Pontefract Collieries 1:3 Grimsby Borough

Pontefract Collieries’ unbeaten start to the NCEL league campaign came to an end under the Beechnut Lane floodlights when Grimsby Borough deservedly walked away with all three points.

 Injuries and absences forced Simon Houghton to make several changes to his starting line-up, with Joe Thornton moving from left-wing to left-back in place of the injury skipper Staniforth, and Duane Grace being promoted to the side after some brilliant performances with the reserves of late. Craig Stephens slotted into an unfamiliar role on the left hand side, and the early exchanges suggested that the re-shaped side would fare better than they had against Teversal, with more control of the football as both teams started with clear intentions to keep the ball on the deck. However, despite their early possession, it took the home side ten minutes to shape an opportunity to score, when Fothergill, Twibey and Poskitt combined well down the right-hand side to set up Craig Goodyear. Sadly, the finish was steered harmlessly into the arms of the Borough ‘keeper, Damien Steer.

Within minutes, Pontefract fell behind: a looping chip from Grimsby’s Matthew Oswin sailing over a stranded Shaun Russell into the top corner of the net. Buoyed by the goal, the away side grew in stature, with long diagonal balls behind the Pontefract full-backs being their preferred route. With their central midfielders sitting deep, they were being allowed time to pick out their passes by the lack of pressure exerted by the Pontefract midfield, and seemed to sense that their wide men had the beating of their markers. This avenue almost paid dividends when a left-to-right ball found winger Danny Freeman in behind Joe Thornton. However Thornton, seemingly relishing his defensive role, was equal to the task, tracking his man and blocking his effort when a goal seemed the most likely outcome.

With Stephens now restored to the front line and Fothergill dropping into a right midfield role, the right side was proving Colls most fruitful supply line. A biting double challenge by Luke Forgione – starting in a central role in the absence of the usual pairing of Rian Sykes and Paul Haigh – instigated a good move down this right wing, with Fothergill, Bentley and Poskitt combining effectively. More good work from Forgione set Stephens loose down the left, but his cross evaded Fothergill. When Bentley’s long-range effort sailed harmlessly wide on the half hour mark, Pontefract had still failed to fashion a meaningful opening or an attempt on their opponent’s target. The lack of incision up front was exemplified when an excellent run from Poskitt fed Fothergill on the right, whose cross sailed over the heads of his teammates. As the half neared its end, Pontefract were seeing plenty of the ball, but seemed clueless what to do with it. They did, however, almost score on the stroke of half-time, when Hammonds’ shot was blocked during a chaotic scramble in the Boro’ goalmouth following a corner.

As the second period commenced, Grimsby seemed the more urgent team, pinning Colls into their own half for the opening exchanges. When Ponte did escape, their preferred method was the long-ball, which had failed them so badly in their previous outing and played into Grimsby’s hands here as it had against Teversal at the weekend. Grimsby seemed hungrier, picking up every second ball. Pontefract were lucky to escape when they fell asleep from a free-kick in the centre circle and allowed a four on two situation to develop. Thornton did well to ensure that the only cost was a corner. This act was just a pre-amble for the makeshift Colls left-back, as he performed heroics with a double block from the ensuing corner, his second block spinning away for another set piece. Again, Thornton rescued his team, blocking on the line from a Boro’ flick. When the third corner was headed against the Colls bar, the crowd seemed to sense that their team may perform a lucky escape. They drove down the other end, this time with Thornton in more familiar attacking mode, driving beyond the full-back before sending in a dangerous cross, which Poskitt was unlucky not to convert. Pontefract did score from the ensuing corner, with Forgione smashing home his third of the season to head to the top of the scoring charts for the home side. Pontefract were galvanised by the goal. Suddenly, where they had been slovenly in closing down their opponents and wasteful in possession, they now seemed to be first to every ball, firmer in the challenge, and forcefully driving the visitors backwards. This new-found vibrancy almost paid off when Poskitt played Fothergill in behind the defence. The striker’s firm left-foot shot was deflected into the side netting by a relieved Steer.

Seeking to build on the urgency, Simon Houghton added the fresh legs of Garside, Rollinson and Uttley. Little did he expect the game to change within seconds of his final re-shuffle. Again, it was a high ball into their box that undid Colls, with neither the initial header across the face of goal or the ensuing nod in to the empty net being challenged by the centre halves. Despite the restoration of the deficit, Pontefract drove forward, Poskitt releasing Thornton, who sent an excellent cross into the path of Lee Garside. Garside must have thought he had equalised, but the Grimsby keeper got his legs to the goal-bound effort and his team escaped.  

As Pontefract pushed for an equaliser, disaster struck, and it was self-inflicted. As the players jostled for position to challenge for a dangerous Ryan Poskitt free kick, an unseemly scuffle ensued. As the officials colluded to make sense of the melee, Joe Thornton – who had performed heroics in earlier saving his side from conceding on several occasions – went from hero to zero as he was dismissed from the field of play, and his team were forced to try to retrieve the game with ten men.

Whereas the reduction in their numbers against Eccleshill United had sparked a belligerence in the Ponte team, this time their reaction was less positive. The body language of players betrayed a lack of belief, and Grimsby duly took advantage by plundering a third. When Craig Stephens was harshly penalised for handling a ball struck from inches away that Neo from the film The Matrix would have struggled to avoid, his team seemed paralysed by their sense of injustice and Lee Stephenson danced through the defence to score his side’s third.

 As the game ebbed away, Grimsby tainted their excellent performance with some blatant time-wasting, with substituted players taking an age to leave the field of play, throw-ins and goal-kicks being needlessly delayed. However, referee Jane Simms seemed wise to the tactics, allowing six minutes of added time to compensate. However, Pontefract were unable to take advantage, failing to carve out a single opportunity after the ninety minutes had elapsed.

Manager Simon Houghton was understandably livid after the game, and must be wondering how his team, which merely a week earlier had combined a controlled fluency in their play with a steely determination to overcome any adversity, had been transformed within the space of 180 minutes into an insipid unit, seemingly lacking in confidence, footballing intelligence, leadership and stomach for the fight. Houghton will doubtless be doing everything in his power to make sure that these two games represent a blip in the season, rather than the norm. The team have an opportunity to restore their self-belief and prove their doubters wrong, with a challenging away game at Yorkshire Amateurs on Saturday and a 3pm kick off at home against Worsbrough Bridge next Bank Holiday Monday. Houghton will be demanding his leaders to step forward and restore their previous supremacy, before losing becomes a habit.

Pontefract Collieries:

Shaun Russell, Dean Twibey, Joe Thornton, Sean Hammonds (capt – repl. Rob Uttley, 70 mins) Duane Graceh, Luke Forgione, Ryan Poskitt, Craig Goodyear (repl. Connor Rollinson, 70 mins), Carl Fothergill, Jason Bentley (repl. Lee Garside, 63 mins), Craig Stephens

Subs not used:  Nicky Handley

Goal: Luke Forgione (58)

Bookings: Connor Rollinson (84)
Sending off: Joe Thornton (81)