Brighouse bye blues, blunt Brabham blockbuster

After two weeks off, including a bye and a deferred match, Brighouse faced off against Millthorpe Tigers at Jack Brabham Park in round 12 of the ODFA C Grade competition.

Millthorpe were coming off a stinging 5-0 loss to Denley Moor the previous week.

In their first encounter earlier this season, the Tigers bested Brighouse 3-1 and on Saturday that history repeated itself.

Despite Brighouse taking an early lead with the opening goal, Millthorpe responded ruthlessly to go to the break 3-1 up.

Brighouse played some of its best football in the first 10 minutes of the match, attacking the Millthorpe goal.

A cross into the box from striker Andrew Pansini found the feet of mid-fielder Murray McCloskey, who drilled home a powerful strike which the Tigers’ keeper found too hot to handle.

The ball found itself heading back towards McCloskey who closed and finished the shot to open his 2019 account, but not before he and the keeper clashed and painfully hitting the dirt in the rush to be first to the ball.

The second half proved fruitless for both sides with Brighouse shutting out a wave of Tigers attacks, the highlight of which was a premier league-quality save from keeper Chad Bliss, who flew through the air to tip a Millthorpe screamer over the top bar.