Aaron Joseph scored the goal which has put Pontefract on the brink of promotion to the Toolstation NCEL Premier Division
A stirring second half fightback has put Pontefract Collieries on the brink of a return to the Toolstation NCEL Premier Division after 15 years in exile last night.
The Collieries have set up their date with destiny after winning 2-1 in extraordinary circumstances in the crunch Division One clash with locals rivals Hemsworth Miners Welfare.
All Pontefract need to do is win at struggling Lincoln Moorlands Railway on Saturday and one of the two promotion spots will be theirs.
It was do-or-die for Hemsworth, who will need a few snookers to win promotion now.
They had to win to keep their hopes alive and they must have felt confident when it was revealed that Ponte goalkeeper Craig Parry was unavailable so defender Iwan Heeley was between the sticks.
Heeley has played in goal for Pontefract this season and used to be a stopper in his youth football days, but he was still very rusty.
Pontefract Collieries captain Nigel Danby produced a rocket of a free kick to launch his side’s comeback
Nick Guest had put Hemsworth Miners Welfare in front on the stroke of half-time
Defender Iwan Heeley (right) played in goal for Pontefract
Marshalled by captain marvel Nigel Danby and Luke Danville, Pontefract had to defend much deeper and there were rocky moments in the first half.
But, the work rate of both sides helped serve up a fantastic advertisement for the Northern Counties East League which was backed up by a large crowd.
Liam Radford was a persistent nuisance for the Hemsworth defence and he headed over early on.
Danby, who continues to defy his age, made a timely block during Hemsworth’s first real attack. Heeley was beaten as Dom Blair’s strike headed for the bottom corner before Danby belted the ball off-the-line.
The sides appeared to be going in at half-time until Nick Guest broke clear on goal on the stroke of half-time. Pontefract should have arguably had a free kick awarded to them for a foul in the build-up, but Guest ignored the commotion and rounded Heeley to score.
On face value, it looked a long road back for Collieries.
That wasn’t the case as two goals inside three minutes straight after the interval pulled them back from the jaws of a defeat and steered them towards their promised land.
Danby got the comeback underway by rolling back the years and smashing a free kick past Jack Bentley from 20 yards.
If that got the Ponte players, management and supporters celebrating, pandemonium is the best way to describe how the winner was greeted.
Hemsworth fell asleep for the one and only time in the match and they paid the price as midfielder Aaron Joseph raced through. Joseph still had a lot to do, but he held his nerve to slide the ball low and hard and in the net – arguably the most important goal in Pontefract’s recent history.
Despite having to hold on for over 30 minutes, it was plain-sailing for Ponte, who almost scored a third goal as Aaron Moxam hit the post.
Hemsworth have had a magnificent season, but on this occasion, the Wells just couldn’t conjure up the precious equaliser – despite having lots of possession.
Heeley did bat away a long range Will Kemp effort. However, that was it and Collieries held on.
A few voices shouted that the “Colls are going up” after the final whistle. They’re almost there, not just yet though.
Hemsworth Miners Welfare manager Wayne Benn:
“I’m not disappointed at all with tonight in terms of the performance the lads have given me.
“They were outstanding, aside from a mad five-minute spell. For certainly 45 minutes we were far superior to a team that is potentially going to win the league.
“My lads deserve great credit for that. I take that the second half was more even, but I’m still incredibly proud of the performance, proud of the season we have had so far.
“Yes there are some disappointed lads in the dressing, but we’ll come again and this experience will stand us in good stead.”
Pontefract Collieries joint manager Duncan Bray:
“It was an outstanding performance. We had to shuffle the pack because of our goalkeeper problem so we had to Iwan, who has been outstanding at right-back, in net.
“Everything had to change from the way we defended to how we set up in midfield.
“Considering we were 1-0 down at half-time, it is was an outstanding turnaround.
“You saw in the second half that we have some real warriors in that dressing room, who are not prepared to accept defeat. They will run through a brick wall for each other.
“It’s up there with the best performances of the season.”
Hemsworth Miners Welfare: Bentley, Hayward, Clark, Swift, Colbear, Viggars, Connolly, Yates (captain), Guest, Blair, Wilson (Kemp 66). Subs unused: Crapper, Walker, Dixon.
Pontefract Collieries: Heeley, Forgione, Corbett, Danby (captain), Danville, Hayton, Catton (Whitehouse 42), Joseph, Radford, Moxam, Bennett (Marsden 57). Subs unused: Robinson, Rouse, Lindley.
Referee: Adam Smith
Ref Rating: 9/10
Attendance: 186
Man of the match: Nigel Danby (Pontefract Collieries)