ONE of the fastest goals ever scored in the Huddersfield Junior League was the first act of this tie.
It was such a surprise that even the Kirkheaton supporters looked dumbfounded when, within seconds of the kick off, Bradley Powell launched a shot from his own half of the field which sailed over the keeper and into the back of the Brighouse net.
The goal was so quick that even some supporters, still settling down for the game, missed it and those who arrived late were surprised to find that Kirkheaton had taken the lead.
The big Kirkheaton centre back’s power was clearly going to be a problem for First Division Brighouse in this much-delayed third round cup game, but the home side rolled up their sleeves and went about trying to find a way to stop Second Division Kirkheaton, who were enjoying too much possession for comfort.
Defenders Kyle Broadbent, Louis Andre, Lewis Hobson and Joe Howard weathered the storm and, after 15 minutes, Brighouse were back on level terms when a perfectly-weighted Max Thirlwell chip eluded keeper Jake Sykes and fell into the Kirkheaton net, just under the bar.
But Powell’s power was to play another big part in his team’s fortunes when, first, he rose above the Brighouse defence to head Kirkheaton’s second goal from a corner, and then was guilty of a clumsy challenge on Jake Malcher – sending the Brighouse forward tumbling in the penalty area – but Brighouse missed that chance to level the game for a second time (just before half time) when Joe Howard’s spot-kick rebounded to safety from the bar.
As the second half got under way it was Kirkheaton’s turn to feel the pressure as Scott Henry began to find space on the right, sending in a series of crosses forcing Nathan Simms, Philip Hepplestone, Sam Blair and Powell into some desperate defending.
But when a Henry cross found Malcher on the edge of the area, the Brighouse forward wasted no time in driving a shot through a crowd of players to level the scores for a second time at 2-2. Brighouse’s confidence was growing by the minute and, to add to Kirkheatons’ problems, Harry Sellars and Malcher were finding space in front of goal and it was inevitable that one of them would eventually find a way through
After seeing two previous shots well saved by keeper Sykes, Sellars finally made the breakthrough for the home side when a third shot from 10 yards gave Brighouse the lead for the first time in the game.
The visitors had given everything and only a couple of superb Sykes stops kept Kirkheaton in the game as they struggled to keep pace with the home side, who were now spraying passes all over the field.
Again Sykes looked to have pulled off the save of the game when he blocked a Sellars shot from 10 yards but, unfortunately for the keeper, the rebound fell back to Sellars who tapped home a fourth for Brighouse.
With one last effort on the heavy pitch, Kirkheaton midfielders Timmy Taylor and Niall Dobson forced Brighouse back on the defensive and alarm bells started ringing in the home camp when Sam Day found space to drill home a shot from the right to put Kirkheaton right back in the game at 4-3 down. But relieved Brighouse finally held on.
