Fortune favours the brave. That’s the message from Pontefract Collieries manager Andy Monkhouse as his side prepare for the mouth-watering FA Cup tie at giants FC United of Manchester on Tuesday night.
The first qualifying round battle is only the fifth time Ponte have reached this stage of the world’s oldest cup competition in their history.
To go further, fearless Pontefract face an almighty challenge against a team who will be backed by almost 600 fans. But Monkhouse, whose new-look Colls side have made a positive start to the season, is hopeful of causing an upset.
“I think there is excitement,” Monkhouse told Non League Yorkshire.
“There’s no real fear and we know it is going to be a hard game against a team that are higher up in the pyramid than us. But we’ve had a strong pre-season and we’ve started the season okay and we go there full of belief and if we can show the effort and quality from the last two games then I’m sure we can match them and compete.
“If we get a bit of luck along the way, hopefully we’ll get into the next round. I understand where the phrase (nothing to lose) comes from, but there’s pressure from myself and players. We don’t want to turn up and have a nice night at FC United. We want to go there and prove we can compete at a higher level.
“We have the experience for these kind of games and that’s why it was important I brought in the right senior players. I’m sure they will help the young lads out and it is an opportunity and the players to put on a performance that people will sit back and take notice of.
“Because they are a well-supported club we’d have preferred it to be a full ground. Unfortunately it can’t be, but 600 fans, it is probably the most we will play in front of this season. The lads have got to embrace it and who knows?
“If we can’t be up for this game, when will you be? That’s the attitude and the players have an opportunity to play in front of 600 fans, at a nice ground, on a nice pitch so it is up to them to show people what they’re all about.
“People keep saying that to me (if we win it will be one of the biggest shocks of the round). If it is, fine. But I’m not seeing it as us as a small club going to this huge club. We know it is going to be tough, but we’re going there with the attitude of trying to get into the next round.”
The Colls won their opening game, the FA Cup tie at Hebburn Town on penalties after drawing 2-2 in normal time despite two sending-offs. Ponte then drew 1-1 with Runcorn Linnets in their opening NPL Division One North West game. Monkhouse could be seen running and punching the air several times after Nathan Modest equalised with five minutes remaining.
“I think you have to enjoy every goal,” he said.
“With it being the first game of the season, it is important you don’t lose the game. We’ll take the point. I think the lads deserved a point. It is a positive start and I think over the balance of the game we weren’t to our best in the first half, but second half we were better.
“I think Runcorn are a strong side who will do well this year so it is a point gained. It has been an eventful start, obviously with last Saturday at Hebburn with the penalties and going down to nine men and scoring late on Saturday, but it has been an enjoyable start and hopefully we can kick on and take it into the FC game.”
To say there is no doom and gloom around Ponte is an achievement in itself. Monkhouse was handed one of the toughest roles in Non League – especially for a rookie boss – when he replaced Craig Parry who had departed to Worksop Town with most of the players.
Apart from Fabian Bailey and Gavin Rothery, it is a completely new squad. But it is band of players Monkhouse is delighted with following a good pre-season and a steady start in the competitive fixtures.
“I think there is a lot of positivity around the club,” he said.
“We’ve had some nice things said about the Football Club and since I got the role and having to start with really no players and having to get the right sort of players in, we’ve happy with the recruitment we have done.
“Normally you have have a backbone of players you can build around, but obviously that has not been the case. We have now 16 or 18 players we can count on and I know full well that they will do everything they can for themselves, the football club and me.
“It goes to show in the Runcorn and Hebburn games, the lads will keep going to the last minute. If things don’t go right, they’ll keep going until the final whistle. We have a really good set of players that I’m happy with.
“We have brought in the right people. They want to play and they want to learn and throughout the two games we’ve played, we’ve had two lads sent off, we’ve been ahead and on Saturday we were 1-0 down after five minutes and we kept going. They’re showing the right sort of attributes to do well and that’s the sort of people I want to join the club.
“You see the spirit of last week when we won on penalties and you see that in the images from when we scored on Saturday. We’re building a nice spirit and long may it continue.”
In his previous interview with NLY, Monkhouse spoke about attracting young talent who want to learn and move higher up the pyramid. He has since seen left-back Jordan Barnett move back to the Football League with Oldham Athletic and the Ponte boss admits the amount of young players wanting to join the club is growing.
“It is a good point because a few people have got in touch with me themselves or through agents to ask if they can come in,” he said.
“That’s obviously a massive positive because the more young players I can get in and make them better players reflects well on everyone. I’m hoping we can become a hub for young players wanting to move back up the system.
“It is always nice when agents feel their players can get an opportunity with us. If someone is recommended to me, of course I’ll have a look and if they are good enough they’ll get an opportunity.”