Pontefract Collieries 0:0 AFC Emley
Tuesday 21^st September, 2010

Pontefract Collieries were knocked off the top of the Northern Counties Eastern League First Division after they failed to break down a resolute Emley side at Beechnut Lane on Tuesday night.

With Andrew Joburns returning between the Pontefract sticks and Rian Sykes filling in at right back, the back four had an unfamiliar look to it, and it was perhaps no surprise that Emley enjoyed the  best of the opening exchanges. They were aided, however, by the inspirational Josh Wright losing the sight in his left eye after an early clash of heads, which resulted in his eventual replacement by the returning Matt Wilkinson, after it became obvious that his full vision was not returning. Having been put under early pressure, Ponte started to get a foothold in the game after the first ten minutes, when Rian Sykes evaded a hearty challenge to release Craig Stephens who, in turn, cut inside from the left wing, beating two challenges before unleashing a 30-yard shot that was competently handled by Mick Clark in the visitors goal.

Sykes followed this good work with an intelligent ball into the path of Jason Bentley, who evaded his marker to run free, only to see his shot skew across the Emley goalmouth. As Pontefract grew into the game, Emley broke clear when Steve Kenworthy beat a static defence, only to be denied by Joburns, who got his position right and made himself big enough to block the striker’s route to goal. Joburns turned sweeper a minute later, when he beat the onrushing Townsend to a through-ball, and clear with assured competence.

The closest Ponte came to opening the scoring in the opening half was when the tireless Fothergill sent a tempting cross into the Emley box. His cross bounced awkwardly in front of Clark, who duly fumbled into the path of the onrushing Sykes, now restored to a more familiar midfield role. Clark, having presented the opportunity, did well to snuff out Sykes’ goal-bound prod.

As the half drew on, Pontefract started to dominate both territory and possession, but were unable to fashion a clear goalscoring opportunity. In fact, it was the visitors who created the cleanest opening, when Danny Toronzyk found himself clear of a static defence following a long hoof from his keeper. However, he failed to put clear distance between himself and the retreating Ponte defence, and Luke Forgione robbed him of the ball just as he drew his foot back to shoot on goal. Forgione followed this by denying the same player minutes later with a crunching challenge on the edge of the box.

Having failed to create real opportunities through their own efforts, Pontefract almost scored from a mistake from the otherwise excellent Clark, when the keeper’s botched clearance ricocheted off the boot of the onrushing Bentley, only to see the ball fall at the feet of a retreating defender when it seemed likely that Bentley would roll the ball into an unguarded net.

With the start of the second-half delayed while an assistant referee was replaced after being taken ill, Simon Houghton’s team started the half in the ascendancy. Immediately after the re-start, Fothergill set the tone by beating the left back and sending a teasing cross into the heart of the Emley box. However, it evaded both Bentley and Stephens. Stephens then set up Bentley with a cushioned header into the striker’s path, but Bentley’s effort was well saved by Clark. There was controversy just before the hour, when Emley claimed a penalty when a header appeared to hit a Colls hand in the box, although neither referee or assistant were prepared to declare the incident “hand to ball”. Emley felt further aggrieved when Bentley was unlucky to escape a second yellow after clattering into Clark, although the Emley keeper had earlier escaped punishment for a kick in the calf of the same player.

As the game entered it’s final quarter, Pontefract’s dominance of possession and territory seemed increasingly likely to yield results; Matt Wilkinson’s 40-yard effort passing close by the post, and Craig Stephens’ left foot volley flying inches over the bar. An excellent breakaway, instigated by the battling Paul Haigh and continued by Fothergill and Poskitt, set up Stephens inside the area, but his firm left-foot shot flashed across the face of the goal and out for a goal-kick. Pontefract also had a claim for handball in the area denied – again, the player was standing too close to Fothergill’s shot to have moved out of the way, and the referee made a good call in denying the appeals, as he had done to the away side’s earlier claims.

Despite a strong finish, with Luke Smith, Poskitt and Sykes driving their team forward, it came to nothing and – despite the feeling that Emley’s teeth had been pulled by a competent defensive display – a sharing of the points seemed fair, with few clear-cut goalscoring opportunities having been created. Nevertheless, with Barton Town winning, the Colls will consider the result as two points dropped, as they surrendered the lead in the division to the Lincolnshire team. Saturday’s fixture away in Barton takes on the mantle of “table top clash”, as the Colls will seek to leapfrog over their rivals back to the summit.

Pontefract Collieries:

Andrew Joburns, Rian Sykes, Luke Smith, Nicky Handley (captain), Luke Forgione, Paul Haigh, Ryan Poskitt, Josh Wright (repl. Matt Wilkinson, 26 mins), Carl Fothergill, Jason Bentley (repl. Lee Garside, 64 mins), Craig Stephens

Subs not used:  Ash Gillespie

Bookings: Jason Bentley (14)
Sending off: none