Pontefract Collieries 1:2 Teversal
Baris Northern Counties East League, First Division
Tuesday 10^th January 2012

Pontefract Collieries crashed to their second defeat in four days, to render the victory over Glasshoughton to the annals of history and hand the initiative back to their promotion rivals.

If a week is a long time in politics, four days must be an epoch in footballing terms. Coming in to last weekend, Pontefract would rightly have been considered favourites for promotion, having seen off their nearest rivals over the festive period and landed themselves at the top of the table, full of confidence. Going into this weekend’s fixture away at Askern, the team will wonder where their next victory is coming from after two devastating defeats. Although The Colls remain top of the table, they will be feeling the close presence of the clutch of teams in their rear-view mirror with games in hand, having again failed to pull away from their rivals with the final straight approaching.

In his programme notes, Brendon Ormsby urged his players to raise their energy levels above the torpor shown last Saturday. During the opening stages of the match, it seemed that they had heeded his call. Whereas The Colls had been slovenly on Saturday, their workrate and intensity was excellent, and the crowd seemed to sense a return to winning ways. Ryan Poskitt was at the fore, running at his full-back, drawing a foul from his opponent. Poskitt curled the resultant free-kick into the box and, after a short game of “head tennis” in the area, Greig McGrory shot towards goal, only to see his effort fly tamely into the arms of the Teversal ‘keeper.

With Ponte camped in their opponents half and controlling the ball, all they needed was a goal to settle the nerves and set them on their way. As it turned out, the goal came at the other end, on Tevie’s first foray into the Ponte half. When Greg Tobin was slipped through with a fine reverse pass, the linesman’s flag stayed down, the striker steadied himself, and rolled the ball past Lee Kelsey and into the net. Suddenly, the momentum was with the visitors, and Ponte’s fragile confidence was pricked.

Danny Wilson was denied a second for the Nottinghamshire side when he was released down the left, Kelsey doing well to block the youngster’s effort with his feet.

To the hosts’ credit, they did not let their heads drop. With Liam Ormsby setting the example in the middle of the park and Ryan Poskitt taking the game to the visitors on the right wing, the hosts pressed forwards. Poskitt came close to equalising when, having been fed by Ormsby, he drove forward and rifled a shot towards the roof of the net, only to see his effort tipped over by the ‘keeper. The ‘keepers’ hands were so fast that they evaded the referee’s eyes, and the visitors were awarded a goal kick.

When Haigh was fouled 28 yards out, Liam Ormsby sent a vicious free-kick over the wall and down towards the target, but the ‘keeper was well placed to catch the effort. Stephen Edwards lofted a cross into the area and, when the ‘keeper spilled the ball, Greig McGrory rolled the ball goalwards, only to see his effort cleared off the goal-line.

Teversal’s playmaker Colin Cockerill then struck a firm free-kick at Kelsey, who did well to parry the effort away.

With The Colls seeking an equaliser, they pressed forward, prompted by Ormsby and Paul Haigh in the engine room. As Haigh drove forward, he was stopped by a flailing boot, which summoned the end of the youngster’s game, with Scott McGrory being introduced as his replacement.

Ponte came close to an equaliser when Duncan Bray – enjoying his first full outing following a long-term injury – showed magnificent agility to chest the ball down with his back to goal on the edge of the 18 yard box and hook the ball goalwards. With the ‘keeper stunned, stranded and seemingly leading the applause, the ball struck the bar. Six inches lower and comparisons with Rooney’s effort against Man City and Maradona’s goal against England would have been ignited.

With an equaliser on the cards, the inevitable happened; Teversal scored a second with their second attempt of the game. A cross from the left evaded the Ponte defenders, allowing Robert Collins to head home at the far post.

With Ponte desperate to grab a goal before the interval and change the momentum of the game, Poskitt grasped the nettle. The winger took a ball out of the sky, beating his man with his first touch and running down the touchline before sending a magnificent cross into the path of Connor Rollinson, who was unable to get the required contact on the ball to trouble the ‘keeper.

At the interval, Ponte found themselves two goals down in a game they had dominated. Having been 2:0 down at half time on Saturday, it must have seemed familiar. However, these were different games: while the first half performance against Dinnington merited a deficit, this time the team would have considered themselves unlucky to be trailing a game in which they had enjoyed superiority in terms of territory and possession. There was hope.

As the second half got under way, Ponte pushed forward.  Ryan Poskitt landed a fine free-kick onto the head of Gary Lumley, who could not get over the ball and saw it clear the cross bar. However, their visitors reminded them not to go three behind when Cockerill rifled a free-kick into the midriff of Kelsey.

With Pontefract increasing the pressure, the only missing ingredient was the final ball. To add to their woes, The Tevie Boys were throwing their bodies in the way of anything threatening, and doing a manful job of protecting their young ‘keeper. As Ponte became increasingly desperate, they tried to force a way back into the game. Poskitt chanced his arm from range, sending a 30 yard shot into the arms of the ‘keeper with both his right and left feet.

When Colls Assistant Manager Duncan Bray started to tire, he was replaced by newcomer Andy Bugg, who added some energy to the front line. Firstly, Bugg induced a foul on the right, and when Poskitt landed the ball on the head of Lumley at the far post, the centre-half headed inches over.

With time running short, the Pontefract side were awarded a free kick on the half way line. Liam Ormsby delivered the ball towards the far post: this time, Lumley was able to get above the ball, and head it down into the net.

With three minutes remaining – plus whatever the referee chose to allow for numerous injuries, time-wasting and the full quota of substitutions – Pontefract sensed a dramatic turnaround. When Bugg was hauled to the ground in the penalty area in the final minute, the expected penalty did not materialise. Seconds later, the newcomer volleyed goalwards, only to see his shot blocked by a defender’s hand. Again, the referee was unmoved, and the chance of salvation had passed.

I comparison to Saturday’s defeat, Pontefract will see this performance as an improvement. Certainly, their performance on Tuesday bore no comparison to their inept showing against Dinnington. However, in the context of the season, they will view these two games as six points surrendered.

Ponte have an early opportunity to get their promotion campaign back on track on Saturday, when they travel to Askern Villa.

Pontefract Collieries: Lee Kelsey, Tom Robinson, Stephen Edwards, Nicky Handley (captain), Gary Lumley, Paul Haigh (repl. Scott McGrory, 33), Ryan Poskitt, Liam Ormsby, Duncan Bray (repl. Andy Bugg, 78), Greig McGrory, Connor Rollinson (repl. Steven Tierney, 57)
Subs not used: Hassan Ahmed, James McDaid

Goals: Gary Lumley (87)

Cautions: Nicky Handley