It is an age-old cliché in football that “winning when you don’t play well is a sign of champions”. If this is the case, then this game augurs well for Pontefract Collieries, who managed to forge a win from a game in which they did not, by their own standards, play well.

Having been warned against complacency by Brendon Ormsby, his team seemed deaf to the warning, falling way short of the thrilling performances of the previous week. However, the team stuck to their task and snatched a victory from a game that had “nil-nil” written all over it. As a result, the team sit on top of the NCEL First Division, with six points garnered from two games, and goal difference separating them from Handsworth, who the side travel to play on Wednesday evening in Sheffield.

In fact, the victory was obtained thanks to a late Liam Ormsby penalty, after the referee had awarded a spot kick for a foul on Greig McGrory, hotly disputed by the visitors.

Askern had started the better of the two sides, looking sharp throughout the opening exchanges, but without really creating anything. Pontefract, by comparison, looked a shadow of the fluid, swashbuckling team that had put in a thrilling performance on the opening-day visit to Dinnington Town. Through the whole of the first half, Ponte struggled to create anything of note, and never really got going.

The real bright spot for Pontefract was the form of Rob Oldham who, pushed forward into his preferred role on the left side of midfield following a couple of games in the back four, drove his team forward with several twisting runs.

In the 40^th minute, the home side had ‘keeper Lee Kelsey to thank for staying level. When Askern finally broke through the Ponte ranks, a long ball catching the back four square, Kelsey won the one-on-one battle.

Other than this single defensive lapse, Pontefract defended well. It was with the ball where they seemed to struggle, as they constantly conceded possession having worked hard to win the ball back from Askern.

On the rare occasions that Ponte did manage to string some passes together in the first half, they looked more threatening than their visitors. Greig McGrory forced the Askern ‘keeper into a good save when one-on-one, before Will Ramsay hit the cross bar from 25 yards with the ‘keeper beaten all ends up.

Pontefract did improve after the interval, with Oldham and Ramsay providing constant threats down the flanks.

However, the second half was marred by an ankle injury to Rob Oldham, who provides balance to the side, together with a real attacking thrust from the left flank. Oldham was replaced by Mick Walpole, who excelled in his first brief cameo of the league campaign.

With the game seemingly locked into a stalemate, the three points were claimed when good passing down the left side of the pitch resulted in the ball being fed into Greig McGrory’s feet. McGrory fell under the weight of a clumsy challenge and the referee pointed to the spot. Although McGrory clearly had his mind set on adding to his tally for the season, Liam Ormsby claimed the ball, and despatched a decisive penalty low to the keeper’s left and into the foot of the net.

There was drama after the goal was scored when the referee twisted an ankle and had to leave the pitch to be replaced by his assistant for the last few minutes of the match. With a delayed finish and a slender lead, the end of the game was tense for all watching.

Despite edging the first half, Askern had been limited to few real goalscoring opportunities, whilst their own ‘keeper made a string of good saves, most of which were in response to shots from outside the box.

Overall, this was a gritty, rather than spectacular performance to mark the first home game of the team’s 2011-12 league campaign. However, with the team sitting at the top of the league and having knocked a Premier League team out of the President’s Cup, they must be satisfied from the return from their first 8 days of the campaign. With injuries to Oldham and several of the other players carrying knocks, the depth of the squad is sure to be tested over the coming weeks, starting with the “top two” clash in the League Cup on Wednesday evening in Sheffield.

Pontefract Collieries: Lee Kelsey, Dean Twibey, Stephen Edwards (repl. Ryan Poskitt, 74), Johnny Forsyth (captain), Tom Robinson, Scott McGrory, Will Ramsay, Liam Ormsby, James Hicks, Greig McGrory (repl. Duncan Bray, 90+1), Rob Oldham (repl. Mick Walpole, 83)

Subs not used: Lee Stretton, Warren Redford

Goal: Liam Ormsby (pen, 86)