FA Cup
Craig Rouse paid tribute to his heroic Pontefract Collieries players following the 0-0 draw with National League giants FC Halifax Town in the FA Cup fourth qualifying round.
Ponte are in the hat for the first round proper – drawn at 1pm live on ITV today – after deservedly holding the Shaymen at a packed Beechnut Lane.
“Proud is one (word I’d use to sum the day up),” Rouse told Non League Yorkshire.
“I’m proud of the players and I’m just looking at the score-board there and it says Pontefract nil, Halifax nil and they’re third in the National League.
“I’m proud of the club for hosting a day like today with over 1429 people in here which has never been seen before.
“At times it was backs to the wall but I thought we had the clearer chances in all honesty.
“We had to dig in at times and we had to have a compact shape but I’m proud of the players, the volunteers who put their time in week-in-week-out when crowds like this aren’t here.
“I’m proud for (chairman) Trevor (Waddington), (head of operations) Mark (Harling), (secretary) Tina (Goodworth) who don’t always get the credit and the rewards they deserve.
“It has been a massive day and I’m proud of every single player.
“Is it a chance missed with Eli’s chance at the end of the first half and Spence’s chance at the start of the second?
“I can’t criticise any player because they’ve left everything out there.
“Those players deserve massive credit.”
Ponte broke their attendance record as 1429 people squeezed into Beechnut Lane and Rouse was full of praise for the atmosphere.
“We’ve had a bloke walking around the ground for a few years singing Ole, Ole, Ole on his own,” he said.
“For the whole crowd to adopt that and the full end singing, it was fantastic.
“To see the place packed is such a good feeling and you have to enjoy these days because you don’t know when the next one will come around.
“It has been brilliant day.”
Rouse’s tactical plan for Halifax’s visit to Ponte worked effectively and he has less than three days to develop a new one for the replay.
“We have to go away and think of a way to try and do it (win),” he said.
“We have a few players who are walking wounded – some with cramp, some with little knocks.
“We have to enjoy tonight and enjoy the fact we have held a National League club and got a replay.
“The players have a big away day at The Shay and we wake up tomorrow morning to put a plan together to try and do a similar thing by taking the game to them whilst still being nice and compact in possession.
“You have to give respect because they are obviously a good side.
“You see the rotation and the movement and you have to stay mentally switched on and it is tough as you get tired in games.”
Ipswich Town, Sunderland and Sheffield Wednesday are just three of the potential opponents for Halifax and Ponte in the draw.
Rouse is not getting caught up just yet in the excitement of the draw but he agrees the idea of Ponte standing alongside the giants of League One and Two is fairytale stuff.
“It sounds absolutely crazy.” he said.
“For us to have our name put at the side of those teams is unbelievable.
“You did an article this week looking at where we were in 2008 to where we are now and it is unbelievable.
“My phone will probably go berserk and I feel sorry for my wife and my kids because they have had a week where I have done interview after interview.
“We have been in training this week and we’ve put the shape together.
“It looks like it will go on for a bit longer.”