SHIREBROOK TOWN 1-2 PONTEFRACT COLLIERIES
Koolsport Northern Counties East League Division One
Wednesday 9th March 2011 Teams

Pontefract Collieries returned to winning ways on Wednesday night with a battling performance at Shirebrook in an entertaining game of football.

Both sides tried to play football the right way, serving up an interesting contest to the fans in attendance on a cold and blustery night. New signing Lee Stratford made his second appearance in as many games for the visitors, Luke Smith moving up to the left wing, with long-term injury absentee Rian Sykes making a welcome return to the bench.

With only a few minutes gone, the first chance fashioned went to Ponte, Danny Frost setting up Smith after holding the ball up well, but the defender-turned midfielder lobbed the ball over ‘keeper and bar. Moments later, Ponte still had the ball in the Shirebrook half, but Ryan Poskitt’s dangerous cross was just too close to Shirebrook’s stopper Jason White.

At the other end, Mark Robinson managed to lose his marker and get a free header in on Sam Dobbs’ goal, but the centre-back could only head wide. Daniel McLane also got in an excellent fast low cross, across the face of goal, but Michael Lyall was just inches away from connecting.

Ponte were still having the better of the chances however, White making an excellent save from Frost, who was set up expertly by Paul Haigh. The next visiting player to test White was Andy Broadbent, who was picked out with a lovely floated cross from Poskitt, yet the Ponte midfielder’s header was tame and straight at the goalkeeper. Somehow, the Shirebrook captain, Matt Draper, managed to escape any kind of punishment after going in extremely late and with studs showing on Frost. A booking would have been the least expected, yet the referee, who was showing time and again that bookings would only occur one way, deemed that a talking to was sufficient for a challenge that could quite easily have been a leg-breaker.

There was still time before the end of the first half for Frost to hold the ball up well and set up Carl Fothergill, who smashed a shot just wide.

Half-Time: Shirebrook 0-0 Ponte

The home side, notoriously stronger in midweek than on Saturdays, started the second half quicker and were the first side to threaten with Pete Stubley hitting wide and moments later Jeremy Mitchell was clean through on goal in a one-on-one situation with Dobbs. The Ponte ‘keeper must have done something, as Mitchell blazed the ball wide when a goal looked a certainty. At the other end, a Poskitt clever lob into the area was deflected just wide by the defence for a corner, from which Frost should have scored but couldn’t get the ball under control.

With the game flowing from end-to-end, Lyall managed to get beyond Dean Twibey at right back, before playing a neat one-two with Mitchell, leaving him clear on goal. Yet the Shirebrook winger blasted the ball wide again when a placed shot would have been much the better option, and probably given the home side the lead.

Yet despite the home side having the better of the earlier chances of the half, it was Ponte who took the lead. From his own half, Twibey played a through ball on to the excellent CARL FOTHERGILL (61m). The striker decided to take the game by himself, beating one man, then another. Ignoring the pleas for the ball to be passed to his team-mates, Fothergill beat yet another would-be tackler, before hitting a lovely placed shot over White and into the back of the net. An excellent solo goal.

Unfortunately, Ponte couldn’t keep their lead for long and it was a real sickener of an equaliser. From a long hopeful hoof forward, Forgione headed the ball behind for a corner. Unfortunately, no-one was looking at MATT DRAPER (65m) as the captain stole in in-front of goal with header from about a yard out.

Pontefract were not to be denied. Again, it was end-to-end stuff once more, but this time a rather contentious decision. Frost looked to be backing into his marker in the box, with the defender standing his ground but with his hands all over the Ponte striker. The referee pointed, somewhat harshly, to the spot. If the free-kick had gone the other way, none would have really complained. It was left to LUKE SMITH (71m) to hit the penalty home, yet White guessed right and got a hand to the ball, only to see the ball squirm under him into the net.

There then ensued a spell of home pressure, Dobbs smothering a half chance from Chris Rhodes, and Twibey heading away a dangerous cross that looked to be arrowing for the head of McLane at the far post. Rhodes also had a free header at goal, but with all the target to aim at, he could only find the grateful hands of Dobbs. Ponte tried to assert themselves more, and were threatening to make the game safe. A Haigh pass was picked up by Fothergill just inside the box, whose back-heel found substitute Duncan Bray, but his shot was deflected behind for a corner – just inches past the post.

Then, the returning Rian Sykes headed forward for Fothergill, who forced a great save from White. Late on, Stubley’s cross to McLane was foiled by the defence as Ponte overall earned a deserved three points. This was a welcome return to winning ways for Ponte after two damaging home league defeats to their promotion rivals, and this will do the confidence a world of good with another three tough away games, starting with Louth on Saturday, before they return home at the end of the month.

The reporters man of the match today was Paul Haigh, who gave his all for the team, won virtually every header on the day, and always seemed to be there when his team needed him – also setting up a couple of chances.

Full-Time: Shirebrook 1-2 Ponte

Pontefract Collieries: 1 Sam DOBBS 2 Dean TWIBEY 3 Lee STRATFORD 4 Luke FORGIONE 5 Johnny FORSYTH 6 Paul HAIGH 7 Ryan POSKITT 8 Andrew BROADBENT 9 Carl FOTHERGILL 10 Danny FROST 11 Luke SMITH (C)

Subs: 12 Stephan FURNESS (for Poskitt, 87m) 14 Duncan BRAY (for Frost, 74m) 15 Rian SYKES (for Forsyth, 21m) 16 Warren REDFORD

GOALS: 0-1 Fothergill 61m; 1-1 Draper 65m; 1-2 Smith (Pen) 71m Half-Time: 0-0 Full-Time: 1-2

BOOKINGS: Dobbs, Smith, Sykes