FA Vase Result: Tow Law Town 3:2 Pontefract Collieries

Pontefract Collieries crashed out of the FA Vase on Saturday, after a thrilling and pulsating tie at Tow Law Town. The game could well have gone into extra time – and possibly a replay – had Jason Bentley’s last-minute effort hit the net instead of the post.

Unlike the Colls, the North Eastern team have a long and rich history in this competition, having gone all the way to Wembley a decade ago. The Northern League team provided quality opponents for Ponte, although the first half action gave little indication of the thrills and spills to follow, as two good sides felt each other out. Greg Halliday had the best chance for Tow Law in the first few minutes, only to see his close range effort foiled by Joe Milner, making his debut in the Pontefract goal.

Collieries had a penalty appeal rejected, as the first half ended goal-less.

The deadlock did not last long after the interval. The stalemate was broken when the prolific Craig Stephens took advantage of slack defensive play to fire Pontefract ahead with a close range left foot shot which beat Stephen Robinson in the home goal all ends up. Two minutes later, the away side were unlucky not to double their lead, as Lee Garside’s shot rattled the Lawyer’s crossbar. As the Colls pressed forward, as second goal seemed likely, and would have almost certainly killed the tie as a contest. However, it was not to be, and the hosts equalised when Thomas Watkinson skipped around two opposition defenders before passing to Halliday, enabling Tow Law’s top scorer to level the scores at 1-1 after 55 minutes.

The hosts took over, energised by drawing level in a tie that could have been beyond them. On 71 minutes, Halliday raced clear to round the Ponteffact keeper Milner, a former youth cup winner, and slot the ball home from a narrow angle. Tow Law substitute Mathew Huntley was clear soon afterwards, but shot against the post when a pass across goal to Halliday may have proved a more fruitful option.

The Pontefract side are nothing if not determined, and they roared back into the tie, levelling at two-apiece when Bentley raced clear to shoot past Robinson with five minutes remaining. But within a minute Lawyers mounted another attack. Pivot and captain Stephen Tobin forsaked his defensive duties to move forward and slot the ball home side-footed from close range.

Simon Houghton and his team were visibly distraught, and when Bentley’s effort rebounded to safety from the post in the last minute they must have known it was not their day. Such was the quality of the game that even the hosts acknowledged that it would have been fitting for the tie to be replayed in Pontefract.

Team:

1. Joe Milner
2. Dean Twibey
3. Luke Smith
4. Nicky Handley (captain)
5. Luke Forgione
6. Paul Haigh
7. Rian Sykes
8. Josh Wright
9. Lee Garside
10. Craig Stephens
11. Ryan Poskitt

Subs:

12. Carl Fothergill (replaced Stephens, 68th minute)
14. Jason Bentley (replaced Garside, 68th minute)
15. Ash Gillespie (replaced Wright, 89th minute)

Goals:

Craig Stephens, 49th minute
Jason Bentley, 85th minute

Sykes and Milner clear an early threat from the North East team.

Skipper Nicky Handley – as watchful as ever - in the heart of the Colls defence

Handley’s centre-half partner Luke Forgione marshalls the Tow Law striker, and another attack is snuffed out.

Craig Stephens opens the scoring with a classy finish just after the break.

…and Stephens watches his effort slide into the net, despite the attendant Tow Law defenders.

Jason Bentley pulls the Colls level with a classy finish.

Pontefract go close to a deserved equaliser.