Pontefract Collieries 1:0 Bottesford
Northern Counties Eastern League First Division
Tuesday 5th April 2011

Ponte Colls bounced back from Saturday’s defeat in Sheffield to claim all three points in their match against Bottesford thanks to a late headed goal from striker Will Turl.

The game was a disappointing spectacle, with very few real chances created until Turl broke the stalemate to claim the win for his team. With Bottesford suffering poor league form, the visitors appeared content to play for a goal-less draw, while Pontefract’s play was largely disjointed an unconvincing, with a mere handful of flowing moves punctuating an otherwise drab encounter.

Brendon Ormsby rung the changes again, his team selection reflecting a desire to assess the qualities of the various players at his disposal during the remaining league games of the season, and the need to find cover for players missing due to injury. With Johnny Hirst making his home debut after his deadline day signing, young Callum Green replacing the injured Paul Haigh in midfield, and Academy player Hassan Ahmed being granted his first team debut in a wide left role, the team had an unfamiliar appearance. In fact, several of the starting line-up were meeting each other for the first time in the pre-match warm-up.

Against a cobbled-together Pontefract team, the visitors started well, with Karl Slack blasting over an early chance. This aside, early opportunities were few and far between, with Pontefract playing as if they were strangers to each other, and both teams relying on a high-ball game that seemed to resemble head tennis rather than football, and unable to retain any meaningful possession of the ball.

In a rare moment of quality, Danny Frost – returning to the line-up after his concussion suffered in the win at Staveley – twisted and turned inside the box, before falling to the turf with a Bottesford hand in his back. The referee did not spot the push, and appeals for a penalty were waved away.

Will Turl did well to control a ball from Dobbs that fell from orbit, trapping the ball with soft feet before releasing Hassan Ahmed with a delightful ball delivered with precision from the outside of his right foot. Ahmed crossed in towards Frost, whose first touch allowed Bottesford sufficient sight of the ball to affect a clearance. Hassan, clearly growing in confidence, hassled and harried full-back Keiron Locking into surrendering possession, but again the ball was returned to Bottesford through a badly-placed pass.

A full fifteen minutes passed before the game’s first corner, awarded to Bottesford following a good run by Slack. Johnny Forsyth – who collected the Man of the Match trophy for a commanding display in the heart of the Colls defence alongside the equally impressive Hirst – cleared with a firm volley, but was grateful to Ahmed for tracking Slack as the winger picked up the ball and ran at the Colls defence.

The closest Bottesford came to a goal in the opening half was when Hirst misjudged a header back to his ‘keeper, calling upon Dobbs to make a save at full stretch.

With the game fluctuating between torpor and head tennis, the first fluid move shone out like a beacon, with Hassan Ahmed – the game’s outstanding performer in the early exchanges – as the central figure. Hassan linked well with his skipper, Luke Smith, creating a fine interchange of short passes before Smith delivered a cross into the area, for Twibey to head goal-wards. However, the header lacked sufficient power to trouble Nathan Ward in the visitor’s net.

More good work from Ahmed resulted in a Ponte corner, which Ryan Poskitt delivered onto the forehead of Johnny Hirst, whose first effort was blocked. Hirst headed the rebound goalward, only for his second effort to be hooked clear. Turl executed an overhead kick, but his effort flew high and wide.

For the visitors, Chris Rodgers drove at the Ponte defence before blasting his effort over the bar, following a good spell of possession. With Andy Broadbent and Callum Green largely bypassed in midfield as the ball flew over their heads, Ponte struggled to put together any flowing moves, although Turl will think that he should have done better when himself and Frost found themselves two against two as they drove towards the Bottesford goal. Turl eschewed the pass to Frost, electing to shoot, but his curling effort drifted wide of the upright.

Forsyth released Dean Twibey on the right flank, and the full-back combined with his winger Poskitt to fashion a cross from the goal-line, that Turl was only able to head over.

With the game locked in stalemate at the interval, both managers demanded more from their players. Ponte started the second half in the ascendancy, with Turl, Frost and Poskitt combining, only for Poskitt’s cross to evade the head of Turl.

When Ryan Poskitt was withdrawn following a groin strain, James Wilcock assumed his duties on the right side of midfield. The youngster did well, combining with Frost in some fine interplay, before feeding Green, who shot harmlessly wide. Frost then drove at the visitor’s defence, but was tripped when bearing down on goal. Smith’s free kick – from fully 30 yards – was perfectly shaped but wide of the target.

Wilcock and Green combined to create a cross that flew just over the head of Ahmed at the far post, although the young winger kept the ball in, and fed Smith, whose cross was headed tamely wide by Turl.

An uncharacteristically indecisive mix-up between Smith and Forsyth created an opening for Bottesford’s Stones to go for goal, but the youngster’s effort clipped the top of the cross-bar. It was by far the closest the visitors had come, or were to come, to scoring.

When Adam Smith was introduced into the fray, Pontefract gathered momentum, achieving greater control of the midfield area. Smith’s driving run through the heart of the pitch resulted in a low left-footed drive from fully 35 yards, which had Ward at full stretch to save. Warren Redford – on for Frost – was first to the rebound, but his effort was tipped around the post for a corner. The corner was to prove decisive: Luke Smith’s magnificent delivery invited a finish, and Turl – not the greatest aerial threat despite his height – was on hand to head home from close range.

The goal proved to be the winner, with the visitor’s failing to create any opportunities during the closing minutes, while the closest Ponte came to adding to their goal was when Adam Smith’s free kick evaded any contact that would have deflected the ball into the net.

After Saturday’s defeat at Handsworth, Ormsby had demanded a reaction from his players. Although he will have disappointed with some of the football played – there is still a massive task-load to be achieved during training sessions in getting the team to play football and build a passing game – he will have been delighted with the resolve, the defensive solidity, and the ability of his team to dig out a result. In other circumstances, commentators would claim that victories such as this would be a sign of champions. Given the circumstances, there are worse outcomes than playing badly and winning.

Pontefract Collieries:

Sam Dobbs, Dean Twibey, Luke Smith (captain), Johnny Hirst, Johnny Forsyth, Callum Green (repl. Adam Smith, 73), Ryan Poskitt (repl. James Wilcock, 53), Andy Broadbent, Danny Frost (repl. Warren Redford, 78), Will Turl, Hassan Ahmed

Subs not used: Thomas Jubb, Lee Kelsey

Goal: Will Turl (80)

Bookings: none