NPL Division One East
Craig Rouse says Pontefract Collieries are on the march and preparing to launch an assault on the top half of the Division.
Three consecutive wins – the latest being the 2-0 defeat of local rivals Frickley Athletic – have turned Ponte’s season around.
“We’ve just said to the lads ‘let’s start looking forward, forget what’s behind us’,” Rouse told Non League Yorkshire.
“We’ve put three wins on the spin together and we’ve shown we can put some form together by beating sides who are or were above us.
“Let’s keep looking up the league table.
“We’re closing in on that top half and why not?
“We want to keep putting pressure on those teams (in the top half) and make sure we (pull) away from (the bottom reaches).
“You can’t take your eye off it but we feel we have a strong resolute group who are only going to get better and we want to make sure we’re moving forward.”
Ponte fully deserved their derby day victory over Frickley who offered little going forward.
Goals from Joao Rangel and Rob Guilfoyle swung the victory in Ponte’s favour.
“I thought we were the side in the ascendancy and the ones who tried to play football throughout the game,” he said.
“As you can see it is a difficult pitch and Frickley came set-up for the pitch by setting up 5-4-1 and playing on the counter.
“At times this season they have been good doing that.
“They have a good defensive record and they’re nice and strong defensively and they are good at hitting teams on the counter.
“We had to guard against that.
“The first half was a bit of a non-event but we said at half-time ‘be patient, keep moving the ball and wide and with people like Joao, Gav and Mikey we have enough quality to open them up in wide areas’.
“I think the first goal is fortunate.
“People may tell me differently but from where I was stood it looked like a cross that has looped all the way in.
“The second goal is probably a result of them having to open up and come onto us.
“Gaps opened up and Guilly exploited one of those gaps and it was a really good finish which he is really good at.”