Toby or not Toby? Luke who's leaving ...

SHELF PANTHERS MATCH REPORT 16 OCTOBER 2011
Brighouse 4 Shelf Panthers 0

The Panthers said farewell to two stalwarts as Toby and Luke both played their final games before joining new clubs.

Toby was one of the last remaining original Panthers, who joined the team when they were tiny tots (in Toby’s case, about 6’2”). Having scored countless goals, he’s become the Huddersfield Junior League’s first millionaire player thanks to an over-generous parental incentive scheme: his dad Simon is believed to have finally agreed to his move to Northowram on condition that his new club turn him into a defender and forbid him to cross the halfway line.

Luke, who regularly performed heroics in the Shelf goal before becoming an outfield player, crowned his final performance with a Man of the Match display of ball-winning and surging runs from the centre of midfield.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to save the Panthers from another defeat as they dominated possession for much of the match but failed to take their chances.

Shelf could have gone ahead after nine minutes when Luke’s accurate through-ball found Robert sprinting down the right, but Ryan just couldn’t manage to get on the end of Robert’s cross.

The Brighouse keeper reacted well to turn a bending shot from Tom Mann round the post in the 17th minute, and then Adam Renard’s corner was almost touched home by Toby.

But slack marking at a corner at the other end led to Brighouse’s first goal, against the run of play, in the 27th minute.

The Panthers had two gilt-edged close-range chances to equalise in the space of a minute. But Toby blazed his over the bar and Sam steered his the wrong side of the post.

The second half was notable for some brave and agile goalkeeping by Tom Brett, particularly a diving one-handed stop from a close-range shot in the 44th minute.

At the other end, Aaron came close with two chances from corners, but his header was saved and his flick went just wide.

Brighouse wrapped the game up with goals in the 45th, 69th and 79th minutes.

Good luck to Toby and Luke at their new clubs (except when they come up against Shelf, of course).