Match Report: Pontefract Collieries 2-4 Redcar Athletic

This great season has gotten better as we surpass the 100 point mark with a tricky win away to Pontefract

This is the final match report that will be featured in this season’s programmes, so I quickly want to use this to thank James and FootiePrint for their work throughout the season in making our programmes.

Anyway, back to your Steelmen.

Another decent day, amidst some blips of rain, and we headed to West Yorkshire to take on a Pontefract Collieries side who are pushing for one of the three remaining play-off spots.

It was the hosts who would start the strongest, with the Colls taking an early lead as Mark Anderson would unfortunately slip, allowing Pontefract to pounce on the loose ball, with the eventual shot looping over Mazfari and nestling in the back of the net.

We looked to counter after that strike, though Bosh was called offside, and moments later, we missed another chance as Adam Boyes got into the box and pulled the ball back to Louis. His shot would be parried away, and Brad Fewster’s follow-up header would be smothered.

We would have a couple more chances as the half continued, but it would be Pontefract who would score next, with an attack resulting in the player who scored their first bagging their second.

The wind began to really pick up as we approached the interval, too, and it was proving to be an issue for both sides, with any high balls diverting across the pitch.

Another near chance for the Steelmen saw Louis sweep a ball into the box that was just turned over.

The final bit of action would see Mazfari pull off a solid stop right before halftime that prevented Pontefract from scoring a third, but we would end up entering the break two goals down

Things seemed to be completely different in the second half, with the Steelmen playing like the champions we rightfully are.

An early Fewster shot went wide, but we were looking to be much stronger, and that strength was shown in the 51st minute, as a long ball from Nathan Guru found Bosh, who ran through the middle and slotted the ball past the keeper, putting us back in the game.

We would then level things up six minutes later as Louis would nab a bouncing ball before making his way down the left, cutting inside, and leaving the Pontefract keeper flat-footed as his shot rolled into the bottom corner.

That goal would also mean we break a record that has stood for 65 years, as we scored our 135th league goal, beating Peterborough’s tally of 134, reached in the 1960-61 season.

Curtis Round would have an attempt of his own after Louis’ goal, though that would be held by the keeper, and Brad Fewster would play a ball into the box that would then be cleared behind.

However, we would get the lead in the match, and it would come from Louis Johnson!

JJ Bartliff would play a long ball over the top, Pontefract’s defender would slip, and Louis would run into the box with the ball before knocking it past the keeper and into the net.

A superb turnaround from a side who have been consistently great in the league, and we weren’t done with scoring yet.

Just five minutes on from our third, and we would have a fourth, with Louis getting his hat trick.

The attacker would pounce on a short goal kick, nabbing the ball back and shooting into a net, much to the surprise of most of the fans, as well as Pontefract’s defence.

From trailing by a two-goal cushion, we now led by our very own one, and those would be the final goals of the match.

We would be hit with a slight issue as we approached the final ten minutes, as JJ Bartliff would receive a straight red, with the midfielder going into a Pontefract attacker.

Watching the footage back, and whether it is down to the quality of the footage is a separate question, but it didn’t look to be that bad of a challenge. It would have warranted a second booking, sure, but the ref never showed that. Just a straight red.

That also was the last real thing of note in the match, as we locked up defensively to prevent Pontefract from scoring, and we would see the match out as 4-2 winners.

We have a week off now before we play Blyth Town at the Hollou in our final home league match of the season, with our award ceremony happening afterwards.

If you haven’t voted in that yet, then please do. Link to the article where the polls are is below.