Pontefract Collieries 5:0 Askern Villa
NCEL First Division
Tuesday 15th February 2011

Pontefract Collieries bagged their second multiple goal haul in three days as they leapfrogged promotion rivals Askern Villa and confirmed their return to form after their post-Christmas blip.

Following the convincing win against Brodsworth on Saturday, manager Simon Houghton was keen to retain the players who had served him so well in the team’s return to winning ways. However, his plans were altered by enforced absences to Duncan Bray and Josh Wright, while youngster Leon Guest was denied the chance to continue his promising introduction to the side by injury. Consequently, youngsters Stefan Furness and Callum Green were called into the squad, together with Craig Rouse. Andrew Broadbent and Luke Forgione also returned, having been rested at the weekend.

As things transpired, the replacements shone, with Broadbent excelling alongside Paul Haigh in the engine room, Forgione performing with his usual classy controlled performance, and Rouse and Furness coming from the bench to add a final flourish of three goals in the final few minutes to add the gloss onto an otherwise professional performance, and emphasise the strength of competition for places within the team.

Continuing the momentum gathered in Doncaster at the weekend, Pontefract started on the front foot, with most of the pressure being exerted from the right flank, with Dean Twibey and Ryan Poskitt combining effectively. Their early pressure was rewarded just after the quarter of an hour mark, when a cross from the right fell at the feet of an Askern defender, whose attempted clearance was closed down by Danny Frost. Frost won the ball, rounded the ‘keeper and stroked the ball home for the opener.

Askern responded, sending a warning shot to their hosts when winger Jay Rollins danced through the defence before sending his powerful shot low and wide of the post. Frost was unlucky not to double his tally when he met a cleared corner with a fine volley from the edge of the box, only to see the goalbound effort cannon off an Askern head and out for another corner. From the resultant corner, Johnny Forsyth rose to meet the cross, but could only direct his header wide of the upright.

Frost continued his good form, picking up the ball on the left side of the area, beating his man down the by-line, and sliding a teasing ball across the face of the visitors’ goal, only to see it evade his strike partner Carl Fothergill.

As half-time approached, Pontefract doubled their lead, the goal owing much to Man of the Match Ryan Poskitt. The in-form winger drove into the heart of the Askern defence, beating three men during one of his trademark runs, before feeding Jason Bentley on the left. Bentley cut inside his man and sent a powerful shot towards the top corner. Askern ‘keeper Steven Hernandez parried the ball, but Fothergill was perfectly positioned to slide home the rebound.

Frost ended an eventful first half by beating his marker in the box, only to spoil an otherwise superb effort by striking his shot into the side netting from an acute angle, when another ball cut back across the face of the goal would surely not have evaded his strike partner for a second time.

Despite Houghton being forced to trade captains – Nicky Handley replacing the injured Luke Smith at the interval – the second half continued in the same vein. Handley almost scored with a volley following a corner in the opening minutes, his effort clearing the angle of post and cross-bar by a matter of inches. Danny Frost – always at the centre of the action – spurned an early opportunity to put the result beyond doubt when he latched onto a mix-up between Askern defenders to bear down on goal, but blasted his volley wide of the target. It was to be his last action, as a niggling injury opened up the opportunity for Rouse to make his mark.

Poskitt combined well with Fothergill, playing a wall pass off his striker to set up another run to set the visitors on the back foot. This time Poskitt went alone instead of setting up his team-mates, a decision he may have regretted after seeing his left foot shot roll wide of the upright. When Rouse saw a 25-yard volley comfortably saved by the ‘keeper, he must have feared that his chance to re-open his Pontefract account had gone for the night. However, when Poskitt floated a ball into the striker, he controlled it neatly with his thigh before crashing his second attempt at a volley beyond the outstretched right hand of the ‘keeper and into the corner of the net.

At 3:0, the game may have been finished as a contest, but Ponte had not finished scoring. The fourth was the best of the lot. Substitute Stefan Furness, making his debut for the team as a late replacement for Fothergill, scored two goals of which the Colls’ player/assistant manager himself would have been proud. The first saw him cap a jinking run through the Askern defence with a firm shot into the bottom corner. His second – Ponte’s fifth – showed that the youngster possesses the composure of a true finisher, with balance and poise to match. When the Askern ‘keeper miscued a clearance, Furness was alert, picking up the loose ball before artfully stepping inside his marker and striking the ball home with aplomb.

The result – together with Saturday’s win – rekindles Pontefract’s promotion fire, keeping them in touch with the teams in front of them, all of whom have played more games than the Colls. In a tight division in which any team in the top 14 may still feel they have a hope of promotion, the boost to the goal difference may prove crucial. With “eleven plus” in three days, Ponte have boosted their goal difference, points tally and – most important of all – their morale for the crucial matches to follow.

Pontefract Collieries:

Sam Dobbs, Dean Twibey, Luke Smith (captain) (repl. Nicky Handley, 45) Johnny Forsyth, Luke Forgione, Paul Haigh, Ryan Poskitt, Andrew Broadbent,  Carl Fothergill (repl. Stefan Furness, 86), Danny Frost (repl.Craig Rouse, 67), Jason Bentley

Subs not used: Andrew Joburns, Callum Green

Goals: Danny Frost (17),  Carl Fothergill (38), Craig Rouse (83), Stefan Furness (88,90)

Bookings: Johnny Forsyth