Pontefract Collieries 1:2 Guiseley
West Yorkshire County Cup Quarter Final
Tuesday 1st February 2011

Pontefract Collieries’ run in the West Yorkshire County Cup was halted at the Quarter Final stage by Conference side Guiseley, but the Colls exit with their heads held high after a battling performance in which they led their illustrious opponents for much of the game.

With a gap of four divisions between the two sides and the visitors off the back of a nine match unbeaten run that sees them lying in pole position for promotion from the Blue Square Conference North, Simon Houghton realised that his team could not afford to go toe-to-toe with Guiseley in an open, flowing festival of football. Consequently, the home side were set up to sit deep, get men behind the ball and create opportunities on the counter-attack. Guiseley enjoyed the majority of possession from the kick-off, dominating possession and playing the bulk of the opening exchanges in the Pontefract half.

During these early exchanges, Guiseley’s Luke Sharry shot wide with the opening effort on goal, while Nicky Handley bravely put his body on the line to block a powerful shot by Liam Needham, during a period of prolonged pressure. When a shallow cross was clipped into the box from the left wing, Johnny Forsyth stooped to head clear – his clearance landing at the feet of Ryan Toulson, who volleyed over the bar. Despite these early efforts, Houghton’s plan was being effectively executed by his players, with the visitors unable to find a way through the impenetrable grid of men. With the home side fighting to keep their visitors at arms length, it was a full 25 minutes before a clear-cut goalscoring chance was forged; James Cotterill spurning a golden opportunity by volleying over the bar from six yards.

Buoyed by their defensive solidity, Ponte started to make occasional inroads into the opposition area with wide men Ryan Poskitt and Jason Bentley offering the outlets with driving runs down the flanks. As the half drew on, Lee Garside’s initial isolation as the lone front man was eased, as his midfielders started to lend support. When the goal came, however, it was from an unusual source: Luke Forgione, promoted into midfield from his usual defensive berth, won the ball in the midfield area, before chipping a ball forward for Bentley to chase. Although Guiseley ‘keeper Karl Martens won the chase to the ball, Bentley harried the ‘keeper into making a poor clearance, putting his midfield under pressure. Forgione leaped on the indecision, winning the ball before curling the ball over the keeper and into the net with a delightful finish from the outside of his right boot.

The goal provided the rallying call for a Guiseley onslaught as they sought a way back into the tie. Johnny Forsyth – the pick of an excellent defensive pack – made a last-gasp clearance from a front post cross. Sam Dobbs showed his class between the sticks with a terrific, full-stretch save after Gavin Rothery had cut inside Luke Smith and shot powerfully goalwards. As the interval neared, former Pontefract player Darryn Stamp volleyed over Dobbs’ bar, before the busy ‘keeper smothered a goalbound shot from Sharry. With the “Ponte Barmy Army” in full voice as the visitors became increasingly frustrated – taunting the visitors with rounds of classics such as “Conference and you still can’t score” the backs-to-the-wall efforts of the home team were relieved by the half-time whistle, the Colls preserving their single goal lead.

The second half started – contrary to expectations – with Pontefract on the attack: Jason Bentley recovering from a tangle with his marker to retrieve the ball and beat two men before curling a powerful shot wide of the far post. After the initial flourish, however, it was back to the spirit of the Alamo, with the defence being ably assisted by Paul Haigh and Man of the Match Andy Broadbent, who provided a competitive screen to the back four as the visitors pushed for an equaliser. When James Walshaw – recently called up to the England C squad for the international against Belgium – broke through the ranks, Forsyth recovered to block the shot.

Disaster struck on the hour for the home side, with uncharacteristically sloppy defending allowing Stamp the space inside the box to drill home the equaliser. Despite an audacious 40 yard lob from Garside that drifted wide of the upright, it was now all Guiseley, as the Conference side sought to take the lead in the tie for the first time.  They did so in the 69^th minute, when Stamp scored his second by sliding home a cross from the left.

Following the introduction of Craig Stephens and Duncan Bray for Garside and Bentley, Houghton introduced striker Craig Rouse in place of midfielder Haigh, as the home side started to chase the game for the first time. Unsurprisingly, the game became stretched, with Pontefract abandoning their defensive grid as they pushed for an equaliser. With Poskitt and Twibey combining on the right, and Smith and Stephens on the left, Pontefract pushed forward. Stephens came closest to an equaliser when he cut inside, beating two men before shooting low into the arms of Martens.

As gaps began to appear, Guiseley created chances to extend their lead. Skipper Nicky Handley calmly shepherded Sharry away from danger when a goal seemed likely. Forsyth made the latest in a long line of last ditch challenges to deny Walshaw. Dobbs showed his agility with a full-stretch save to deny Stamp a hat-trick before displaying his alertness by rushing to cut out an incisive through ball. When Walshaw and Stamp broke through the defensive line, Forsyth denied a certain goal by nicking the ball off Walshaw’s toe, at the expense of a corner.

Despite the defeat – and the end of their attempt to win the County Cup for the first time in the club’s history – Simon Houghton was delighted with their players, secure in the knowledge that they could compete with opponents of such high quality. But for a couple of defensive lapses in an otherwise outstanding rearguard display, his team could have been celebrating a famous victory.

Pontefract Collieries:

Sam Dobbs, Dean Twibey, Luke Smith, Nicky Handley (capt),Johnny Forsyth, Paul Haigh (repl. Craig Rouse, 71), Ryan Poskitt,  Andrew Broadbent, Lee Garside (repl. Duncan Bray, 68), Luke Forgione, Jason Bentley (repl. Craig Stephens, 68)

Subs not used: Andrew Joburns, Gareth Hunter

Goals: Luke Forgione (28)

Bookings: none