PICKERING TOWN U19 1-2 PONTEFRACT COLLIERIES U19
Northern U19 Youth Alliance – Eastern Division
Monday 28th March 2011

Pontefract Collieries academy team won their third successive game – the first time this has been achieved for many a year – to condemn league leaders Pickering Town to a second successive defeat, and virtually hand the title to Harrogate Railway Athletic in the process with a hard fought win at Mill Lane on Monday night.

Pontefract, missing several regulars due to first team call ups and unavailability, but in a real backs to the wall job in the second half, inspired by goalkeeper Tom King who was commanding throughout, despite making the trip with just 12 players.

The lead was the Colls’ just two minutes into the game, when the referee spotted a handball in the Pickering area, much to their dislike. Lewis Osborne despatched the penalty confidently into the top right corner of Toby Wells goal to give Ponte an unlikely lead. The Pikes played some lovely stuff on the night, their passing ability outfoxing the Ponte midfield on numerous occasions, but the visitors manfully stuck to their task. They were undone however just past the quarter hour mark, as a flowing move resulted in a first time volley from Tim Taylor – a shot King could no nothing about.

The Colls weren’t deterred though, and, with Callum Green and Jamie Robinson inparticular, were really imposing themselves on the midfield. And it was the visitors who regained the lead, when a lovely through ball saw Osborne again in space, and this time he carefully lobbed the ball over Wells and into the back of the net for a lead Ponte were not to relinquish.

The second half started with a couple of great chances for Ponte, Ryan McDermott and Jamie Robinson both with a couple of great shots that were well held by Wells in the home goal. However, after that, it was virtually one way traffic as Ponte, who had replaced Hassan Ahmed with debutant Jake Holmes at half-time, struggled to match the pace of the home side and were virtually out on their feet. However, they were forcing Pickering into mistakes, pressuring the hosts when they could, and generally stopping any attack in their path. It was nearly undone though as shortly after the hour mark, Tim Taylor managed to get beyond the defence and was tripped in the area. The responsibility was left to Danny Glendinning, yet against all the odds Tom King guessed right and superbly dived full length to keep out the home side.

The Ponte stopper may have been slightly off his line when the kick was taken, but take nothing away from the save. For the rest of the game, Ponte were just grateful to keep the ball when they could, and stay solid at the back. James Jenkins marshalled his side excellently, and Jack Hill was the usual powerhouse we have come to know.

The Ponte players were delighted when the final whistle went, after a mere 4 minutes of stoppage time! The celebrations were there for all to see, as manager John Redford achieved one of the Ponte academy’s greatest results in their recent history, against all likelihood too. They may not have been as silky on the ball, or had the resources, but the team battled and harried until the very end today and deserve all the plaudits they receive.

TEAM: King, Jenkins, Chapman, Abbott, Hill, Robinson, Green, McDermott, Osborne, Redford, Ahmed (Holmes 46m)

GOALS 0-1 Osborne (Pen) 2m; 1-1 T Taylor 17m; 1-2 Osborne 36m

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