Toolstation NCEL Division One
Pontefract Collieries manager Craig Parry
Pontefract Collieries manager Craig Parry admits that his side are involved in a mouth-watering NCEL GroundHop fixture.
It is crunch time in the riveting Division One promotion race. Third-placed Pontefract and leaders Hall Road Rangers have two games left, while AFC Emley finish their season tomorrow. It is so tight that it may come down to goals difference.
Parry, who is a fan of the GroundHop concept, admits that the stakes are high.
“I think the GroundHop is really good for Non League football,” Parry told Non League Yorkshire.
“It brings crowds in for the games and obviously that brings vital finance for the clubs involved.
“The Knaresborough game is going to be big occasion, we’ve made it big for ourselves.
“We’re going to go there and enjoy it. We have to reflect on the Yorkshire Amateur match and get the points from the remaining games.
“As I said a few weeks, there certainly will be twists and turns. We dropped points at Yorkshire Amateur, Emley dropped points at Selby. Hall Road have still got to go to Rossington and Campion.
“We’ve still got to go to Knaresborough and Worsbrough, two good teams. We just have to go to Knaresborough and Worsbrough and be positive. Hopefully win the games and see where it takes us.”
Pontefract made life harder for themselves with the 2-1 defeat at Yorkshire Amateur on Saturday.
“It was really disappointing,” he said.
“We didn’t take our penalty and we eventually got hit on the break.
“At half-time we told the lads that they had to shift the ball quicker. I just think overall, it just wasn’t us.
“It wasn’t what we are about. We didn’t play to our strengths and it wasn’t the Ponte side that we have built. Fair credit to Yorkshire Amateur, they played to a plan and they hit us on the break really well.”
Fixture Schedule
Friday 14th April
Garforth Town v Staveley Miners Welfare (11am)
Harrogate Railway v Pickering Town (2.30pm)
Knaresborough Town v Pontefract Collieries (5.30pm)
Saturday 15th April
Rossington Main v Hall Road Rangers (11am)
Armthorpe Welfare v Hemsworth Miners Welfare (2pm)
Selby Town v Penistone Church (6pm)