Brighouse Town (H) - Tuesday, 15th October 2024

The Opposition - History
Brighouse Town were formed in 1963 as a works team of the Blakeborough Valve Company. When they were shut down in 1988 the club adopted its current name.
Success was achieved early for Blakeborough, winning the Huddersfield Works League in their first year and then a further four times in the next decade.
2008 saw promotion to Division One of the Northern Counties East League and within a couple of years they had reached the Premier Division.
In 2014 they won the Premier Division to enter the Northern Premier League for the first time.
Like Belper, they have been moved around a bit, starting in the North before switching to the East then the North West. They moved back to the East in 2021 and have remained there since.

The Opposition - This Season
Town struggled at the start of the season, going out of the FA Cup on penalties at home to Barnoldswick Town in a replay before going four without a win to begin the NPL campaign.
They picked up victories against Sheffield FC and Bishop Auckland to shoot them up the table but since that win on 31st August have gone six without a win in all competitions, failing to score in their last four matches.

They currently sit 19th: P 11 W 2 D 3 L 6 F 7 A 21 Pts. 9

A journey of around 76 miles awaits them this evening.

Manager Grant Black, who won promotion with the Nailers via the playoffs in 2022, took over at Brighouse in May 2024.

So far this season Myron Gibbons leads the way with three goals, while three players have two goals each and a further player is on one goal.

The Nailers
Belper have had a very good start to the season.
Victories over Heaton Stannington and Bradford (Park Avenue) in the league were followed by an FA Cup win over Lutterworth but Emley inflicted a first defeat of the season on the 20th of August.
They responded with back to back wins before exiting the FA Cup at the hands of Bromsgrove Sporting.
A couple of wins followed but then a heavy defeat at home to Cleethorpes Town.
Since then however the Nailers have won five in a row and sit 3rd in the form table behind only Bradford PA and Stocksbridge.
Harry Draper leads the way with nine goals. Nat Crofts has five and Curtis Burrows three, the same as Jacob Gratton before his move to Worksop. Keaton August and Luke Rawson have two goals each while a further six players are on one goal apiece.

Head to Head
Just four previous competitive meetings between the sides.
Brighouse won both encounters in the 2018/19 season. In early November, it was 2-0 to the home side in Yorkshire, a goal in each half enough.
Back at Belper at the turn of the year, it was 3-1 to the visitors with an own goal for the home side meaning still no Belper player had scored against Brighouse yet in a competitive fixture.
That run was ended last season when Belper clawed one back in the head to head record, with a 2-0 victory at the Heffernan Utilities Stadium, Kev Bastos with a brace of first half penalties.
However the Yorkshire side gained revenge at the Raygar Stadium in January, winning 3-1 with two late goals from Darius Smith.

Form Guide (all comps)
Belper Town: LWWWWW
Brighouse Town: DLLLLL

Team News
There are no major injury concerns or suspensions.
New signing Luther Munakandafa is available for selection.

Permutations
Belper will go top if they win as Emley are not in action tonight. A draw will leave them 2nd while they cannot be caught even with defeat as the two sides immediately below us do not play tonight either (and in any case are currently four points behind).
Brighouse will climb out of the relegation zone with a win, but a draw will only be good enough if Bishop Auckland lose at home to Dunston.
They cannot drop a place no matter the result.

Match details
Belper Town vs. Brighouse Town
Northern Premier League Division One East
Tuesday, 15th October 2024 - 7:45pm kick off
Raygar Stadium
Bridge Street
Belper
Derbyshire
DE56 1BA
Tickets: Adults £11, Concessions (under 16 and 60+) £7, Under 11 (with paying adult) £0

Follow the match
Live commentary is available with Tom on Radio Belper Town - https://radiobelpertown.mixlr.com
Full coverage on X and Facebook.
Match reports to follow on the website and in the Non-League Paper.

NPL East fixtures
Belper Town vs. Brighouse Town
Bishop Auckland vs. Dunston
Bradford (Park Avenue) vs. Carlton Town
Cleethorpes Town vs. Newton Aycliffe
Garforth Town vs. Ossett United