Season 07-08 : Northern Counties East League : Match Report

PONTEFRACT COLLIERIES  2  -  3  TEVERSAL Prepared by Kevin Newton

PONTEFRACT COLLIERIES - Smith, Barkett, Ball, Slater K., Forsyth, Tomlinson, Muscroft, Lanes, Elliott, Duckworth, Roimaniw (Slater S. 79). Subs Not Used – Mullooly, Robinson-Newbould.

TEVERSAL - Wilson, Stojanovic (Hauton 84), Goodacre (Atkins 75), Holmes, Short G., Giles, Tighe, Scott, Woodcock, Rathbone (Hudson 66), Lyall. Subs Not Used – All Used.

REFEREE - Mr M. Walsh from Sheffield.

MAN OF MATCH - Pontefract Collieries – Kevin Duckworth, Teversal – Marc Rathbone.

ATTENDANCE - 36.

"TEVIE MAKE A MARC" After a thrilling midweek encounter at Staveley Miners Welfare when Teversal came from 2-0 and 3-1 behind to gain a creditable 3-3 draw. A trip into Yorkshire to face Pontefract Collieries turned out to be an excellent stepping-stone to take the Carnarvon Street club to the top of the table with another impressive performance and 3-2 away win. To be fair the game initially was a cagey affair, with both sides having equal possession without threatening the goal. Then midway through the first period the visitors started to impose their passing game to develop more meaningful attacks with Marc Rathbone and Andy Woodcock becoming a threat to the home side. On 25 minutes, Teversal thought they had taken the lead when Rathbone played a neat ball into the path of his strike partner Woodcock who calmly took the ball in his stride to take him away from the Ponte defence, only to see his effort deflect to safety off the upright. Eleven minutes later the Tevie Boys received their just rewards, again the strike partnership combining, with Woodcock being the provider of an inch perfect cross that Marc Rathbone directed a powerful header into the top corner leaving Smith in the Ponte goal no chance. With half time approaching, the visitors thought they had doubled their lead, Tighe’s free kick forcing Smith to make a smart safe and Woodcock seized on the loose ball, but again he fired against the upright from a tight angle. Ponte also had the strike power with Elliott and Duckworth being a handful, which proved to be the case during added on time when Duckworth fired home to level after the visitors defence failed to clear their lines from a Muscroft free kick. The second period continued with the Tevie Boys looking the most likely to add to their account, but with the Ponte strike force looking prominent on the break and needed to handled with respect or be punished. So with Short and Holmes doing their bit in defence, Giles and Co in midfield continued to chisel away against the Ponte resilience. Then in the space of 2 minutes midway through the second period, the Tevie persistence finally paid off, when Scott superbly held the ball up after intercepting Barkett’s attempted back before cleverly picking out Andy Woodcock to fire home into the empty net, to end a bit of personal draught in goal terms. On 81 minutes the roles were reversed when Woodcock picked out Marc Scott to fire home to make it 3-1 to the delight of all the Tevie camp. The importance of that third goal was to be realised when on 87 minutes Elliott fired in a powerful free kick from 25 yards that Wilson did well to save, but Steve Slater reacted the quickest to fire home to make it 3-2. But the expected nervy finish didn’t happen and a new found confidence saw the Tevie Boys home and sitting at the top of table, even though it may be for a few days, it’s a notable day that it is the highest position in the national league system the Tevie Boys have held. One point that shouldn’t go unnoticed was the excellent performance of the referee Matt Walsh who played his part in the entertaining encounter. Teversal’s next game is a Wilkinson Sword Trophy Quarter Final, away again at Pontefract Collieries on Tuesday night. This is followed with a massive game at Carnarvon Street when one of the promotion favourites Barton Town Old Boys are the visitors for a game that kicks off at 3.00pm.