A REMARKABLE second-half comeback left the Clifton players and supporters shattered after an epic encounter with arch rivals Brighouse.
Brighouse looked easily the stronger side in the opening 10 minutes as Clifton struggled to get out of their own half but, on a rare excursion into the Brighouse penalty area, a trip led to a complete turn around of fortunes.
Connor Storer converted from the spot to give Clifton a surprise 1-0 lead and, within two minutes, Storer stunned the home supporters with a superb shot into the bottom corner to double their tally.
Brighouse were in disarray and when Jordan Lewis added a third for Clifton just before the break and Brighouse boss Gary Broadhead needed to use all his powers of motivation to lift his side but even he could not have foreseen the events of the next half hour.
A Louis Andre strike gave Brighouse the start they needed and although Clifton made it 4-1 with Scott Henry on target, the home side battled back to level the scores thanks to goals from Harry Sellars, Joe Howard and Jake Malcher.
Clifton’s hearts were finally broken when Myles Kao netted the winning goal to give Brighouse a famous victory.
YMCA’s Under 11s held on to top spot in Division I when Dewsbury Rangers were unable to find a reply as goals from Thomas Hughes, Fraser Horsfall, James Pettinger and Marley James gave the Laund Hill side a comfortable 4-0 win.
In Division II, second-placed Netherton travelled to Brighouse for their top-of-the-table clash with the league leaders.
Louis Barker and Jordan Hoyle were on target for Brighouse but their goals were cancelled out by strikes from George Bonner and Edward Hemmingway to give Netherton a highly creditable share of the points.
And Netherton’s Under 11 B team went one better by beating Brighouse B.
Two goals from Liam Norcliffe and one each for Liam Amos and Jordan Barrett finished off a solid victory for the Big Valley side.Brighouse’s reply came from Nicholas Galvin.
