Pontefract Collieries (A) – Match Preview

Back to league action now, and we are heading to Pontefract!

Our penultimate away game sees us head to a ground that was only reopened part way through the season

Pontefract’s Hunters Stadium underwent some major refurbishments that meant they had to spend a chunk of the campaign ground-sharing with Ossett United

Opened again on the 1st of December, Pontefract saw a fairly solid stint at their temporary ground that included a 3-1 win against Hallam and a 5-0 win against Ashington

Since returning to Hunters Stadium they went on a long unbeaten run that saw them draw with Matlock, and beat Silsden and Grimsby Borough 3-0

However, that run did end last Saturday, as they fell to a 4-1 thrashing at an insanely in-form Lincoln United side

They host us and Emley back to back before ending thier season away to Dunston, with that final game having huge implications as both sides sit level on 70 points

Bradford Park Avenue are also just outside the play-offs on 66 points, meaning Pontefract have been handed a killer run as the season ends

Bradford, from the table’s viewpoint, should be getting 9 points from a possible 9 as their final three opponents are Grimsby Borough, Bishop Auckland and Ossett United, who are all hanging around the drop zone, though the latter two are looking more at risk of dropping down than Grimsby

Dunston, meanwhile, hosts in-form Lincoln United, before travelling to Hallam. They then end the season with that aforementioned game against Pontefract

The Colls currently have two players with more than 10 goals, with Frankie Sinfield on 16, and Joe Lumsden on 12

Slightly worryingly for us, of Frankie’s 16 goals, 12 of them have come at home.

Pontefract have also been in really good form too, as across the last 10 games they have picked up 22 points from a possible 30, only failing to beat Blyth Spartans, Ashington and Lincoln United

The only side more in-form than them is us, with Lincoln United and Dunston sat behind them too

Across the last 4 games though things do drop off, with Lincoln United rising to 1st in the form table having bagged 12 poitns from 12. We sit 2nd with 10 from 12, and Pontefract fall to 8th with 7 points from that possible 12

Turning attention to us, and off the bat, let’s try to forget about Wednesday night.

League-wise, we are still unbeaten since October, and that recent defeat was only the 6th time this season where we were unable to score a single goal.

There’s a mystery prize for anyone who can name the other 5 sides that stopped us from scoring in a match.

Bosh, having hit 40 league goals, is now all but guaranteed to not only be the league’s, but also the Step’s, top scorer, as he is now 6 strikes clear of Albie Hall, and 10 clear of Noel Leighton.

A 1 goal win will tick off two milestones for the Steelmen too, as it will not only push us past 10 points but it will also give us an insane +100 goal difference.

If we score 17 goals in our final three matches, then we will also hit 150 league goals scored.

Having the fewest goals conceded is looking to be on the verge of impossible, though, with Emley still 7 goals ahead of us in that race.

If Oscar Fletcher scores three in our final three matches, then he will hit twenty league goals.

Louis Johnson needs 3 to hit 25, and Brad Fewster needs just 1 to hit that milestone, too.

Curtis Round needs 2 to reach 10 league goals, and Owen Burns can do something interesting.

If he scores 4 goals against Blyth Town, then the Autumn signing will hit 10 league goals. But the reason I have specified that match is that it would mean all 10 of his goals would have been scored at the Hollou!

Bosh will need to score 10 to reach 50 goals, and if those 10 come away from home, then he levels his tally up to 25 at home and 25 away, whilst also hitting a total of 50.

We have dropped to 11th in the league rankings, too, but a win against Pontefract should propel us back into the top 10, and I believe we do have a slim chance to even breach the top 5, which, for having just one season logged, would be an insane feat.

Anyway, that’s me done for today. Very soon, I will be writing the final match previews for this season, and I have no idea what I will be able to mention at that time.

Oh, and also. Don’t forget to vote in our end-of-season awards.

But don’t try to cheat it. I saw what someone did with Owen Burns and Jesse Cook. You aren’t that slick 😉

All the best, see you tomorrow, and up the Steelmen!