Worksop Town edged out The Colls in a close encounter in Nottinghamshire on Tuesday night. A number of former players and staff now involved at Worksop, ended on the winning side in a game that could have easily seen Ponte take something from the game.
On a wet and windy night down the A1, Ponte were looking to add to their only win of the season so far. With the rain this made the new 3g surface at The Windsor Foodservice Stadiun that bit faster and had an added zip.
Ponte looked to get on to the front foot right from the kick off, Jack Lazenby lifted a ball up to Vaughan Redford who was bundled over. This was adjudged by the referee to be right on the edge of the box, Jack Lazenby took the free kick but it was simple for the on loan Notts County stopper.
The opening ten minutes of the game saw little in the way of clear cut chances and both defences holding firm. A melee broke out in front of the dugouts between the two teams, following a tough challenge from Jack Vann. He won the ball but caught former Ponte man Aleks Starcenko in the process, leaving him in a heap. Vann received a yellow card and both sides were instructed to calm down.
Ryan Musselwhite was called into action for the first time following a long throw in from the right hand side, the ball dropped from a flick on and Musselwhite reacted well to deny a well hit shot. Up the other end Gavin Rothery struck just wide, he found the ball on the edge of the area after smart interplay in the final third.
Both teams were causing each other trouble from long throws and set piece deliveries in to the box, but a final pass or a clinical finish was missing to deny an opening goal.
Another Ponte break saw Jack Vann switch play to Ben Gordon, he played the ball inside to Rothery who beat his man and clipped a ball to the back post towards Jack Greenhough, but the defender was on hand to clear for a corner. The resulting corner was cleared for another Colls corner, this was swung in from the left Spencer Clarke kept the ball alive and found the head of Callum Brook who headed on goal. Screams from Ponte were heard around the ground as a high boot almost caught him in the face.
Vaughan Redford was the latest man to test the Worksop goal. The ball was worked out to him on the left hand side, where he cut inside and worked an angle but his shot just curled past the far post. Jack Vann was next to shoot on goal, a well worked passing move from back to front saw the midfielder pick the ball up 25 yards out. He tried to recreate his wonder strike from the week before, but this time his strike went over the bar.
A free kick from Musselwhite drifted out of play on the right touchline, a quick throw in saw Worksop on the attack, the ball was worked back to Cody Cromack who shot from range requiring a smart stop from the Ponte ‘keeper. The resulting corner was then headed over by another former Ponte man in Jake Picton.
The game had opened up as we approached half time, Vaughan Redford claimed for a foul on the edge of the Worksop area but the referee waved play on. Worksop broke up the other end and at the third attempt a ball into the box found its intended target, Musselwhite made a good reaction save but couldn’t do anything about the rebound. Worksop one-nil with two minutes of the half remaining.
At the break Ponte could feel hard done to, to be behind after creating more of the chances and playing some nice football in the process.
The second half was more of the same of the first half, both teams looking to gain the upper hand in a scrappy affair. An early sub for Ponte saw Vaughan Redford replaced by Eli Hey and new signing João Rangel came on to make debut in the place of Noah Stokes.
The second half saw less openings in front of goal and a number of wasted opportunities from both sides. The one big chance of the half came with twenty minutes to go Worksop broke down the left and delivered a great low cross to James Baxendale who was brilliantly denied by Ponte no.1.
Moments later Ponte’s task was again made harder like our Saturday game at Brighouse, as we were reduced to ten men again. Jack Vann was given his marching orders this time, he was being wound up by his Worksop marker and he reacted and the referee gave him a second yellow and then a red.
This didnt deter Ponte however, they continued to press forward in search of an equaliser and new man João Rangel was picking the ball up in dangerous positions and creating space for his team mates.
With the clock ticking down, Ponte had a number of late chances to force an opening. Ryan Musselwhite bowled the ball out to Callum Brook whose forward ball found Scott Smith, he laid the ball of to Greenhough. The cross from the right was tipped behind for a corner by the Worksop ‘keeper.
This gave Musselwhite the chance to venture forward for the corner. The danger was cleared but the ball was quickly recycle for Ponte to try again from another corner. The corner was too deep, Scott Smith and João Rangel managed to keep the ball alive but the resulting cross was too deep.
That was all she wrote as the referee blew the whistle for the final time. A defeat which was unfair on Ponte, but Worksop played to their game plan and took all three points in front of a crowd of 324.
Worksop Town Team;
Pontefract Collieries Team;
