Evo-Stik Division One North: Brighouse Town 2 Hyde United 0

ON A night of raw emotion at the Dual Seal Stadium following the tragic event of a week previously when Shaw Lane defender Dan Wilkinson collapsed on the pitch, Brighouse Town paid their own respects.

Wilkinson, who began his career with Hull City and featured on the big screens at the KCOM Stadium before the Tigers’ home game against Arsenal on Saturday, suffered a fatal cardiac arrest on the pitch at St Giles Road.

Brighouse were due to be at home on Saturday but Paul Quinn - who administered CPR to the stricken player - and his players didn’t feel able to play their home league game against Colne so soon after Wilkinson’s passing.

They asked the Evo-Stik League, and Colne, to postpone the game, and instead they went to Shaw Lane as a mark of respect and solidarity. Last night’s match-day programme featured Dan Wilkinson on its cover.

Once the action started, Brighouse opened up a two-goal, first-half lead and held onto that 2-0 scoreline after the interval, going top of the table.

The opening goal was lashed in, off the underside of the bar, by Luke Parkin in the seventh minute after a superb ball in from Danny Brunch.

Soon after the quarter hour, Tom Haigh doubled Town’s advantage with a curling shot from distance that went in off a post.

Former Bradford City, Bradford Park Avenue and Farsley Celtic forward was in Brighouse's starting line-up on his debut.

The second half of the game was marked by a resounding round of applause for Wilkinson in the 61st minute, when the League Cup tie against Shaw Lane was abandoned.