Brighouse Under 13s picked up only their second win of the season in the RCD Huddersfield Junior League – but only after holding off a late fightback from home side Linthwaite to triumph 5-4.
Both teams are in the bottom three of Division III and they knew a win for either side would ease fears of relegation.
George Crabtree and Niall Bentley got Brighouse off to a flying start after just five minutes when they combined to set up a cross from the left for Ben Marler to turn the ball into the Linthwaite net.
And Linthwaite’s deficit was doubled five minutes later when Jake O’Conner’s corner was met by Marler who headed a second for Brighouse (0-2).
Jay Cyrus and Joseph Robinson gradually began to get to grips with the Brighouse attack and their efforts were rewarded when George Hodgson sent Adam Gallagher on a right-wing run from where the Linthwaite midfielder produced a far-post cross for Bradley McNeill to score into an unguarded net (1-2).
Linthwaite’s hopes took a nasty turn when Bentley struck a shot which took a wicked deflection to loop over the helpless keeper to restore the visitors two-goal advantage (1-3).
The home side continued to press and Cyrus was unlucky to find keeper Harry Kilroy on top form – he was quick off his line to save at Cyrus’ feet – and Kilroy was in action again within a minute, pulling off a diving save to turn a Dean Rangeley effort round the post.
The visitors wasted a golden opportunity to increase their lead when Dylan Hudson’s pass found an unmarked Marler at the far post but the Brighouse forward snatched at his shot, which rolled harmlessly into the keeper’s arms.
But Marler was not to be denied, heading an O’Conner cross into the net from six yards to leave Brighouse with a three-goal advantage at the break (1-4).
Linthwaite looked much brighter as the second half got under way but, although Joseph Batley, Nathan Woodward and Hodgson were now denying Brighouse the space they enjoyed in the
first half, they were unable to stop a Batley 20-yard free-kick that dipped into the far corner of the net (1-5).
With a four-goal lead and only half an hour to play, no-one would have predicted the final scoreline.
Hodgson found Rangeley with a long throw from the right and the striker did well to get the ball from under his feet to strike a second goal for Linthwaite.
The goal was hardly going to make a big difference but, when Rangeley and Nathan Wadsworth worked the ball to within 15 yards of the visitors’ goal, the Brighouse defence failed to
clear the danger allowing Hodgson to rifle home at the near post (3-5).
Linthwaite were now well in control and threatened to score several times, but efforts from Gallagher and Rangeley produced two more fine saves from Kilroy.
George Crabtree, Bentley, Isaac Wooley and O’Conner had done a good job of holding off the Linthwaite attack but they were helpless to stop the home side pulling another goal back when referee James Lee spotted a hand ball just inside the Brighouse area and had no hesitation in awarding a penalty.
Rangeley stepped up to fire the ball into the bottom left corner to reduce the deficit to one at 5-4, but time had run out and it was Brighouse who picked up the three points in an exciting game.
