Colls crash out of FA Cup in front of TV cameras

Pontefract Collieries crashed out of the FA Cup at Beechnut Lane on Saturday in front of the watching ITV cameras, but the match highlights confirmed what everybody in the ground except the officials already suspected – that the Selby goalkeeper should have been given his marching orders with the scores at nil apiece.

The incident, which overshadowed an excellent cup tie, came seconds into the second half, with Pontefract on the attack and in the ascendancy. As Jason Bentley beat the offside trap and bore down on goal, the Selby keeper Paul Fraser rushed out to close the angle. Bentley skilfully lobbed the ball over the keeper and towards the gaping net, only for Fraser to reach up and palm the ball away. As he was closer to the edge of the “D” than he was to the 18-yard line at the time, the crowd bayed for the inevitable whistle, followed by the award of a free-kick and a red card to Fraser. The failure to award either punishment was met with a mix of incredulity and anger from both sets of fans. The home side’s displeasure was compounded by the fact that Fraser had been his side’s saviour on several occasions in the opening half, with further salt being rubbed into the wound by the visitors taking the lead within minutes of themselves being denied.

For the second time in under a week, Ponte faced a team from a higher tier in a cup competition, following the brave defeat to Bridlington Town with another excellent but ultimately unsuccessful performance. The match started with Pontefract on the offensive, Thornton driving at the Town back line and forcing a series of fouls. Selby reminded Pontefract of their class when Jack Debnam completed a driving run with a perfectly-placed cross. Fortunately for the Colls, the Selby skipper Leister failed to make contact, when a goal appeared inevitable. The first half ebbed and flowed as both teams entered into the true cup spirit and went on the attack. At times the game resembled a basketball match with the two Yorkshire sides taking turns at attacking the other. In particular, Bentley and Thornton seemed to have the better of the Selby back four, with several twisting runs into the heart of the area. On 20 minutes, Haigh put Bentley clear with an excellent pass, only to see Bentley robbed of the ball by the last defender, having apparently failed to see Thornton clear to his left. And so it continued – Pontefract threatening, but seemingly intent on scoring the perfect individual goal when a simple pass to a better-placed team-mate may have been more productive, while Selby carried their own threat through long balls to their skilful wide men. As the break neared, Jammal Shahin struck the outside of the Pontefract post, then Bentley cut in from the left and sent a curling right-foot shot towards the inside of the Selby post, only for Fraser to pull off another exceptional save.

Following one keeper’s excellence to deny Ponte at one end, a goalkeeping clanger at the other end nearly presented the visitors with the opener: Rob Poulter – returning from an early season absence – claimed a seemingly aimless high ball, only to clash with Forgione. The ball spilled loose, falling at the feet of Selby’s Eeles, with the net gaping and unguarded. The home team were amazed and relieved to see the centre-halves effort drift over the bar. If the incident could have caused an outbreak of nervousness in a lesser man, it seemed to steel Poulter’s resolve, and he redeemed himself by producing a magnificent stop to deny Liam Davis when a goal seemed certain. The first half was not finished, with Ponte creating two more opportunities in the final seconds – the first petering out when Bentley, having already beaten three men, was denied by a last-ditch tackle from the fourth and Thornton’s shot was blocked.

As the teams left the pitch for the interval, they were cheered by an appreciative crowd, and must have wondered how the first half had not produced goals for the watching TV cameras.

The second half started as the first had ended, with Pontefract on the attack. Then came the incident upon which the game seemed to turn – the referee’s assistant missing the blatant infringement that denied Pontefract a goal and would have certainly left them with a one-nil lead and an extra man to see out the remaining 44 minutes. Instead, they were shortly behind; a thundering 35-yard strike from Town’s Ashton crashing off the bar, to be picked up and struck home by Shahin.

As Pontefract pressed forward, another goal seemed inevitable – either an equaliser from the hosts or, equally likely, a decisive second on the break from the visitors. The introduction of Carl Fothergill on the hour seemed to give Pontefract further belief as they chased the equaliser.  Shahin almost added a second, his long-range effort rattling Poulter’s bar. At the other end Craig Goodyear sent a free-kick straight towards Fraser – the Selby keeper’s arms proving to be the favourite destination for Pontefract attempts on goal, with Fothergill, Bentley, Thornton and Garside all shooting straight at the keeper as they sought parity.

The officials again felt the wrath of the home crowd when, with the game entering it’s final quarter of an hour, they denied Joe Thornton a penalty appeal. Although this fell into the “seen them given” category, it was easy to understand how the officials failed to give this one, as opposed to their earlier myopia. As the clock ticked towards 90 minutes, Pontefract pressed and pressed, with either an equaliser or a Selby second increasingly likely as the home team raised the stakes by pulling more and more defenders forward. When the goal came it was the latter, with the excellent Davis breaking free from his own half, and finding Ashton free in the box with a fine cross-field ball. Ashton’s firm strike beat Poulter and doubled the Selby lead. When Fothergill’s effort rattled the bar a minute later, following yet another fine save by the fortunate Fraser, it was clear that it would not be Ponte’s day. In fact, Selby should have had a third when Shanin, having been put clear by a wayward Sykes pass, failed to take the ball round Poulter.

Despite being disappointed that their televised FA Cup campaign was over at the first hurdle, there were many positives for the Colls: their overall performance levels against higher league opposition auguring well for the league campaign, added to growing crowds and a real determination to take the team forward. And, although a 2:0 scoreline looks comfortable, this tie could have gone either way: with more clinical finishing from the Colls front line and more attentiveness from the assistant referee, they surely would have been celebrating a famous victory instead of cursing their luck on Saturday evening.

Pontefract Collieries:

Rob Poulter, Dean Twibey, Paul Staniforth (captain), Johnny Forsyth, Luke Forgione, Paul Haigh (Rian Sykes, 58), Ryan Poskitt (Carl Fothergill, 63), Craig Goodyear, Lee Garside, Jason Bentley, Joe Thornton

Subs not used: Craig Stephens, Connor Rollinson

Bookings: Joe Thornton (31), Rian Sykes (58)
Sending off: none