Pontefract Collieries and Craig Rouse’s men approach one of the biggest games in the club’s history this weekend, as they host Handsworth FC in our first ever Third Round Qualifying tie in the FA Cup. History will be made regardless of which team is victorious, with neither side reaching the Fourth Round of Qualifying in their history.
A fantastic tie is on the cards between two sides that have never met before in the FA Cup, but have met in league competitions during their NCEL days. The last fixtures between the two saw Ponte run out 1-3 winners away at Handsworth, with (now skipper) Jack Greenhough scoring the opener and goals from Vaughan Redford and Mikey Dunn. However Handsworth won the reverse fixture earlier that year with goals from Aaron Moxam sealing the win, he went on to join Ponte in the second half of that season to help The Colls to the league title. Handsworth had a strong season themselves finishing fourth in the league, but ended 17 points behind our league winning squad.
This season sees Handsworth currently sitting in 7th position in the Northern Counties East League (Premier Division). They are eleven points off top spot, but have three games in hand, largely due to their run in the FA Cup. They have won five of their opening seven league games, plus winning in each round of the FA Cup so far. They began with a win at home against AFC Mansfield, before defeating our fellow NPL side Stocksbridge Park Steels, they then went on to beat Coventry United at home two-nil, before claiming a big scalp in Halesowen Town from the NPL Midlands league (winning 1-3 away from home).