Haigh and Stewart had a chance to score.
It appeared Taylor was just going to get the ball when he lost it and handed Alhassane Keita possession on a plate and the prolific striker, on the floor by this time, instinctively hooked his boot around the ball and sent it 18 yards and into the empty net.
The home crowd were ecstatic and cheering Town on for more and they saw Robinson, Cham, Keita and Stewart all denied by Taylor who made amends in some style for his earlier error.
On 67 minutes Town introduced 6ft 3ins tall striker Joe Jagger for his first game back at the Yorkshire Payments stadium since 2013 in orange and black and he looked lively and produced a superb through hall for Cham but he was just six inches short of latching on to it before Taylor scooped it up.
Porter made two good saves to dampen the hopes of Prescot fans behind his goal at the Quarry end.
Powell also introduced fresh legs of a defensive nature in Shiraz Khan and Iwan Heeley before the end of the game to aid game management and secure the vital three points which they did alongside their colleagues.