HANDSWORTH 0-1 PONTEFRACT COLLIERIES
Baris Northern Counties East League President’s Cup – Quarter-Final
Wednesday 30^th December 2011

Pontefract once again showed their glorious inconsistency on Wednesday evening as they battled to a hard-fought win at Handsworth in the President’s Cup, fresh from the weekends no-show against Hemsworth.

It was a game settled by just the one goal, courtesy of James McDaid, and was won by a strong second-half defensive display, that shut out Handsworth at any given opportunity.

There were numerous changes to the starting line-up, with Rob Oldham, Gary Lumley and Nick Handley returning to the side, the latter making his first start of the season.

The first half saw Handsworth making the early running on a tricky surface. Ryan Johnson’s early corner was cleared but from the ensuing action, some good link-up play saw Sam Smith nearly in on goal, thankfully the ever alert Lee Kelsey dived at the striker’s feet.

The same player then put in a highly dangerous cross that was just missed for everyone, before Tom Roebuck did similar, however this time his cross found the head of Grant Allott in the area. Much to everyone’s surprise, the defender could only head his effort wide.

The game was a scrappy, but entertaining affair, and the Colls were now starting to make inroads of their own – James McDaid and Ryan Poskitt always lively on the wings, with academy starlet Warren Redford doing a great job up front of holding the ball up and laying off.

The young striker shot just wide from a lovely Rob Oldham cross that was creating from a strong run by McDaid, who laid the ball off for the fullback.

McDaid then headed just over from a quick Poskitt free-kick, before at the other end Smith scooped a glorious chance over the bar from close in.

After half-an-hour, Ponte took the lead and it came about from an unlikely source. Ex-Ponte custodian Rob Poulter attempted a goalkick that went straight to McDAID (30m) on the left side of the area. After skipping past two challenges, the midfielder finished brilliantly into the bottom corner, wrong-footing the ‘keeper.

The goal seemed to enthuse the Colls, and they now enjoyed their best spell of the game. Poskitt had an effort blocked, with the rebound falling to Redford who could only direct his header straight to Poulter.

Some lovely build-up play then saw the young striker right in the danger zone once again, this time he shot just past the post. An impressive run from Greig McGrory managed to find Redford, whose shot was blocked and rebounded to Callum Green, who shot over the bar.

As the half drew to a close, there were a couple of hairy moments for the defence, as first David Cockerill hit a fierce effort on goal which came back off the bar, before Nick Handley pulled off a textbook last ditch tackle to deny Scott Bates a sight of goal.

The second half saw Ponte start well with Green putting through a super ball for Greig McGrory, whose effort on goal hit the post, before Redford could only hit his shot wide from an acute angle.

The game was becoming an end-to-end affair now, a ball straight through the middle of the Ponte defence found Cockerill bursting through the centre, and the striker seemed a certain scorer, however somehow the big forward hit his effort wide of the target!

Leon Guest then put in a great cross-field ball for Poskitt, whose ensuing corner-kick found Redford whose header was well held on to by Poulter.

A slip in defence nearly let in Handsworth for an equaliser as the wind picked up, Bates with the cance yet Kelsey did a fantastic job in goal to save the effort and smother the danger.

Soon afterwards, a great slide-rule ball found Ponte assistant manager Duncan Bray clean through on goal and again looking like easily doubling the visitors lead. Inexplicably, Bray slipped on the surface at the vital moment without a defender near him!

Johnson nearly got in behind the Ponte defence as the game drew to a close, and a shot from Bray was saved on the line as injury time approached. Ponte hung on though, and now go through to claim a place in the Semi-Finals.

Teams

HANDSWORTH                                                         COLLS

1        Rob POULTER                                       1        Lee KELSEY

2        Ryan JOHNSON                                      2        Connor ROLLINSON

3        Wesley HILL                                           3        Rob OLDHAM

4        James COLLIVER                                   4        Nick HANDLEY (C)

5        Grant ALLOTT                                        5        Gary LUMLEY

6        Faffy GWINDI                                       6        Leon GUEST

7        Tom ROEBUCK                                      7        Ryan POSKITT

8        Danny PATTERSON (C)                           8        Callum GREEN

9        Sam SMITH                                           9        Warren REDFORD

10      David COCKERILL                                   10      Greig McGRORY

11      Scott BATES                                          11      James McDAID

12      Richard TOOTLE                                     12      Duncan BRAY (for Redford, 73m)

14      Tyrone CRAPPER                                    14      Hassan AHMED (for Poskitt, 87m)

15      Alex TORR                                            15      Jack HILL (for Lumley, 59m)

16      Danny INGRAM

17      Pat LINDLEY

GOALS:

0-1 McDaid 30m

BOOKINGS:

None

Half-Time: 0-1

Full-Time: 0-1

Attendance: 43