Together with the First Team – which plays in the Northern Counties East League – the Reserve Team constitutes the Senior section of the club.

Having withdrawn from the Lancashire League during the 2010-11 Season, for the current season (2011-1) the Pontefract Collieries Reserves Team are playing a series of competitive friendlies, together with representing the club in competitions such as the Castleford & District Cup and the Embleton Cup. This allows the team to operate as a reserves team should – allowing us the flexibility to arrange games when we need them, avoid clashes, and make sure that reserves football enhances the first team by giving players competitive games and providing senior football for lads from the Academy.

The purpose of the Reserves

At Pontefract Collieries, we believe that the Reserve team plays an essential role in the club. In short, the Reserve team provides a valuable support role to the first team, allowing Senior squad players to maintain their match fitness when not selected for the First Team, and allowing Academy players to progress into Senior football. The aim for our Reserve team is to ensure that there are players for every position, playing in “the Pontefract Collieries style”, on top of their game, match-fit, and ready to step into the First Team if and when they are called into action.

Although the Reserve team, under the management of John Redford, sets out to win each game in which they compete (winning does, after all, engender confidence and belief) it is more important that the team provides this crucial service.

When watching Pontefract Collieries Reserves, you should be able to see the following players:

• First Team regulars, who may be regaining match fitness after illness, injury or any other absence
• Senior squad players (ie, First Teamers) who have not been selected for First Team duty – either proving themselves in the Reserves for promotion back into the First Team or regaining lost sharpness
• New recruits to the Senior squad, who may have been asked to prove themselves worthy of a First Team place, integrate into “the Pontefract Collieries style”, or gain valuable match sharpness
• Outstanding U19 Academy players, who have been promoted to the Reserves in order to gain valuable experience of Senior football, as a crucial “stepping stone” towards further promotion into the First Team.

In summary, the Reserve Team is a fully integrated part of the Senior structure of the club, acting as a proving ground for many players, a means of integrating themselves into the club for others, and a means of learning Senior football for others.

Manager – John Redford
Assisted by the first team management team: Brendon Ormsby, Duncan Bray and Nicky Handley

Match summary

Thurs 4th August 2011        Wombwell Main (home) Friendly         Won 4:1       Match report

Thurs 11th August 2011      AFC Pontefract Friendly        Won 3:0

Tues 23rd August 2011       Parkgate (away) Friendly        Won 2:1       Match report

Sat 17th Sept  Carleton South Pontefract (home) Cas FA Challenge Cup  Won 4:2 (aet)  Match report