The Colls were denied a late point in dramatic fashion on Tuesday night. A deliberate handball by the Stocksbridge defender and then the resulting penalty being saved, to deny Ponte a deserved point.
The Colls were unchanged for the second game in a row, following their FA Cup heroics over a week ago and their previous league game where they defeated Bridlington Town.
The first half got off to a scrappy start with neither side able to get on top. A number of misplaced passes and the ball spending half of the time in the air.
Neither side created much within the first half hour. Scott Smith looked the liveliest in a Colls shirt as he beat his man on a number of occasions to get a ball into the box. On one of his forays the ball was fired across the face and the ball somehow ricocheted up onto the bar and over.
Ryan Musselwhite was called upon on a few instances, where he was quick off his line to sweep up the danger in behind his defence.
As half time approached, the two sides had started to get the ball down and play. But it was the hosts who struck first. A break down the right hand side saw Spencer Clarke challenge be evaded, the forward charged into the box and cut back to Sam Finlaw to stroke home.
Half time at The Regional Electrical Services Ltd Stadium, not a classic but signs towards the end of the half that more was to come.
Pontefract certainly came out in the second half with their tails up, Derry Robson had an early effort which just skewed wide.
The Stocksbridge defence were pinned in their half for large parts of the second half and were limited to counter attacks.
Derry Robson again went close, this time he picked the ball up 30 yards from goal and went on a mazy run, he beat three and four defenders on his way towards goal before his shot was well blocked in the area.
Park Steels like the first half were still looking dangerous when going forward. Their front three broke at speed, with their number nine dragging his shot wide at the crucial moment.
Another long ball over the top of Ponte’s back line saw Musselwhite sweep up to head clear, but the ball dropped at the visitors feet but his shot was easy for Jack Greenhough to clear.
Both sides made all their allotted substitutes in a bid to get something from the game, The Colls dominating the second half possession stats.
With time running out Ponte were looking like it was to be their night with shots from Scott Smith, Gavin Rothery and Jack Vann all going off target with chances on goal.
The clock almost at 90, Joao Rangel found himself in behind his man and breaking at goal. He put the ball almost on a plate for Scott Smith to tap home, only for the Stocksbridge right back coming from nowhere to deny him with a last ditch tackle.
There were four minutes of added time by our match officials, then with seconds to go the ball dropped in the box for Joao Rangel and his shot was all but in only to be denied by a save from the visiting defender. HANDBALL!
The referee pointed to the spot and awarded a penalty for the deliberate handball, he then had to send the defender from the field of play. Up stepped Vaughan Redford, only for the keeper to deny him down low to his right with a strong save.
That was that, on another day Ponte could have taken three points from a game in which they deserved at least one. Fair play to Stocksbridge who stuck to their game plan and in the end defended like their lives depended on it.
The Colls now look forward to a huge FA Cup tie this Saturday at home to FC Halifax Town, with a bumper crowd expected.
Pontefract Collieries team;
Stocksbridge Park Steels team;
Attendance: 158