Teversal 1:5 Pontefract Collieries
Baris Northern Counties East League
Tuesday 8^th November, 2011

Pontefract bounced back from their weekend defeat at Louth with a resounding win at Teversal last night, proving their mettle – if not their consistency – by following their worst performance of the season with their best effort of the campaign.

With Steve Lyon returning to bolster the Colls attack and James McDaid restored to the line-up after his injury problems, it was not surprising that Pontefract showed a much improved quality in possession. Lyon, causing early problems for the hosts with his movement, latched onto a ball from the in-form Paul Haigh, ploughing the left channel before sending a teasing cross into the area. The ball landed at the feet on young Connor Rollinson, who had timed his run to perfection to meet the ball. Rollinson hit his shot first time, doing well to get his head over the ball and keep it low. Tevie ‘keeper Wilson was relieved to see it flash past his post.

The Nottinghamshire side responded, dinking a ball over the flat Ponte defensive line and into the path of Greg Tobin. Lee Kelsey closed down quickly to block the initial effort, and was relieved to see Eli Mitchell miss the target from the rebound.

McDaid combined well with Lyon throughout a bright opening. When McDaid lifted a ball towards Lyon on the edge of the area, the returning striker cushioned his header intelligently into the path of Greig McGrory, whose goal-bound volley was well saved by Wilson. As Ponte turned the screw, their hosts were offered a release from the pressure with a free kick just outside the Colls’ box. However, Colin Cockerill’s effort was too high to trouble Kelsey, and the game resorted to it’s previous pattern of Ponte dominance.

The early pressure exerted by the visitors paid off on the half hour mark, when Liam Ormsby delivered a free kick deep into the Teversal box. Tom Robinson rose above the throng to send a looping header over the ‘keeper and into the net.

Finding themselves in the unusual position of first half leaders, Ponte turned the screw. Stephen Edwards combined well with the mobile Lyon, crossing well having been set up by the striker on the left. When Edwards delivered the ball into the danger area, the outstanding Paul Haigh won the header, directing the ball towards the far post and into the path of the onrushing Rollinson, arriving with the pace of a stream train and the timing of a Swiss watch. With the goal at his mercy, Rollinson crashed his half volley against the underside of the crossbar.

Edwards then chanced his arm himself, but his 25 yard volley flew wide. Then Lyon took his turn, also watching his left foot volley fly wide of the upright. Then the dead ball experts lined up to have a go: firstly, Greig McGrory saw his free kick skew off the wall and over the bar; then Liam Ormsby’s 35 yarder dipped too late to hit the target.

The interval arrived with Ponte feeling frustrated that they had only managed one goal to show for their dominance. Their frustration was almost compounded straight after the interval when the hosts enjoyed their best period of the match, although Tobin let them off the hook for some slack defending by shooting wide. Having broken by tradition by starting the first half on the offensive, Ponte seemed determined to re-address the balance by false starting after the interval instead.

The hosts tried to take advantage of Ponte’s slovenliness and looked certain to equalise seconds later, when Dean Twibey allowed the ball to sail over his head and arrive at the feet of Gary Atkins, unmarked in the penalty area. However, the Colls’ inspirational skipper redeemed himself in the blink of an eye, putting in a last ditch challenge to prevent a certain equaliser.

Gareth Roberts – making his debut for the Colls after staking his claim on the training pitch – was offering a commanding presence alongside Robinson in the heart of the Ponte defence. Roberts’ ability to not only win the aerial battles but to direct his headed clearances to the feet of team-mates, almost reaped dividends when he found McDaid in space on the left flank. McDaid skinned his marker before sending over a tempting cross, which was met by the head if the late-arriving Haigh, who could only glance his effort wide of the upright.

Liam Ormsby delivered a fine corner onto the right foot of Robinson, who was denied his second of the game by a block on the line. Despite Ponte claims that the goal had been prevented by a hand, the referee awarded a corner. In truth, it would have been a harsh award, but the claim was certainly in the “seen them given” category.

The game took a dramatic turn on the hour mark, when Tevie made a double substitution. One of the withdrawn players kicked a water bottle which, in echoes of Sir Alex Ferguson’s alleged Exocet at David Beckham, struck Colls’ programme editor Eddie Fogden in the nose. The explosion of blood and gore was matched by the explosion of anger from the Ponte management team, with insult being added to injury by the booking of Nick Handley for his role of complainant.

Seconds later it was Brendon Ormsby’s turn to take his frustration out on the players’ refreshments, when his side relinquished their lead. When Teversal floated a deep free kick into Ponte territory, Robinson’s headed clearance was picked up by Liam Wild, who fired home from outside the box to draw his team level.

With Pontefract having dominated, they found themselves pegged back. For a few minutes with half an hour to go the game, which had seemed Ponte’s for the taking, could have gone either way. With Ponte seemingly genetically incapable of drawing a league game – their dozen prior games having yielded eight wins and four defeats – it seemed certain that they would either crumble or triumph.

In the event, the Colls were in no mood to surrender. They tore into their hosts, re-taking the lead within two minutes of the equaliser. The goal owed a great deal to the endeavour and courage of their skipper: “Beetlejuice” Twibey drove his team forward, as he had done throughout, raising his level an extra notch after the equaliser to push his hosts onto the back foot. When Tevie conceded a corner on the left, Twibey popped up in the box, skipped around a challenge, then blasted his left footed shot goalward. Greig McGrory provided the final touch, deflecting the ball away from the keeper and into the back of the net.

If McGrory was lucky to claim the goal in favour of his skipper, he would leave no doubt as to the identity of the scorer of the third, decisive goal. Latching onto a through ball from Will Ramsay, after some excellent work by Haigh and Edwards, McGrory raced clear of his marker before slotting home with aplomb.

Substitute Ramsay – who looked back to his rampaging best in a late cameo – came close to adding a fourth when he cut inside from the left before curling a right footed shot inches wide of the far post.

With Pontefract now rampant, the fourth goal brought sheer delight to their ranks. When Greig McGrory’s effort was saved by Wilson, Connor Rollinson raced in to claim the rebound. The youngster made up several yards on the hosts defenders, neatly flicked the ball over the keeper’s despairing hands, then lobbed the retreating last defender to score.

The youngster’s reward for his first senior goal for the team was instant substitution, but the raising of his number at least allowed the popular Rollinson to milk the appreciation of his team-mates and fans.

Ponte saved the best until last. A 14 pass move, involving Ormsby, both McGrorys, Haigh, Edwards and Lyon – and seeing the ball spread across the full width of the pitch – stretched the hosts to breaking point. When Will Ramsay spread the play back from left to right with a magnificent 50 yard pass, Twibey exploited the space to break into the box. Although a crude trip denied the skipper the chance to provide the coup de grace to the best move of the match – and to ink his name into the teamsheet from where it had earlier been erased by McGrory’s claim on his earlier effort – Liam Ormsby calmly despatched the penalty to complete the rout. At least the skipper could console himself with two assists and the knowledge that he had played a true captain’s role in a win that displayed the full character of the team.

With only Eddie Fogden’s nasal calamity to spoil their delight, Twibey’s troops could reflect on a terrific night’s work. The quality of their football was matched by the courage of their performance and the intelligence of their decision-making, with the players allowing nothing to distract them from playing their own game and controlling the ball throughout.

There were transformations all over the park: Liam Ormsby was magnificent in the middle of the park where he had been so wasteful at Louth; Robinson and new boy Roberts were commanding and controlled at the back; Ramsay was sharp and feisty; Edwards and Twibey attacked as well as they defended, while McDaid and Lyon offered great presence, industry and control. But special praise must be reserved for Grieg McGrory, who had his best game in a Ponte shirt and made good on his early season promise with a performance full of fire and quality; and Paul Haigh, who was superb throughout: winning every battle, inevitably escaping from every apparently hopeless situation with the ball at his feet, and invariably finding a colleague with his pass.

This was a welcome return to form for Ponte. Whereas Brendon Ormsby must have been wondering who he could trust to carry his game-plan onto the pitch after Saturday’ debacle, he will today be agonising over which of his superheroes to leave out for the visit of Emley on Saturday. Funny old game, anyone?

Pontefract: Lee Kelsey, Dean Twibey (captain), Stephen Edwards, Tom Robinson, Gareth Roberts, Paul Haigh, Connor Rollinson (repl. Scott McGrory, 83), Liam Ormsby, Steve Lyon, Greig McGrory (repl. Warren Redford, 86), James McDaid (repl. Will Ramsay, 70)

Subs not used: Nick Handley, Duncan Bray

Goals: Tom Robinson (30), Grieg McGrory (69, 75), Connor Rollinson (83), Liam Ormsby (86, pen)

Cautions: James McDaid, Paul Haigh, Nick Handley