BRIGHOUSE maintained their challenge for the Under 18 Division II title with a 3-2 victory over Northowram at Hove Edge – but it was a close run affair with plenty of excitement, controversy and quality football.

Brighouse looked strong from the start as Northowram struggled to come to terms with Jordan Peel’s pace.

Fed with some outstanding passes from Levi Williams, Peel led a series of raids on the right from which Will Wilson was unlucky not to score.

The home side’s failure to take advantage of their early dominance almost cost them when a speedy Northowram break ended with a terrific shot across goal from Rob Trowell, but the midfielder’s shot rebounded from the far post.

A moment of controversy arrived when Wilson’s shot struck the underside of the bar and bounced over the Northowram goalline, but the spin carried the ball back into open play.

Despite Brighouse’s protests, the referee was unable to confirm if the ball had crossed the line from his position and waved play on, so the first half ended goalless.

Brighouse’s back line of George Williams, Gashley Hirst, Dominic Lister and the ever-busy Williams were a constant barrier for the Northowram attack and it took a moment of magic, soon after the break, to set up the opening goal for the visitors.

Daniel Agar and Ricky Dyke combined to set up Josh Smithies who netted at the far post to give the visitors the edge.

Dyke almost doubled his side’s lead moments later but, after his first shot rebounded from the bar, the Northowram midfielder was unable to keep his second attempt down and the ball flew high over.

From almost being two down, Brighouse were soon back on level terms.

Northowram’s failure to clear a corner led to a goalmouth scramble and James Knowles pounced to make it 1-1.

With Northowram still smarting from their mistake, Jake Rushforth found a way through the middle to hit the next and put Brighouse 2-1 in front.

Defenders Oliver Warrington, Steve Tasker and captain Josh Green were now under pressure as Brighouse tried hard to put the game beyond Northowram’s reach, but the home side were not having it all their own way as, again, Northowram were unlucky when Smithies’ dipping 30-yard shot crashed against the woodwork.

With the game still being played at a frantic pace it was inevitable that tired legs would bring about a few untimely challenges, forcing the referee to produce a couple of yellow cards.

Brighouse sealed victory 10 minutes from the end when a cross from the right found Ryan Crossley who buried the ball in the back of the net at the far post.

Agar set up a frantic end to the game when he headed home Smithies’ left-wing cross to make it 3-2, but it proved no more than a consolation in the end. Brighouse deserved their victory but, on another day, the score could easily have been the other way around.