The Colls were handed a heavy defeat away at second place Shildon. The Colls conceded penalties either side of half time to leave a mountain to climb, despite having a man advantage for over an hour of the game.
Pontefract were travelling north for an away league game for the first time since Mid-September, where we fell to a narrow defeat against Worksop Town. Ponte had been on the back of a week and a half break and Craig Rouse’s men were looking for a reaction.
A number of changes were made to the side that last took to the field in the league against Tadcaster, this seemed to have worked early doors as The Colls were looking dangerous when on the front foot and were holding Shildon at bay for the 25 minutes of the half. Shildon were reduced to ten men on twenty three minutes, when Scott Brown was left in a heap after a high challenge. Ben Trotter was given his marching orders with a straight red.
Despite the man disadvantage it was the hosts who took the lead. They broke down the left and worked into the box where Dean Thexton was adjudged to have been tripped by Jimmy Williams, the referee pointed to the spot. Thexton stepped up to slid home, 1-0 Shildon.
The Colls tried to get back into the game, but as the two sides approached half time, the game became very scrappy in difficult windy conditions. Shildon were able to hang on to the break with a goal advantage.
The hosts were handed a great chance to double their lead, another penalty awarded for a foul on Dean Thexton. A quick throw in by the Shildon man tried to find Thexton in the box and the referee gave a foul on Scott Brown for a pull back on the opening scorer. He stepped up from the spot again to make it 2-0.
Craig Rouse looked to his bench for a spark bringing on Scott Smith, Fabian Bailey and Callum Brook in a triple sub, but it was our hosts who extended their lead. A counter attack saw Musselwhite facing a two versus one and Michael Sweet was played in to find an empty net.
Michael Sweet put the cherry on the cake three minutes later scoring his second and Shildon’s fourth. Another break saw Sweet run clear on goal, before calmly sliding the ball under the body of Musselwhite, 4-0 and game over.
Ponte continued to show endeavor as they tried to find a consolation, but in the end were outclassed by a side pushing towards to top of the league. A big game next for Ponte as they host Hebburn Town.
Shildon AFC team;
Pontefract Collieries team;
