Luke Danville heads Pontefract Collieries in front in the 7-0 win at Penistone
Pontefract Collieries ended the NCEL Easter GroundHop weekend in spectacular fashion by running riot at Penistone Church with an incredible 7-0 win.
Pontefract’s Toolstation NCEL Division One title credentials look extremely good after a remarkable victory over a side that had beaten Clipstone and drawn with Hemsworth in the last two weeks.
For the second biggest crowd of the GroundHop games, Pontefract served up a scintillating performance – arguably their best of the campaign.
On this showing, with just five games to go, Pontefract will take some stopping in their bid to end their 15-year exile from the Premier Division.
Penistone, who have had an excellent first season in the NCEL, were missing key players Andy Ring, Alvin Riley and Mark Crossfield.
But, the only positive Ian Richards’ team can take is that their club earned the financial rewards from the huge crowd.
As soon as the moment that Pontefract’s new defender Luke Danville headed home Josh Corbett’s corner early on, Penistone fell apart.
Pontefract ripped them apart and Nick Handley and Duncan Bray’s side put themselves out of sight with two goals in three minutes on the half hour mark.
Aaron Moxam scored twice for Pontefract
Former Athersley forward Lee Bennett was a key destroyer and his pass allowed the returning Radford to score the second goal.
Bennett was involved again straight after as his shot was saved by Joe Green, but unfortunately for Penistone, the ball rolled to in-form Aaron Moxam, who had the simple job tapping the ball into the empty net.
Moxam got his second goal at the start of the second half.
Penistone’s frustrations started to come to the fore and their night gradually got even more painful.
Danny Howes’ stupid aerial challenge on Andy Catton left the former Glasshoughton midfielder in a crumpled heap on the floor. Fortunately referee Danny Jarvis saw the incident correctly and Howes was quickly shown the red card.
Catton did manage to carry on for a short time and he got his own back with a powerful low drive to take Ponte’s tally to five.
Even with five, Pontefract were not finished and in the closing stages, Phil Lindley and Mark Whitehouse added the gloss to take the score to an unbelievable 7-0.
What a night for Pontefract and there could be many more to come.
Penistone Church manager Ian Richards:
“Tonight because of the crowd it has been a great reward for all the hard work that has gone on behind the scenes.
“There’s so much work gone on in the background at this club and the game was hard to organise.
“I know people have been here on-and-off Friday-Saturday morning to put everything in place.
“I’m disappointed we haven’t been able to get for the people of the club a true reflection of how we have been this season tonight.
“People will be walking away thinking Penistone aren’t up to much. We’re giving no excuses, but we had to play Brett (Lovell) our best defender upfront because our best strikers weren’t here.
“Our best reserve striker was at a wedding so I haven’t been able to bring anyone in. It’s frustrating, but that’s Non League football.
“We conceded early and the disappointing thing for me is that we conceded four goals from set-pieces and that’s not like us.”
Pontefract Collieries joint manager Nick Handley:
“It is a tremendous win and I’m almost speechless.
“The lads were tremendous and some of the finishing was top draw as well.
“I would have taken any win, even the scrappiest 1-0 win.
“We came with a game-plan and it paid dividends. I went to watch Penistone at Worsbrough the other weekend and they were pretty much the same, apart from the three missing.
“We wanted to get the win, but we feared that Penistone were in form as well, but we were just too good on the night.”
Penistone Church: Green, Lee (Kemp 55), Howes, Ellis, Whitehead, Briggs, Richards, Exley, Lovell, Dickinson (Cadzon 70), Young (Jones 55). Subs unused: Moore, Kemp, Jones, Almond, Cadzon.
Pontefract Collieries: Parry, Heeley, Corbett, Lindley, Danville (captain), Forgione, Catton (Marsden 76), Hayton, Radford, Moxam (Rouse 70), Bennett (Whitehouse 60). Subs unused: Joseph, Copping.
Referee: Danny Jarvis
Ref Rating: 8/10
Attendance: 511
Man of the match: Lee Bennett (Pontefract Collieries)