Brighouse Old Boys Reserves 2 Broomhill 5

BROOMHILL upset higher-ranked Brighouse to advance into the fourth round of the West Riding County Challenge Trophy in windy conditions on a 3G pitch.

A brace from Andy Tanner with a goal each from Liam Baker, Jake Ward and Joe Slater were enough to complete the comfortable victory over their hosts, who are ninth in the West Yorkshire League Alliance Division One.

The Badgers – third in Craven League Division Two – started the brighter, with man of the match Matthew Kershaw finding space to shoot just over from 20 yards.

Full backs Matthew Wilson and Chris Reynolds were enjoying plenty of space and were allowed to venture forward at every opportunity and it was through this wing play that Broomhill opened the scoring.

Neat play down the right from Reynolds and Ward found midfielder Joe Jalil, who passed first time to Baker. His shot took a deflection off a defender before finding the net.

Knowing the importance of shooting on sight with the wind behind them, the Badgers continued to press and doubled the lead on the half-hour mark.

Jalil played a superb through ball to Ward with the outside of his foot and he slotted past the onrushing keeper after beating the offside trap.

In injury time, Brighouse halved the deficit when their captain headed in from a perfect corner.

Playing against the wind after the break, the expected pressure came straight from the start but centre halves David Rhodes and Aaron Whitaker coped well with high balls.

Against the run of play, Broomhill earned a penalty on the 55-minute mark when Baker was pulled back in the six-yard box. Tanner stepped up to place the ball under the diving keeper and extend the Badgers lead.

Broomhill should have immediately increased the lead through Kershaw after a great cross from strike partner Tanner but he was only able to hit the outside of the post.

With a big league game this week against Carleton in mind, Jalil and Rhodes were substituted and Joe Slater and Luke Thornton brought on.

Slater made an impressive impact by scoring the fourth. Kershaw played an inch-perfect through-ball to Tanner, whose shot hit the keeper's leg before Slater stroked the rebound into an empty net.

Substitute Patrick King was then brought on with 25 minutes left and was impressive breaking up play and winning his 50/50 tackles.

Brighouse pulled one back when a free-kick got through the defensive wall but the Badgers had the last word. Seeing an arcing run from Tanner, Slater slid the ball through the full back and centre back and the striker beat both defenders for pace before slotting into the corner to seal the victory.

The Badgers will now host either Field Reserves or Pontefract Sports in the next round.

Broomhill: Shutt, Reynolds, Whitaker, Rhodes (Thornton 60), Wilson, Baker (King 65), Hardman, Jalil (Slater 70), Ward, Kershaw, Tanner.