Jackson hits four for Pontefract

Glasshoughton Welfare 1-5 Pontefract Collieries

Chris Jackson hit four as clinical Pontefract Collieries retained the Bill Cook Memorial Trophy at the home of their local rivals Glasshoughton Welfare.

Although the score-line may be wide, Glasshoughton were a match for higher league Ponte and the visitors only pulled away in the last 20 minutes.

Glasshoughton competed well in the first half. Strikers Ash Scothern and Ryan Poskitt were missing, but their team-mates stepped up to the plate with a hard-working display.

Gaz Hunter, a vital cog in the Welfare wheel, was a big presence for Welfare against one of his former clubs who regard him as one of their best players of the modern era.

The home side stunned their visitors with the opener – in similar fashion to last year’s clash when wing wizard Richard Collier scored with an unbelievable strike. Welfare caught Ponte out on the counter attack and emerging striker Andy Horbury easily beat Jimmy Williams for pace before finishing with ease.

Ponte hit back from the penalty spot following a foul on Mikey Dunn. Although Jordan Bradshaw got a hand on it, Jackson’s penalty sneaked home.

Collieries only put the match beyond their hosts in the second half with three goals in 13 minutes. Former Selby striker Jackson curled an effort into the top corner from distance for the second.

Vaughan Redford added the third after breaking clear before Jackson lobbed the substitute Welfare goalkeeper to complete his hat-trick.

Jackson rounded off the victory with the last kick of the game by scoring into an open net.

The Bill Cook Memorial Trophy is staged in memory of Cook, a local sports trophies businessman, who passed away two years ago.