Pontefract Collieries 0 Frickley Athletic 4 (PSF)

Recap

Pontefract Collieries 0 Frickley 4

The Blues were on fire in the El Classicoal derby as they put away four smoking goals without reply to turn up the heat on Ponte Colls! (I’ll get my coat….)

With Tom Davie available again, the Frickley starting eleven was Tom Nicholson, Nyle Blake, Connor Green, Tom Davie, Nathan Hotte, Chris Salt, Kegan Everington, Jack Smith, Brad Grayson, Jonny Margetts, Tyler Williams with James Hugo, Kyle O’Reilly, Josh McLauchlan, Alfie Eccles-Smith and Jack Wightwick on the bench.

Margs had the Pontefract defence on the back foot from the off, hitting a shot straight at the keeper in the first minute then skimming the top of the bar with a second attempt on goal in the fifth.

Ex-Blue Sam Cable nodded over the bar soon after for Ponte.

Ten minutes later, Brad Grayson gave more than a hint at what was to come when he picked up the ball 35 yards out and steamed in on goal. A combination of desperate defending and brave goalkeeping diverting the ball away from goal.

After a cagey period of play, Ponte had a couple of half chances that kept Tom Nick on his toes but not unduly concerned.

Just as it looked like the the half was petering out scoreless, Margs showed why defenders can’t afford to take their eyes off him for a moment. In the 42nd minute Margs teed up Jack Smith to sting the keeper’s palms with a rasping drive. Then seconds after, Margs created mayhem in the Ponte box, eventually drawing a heavy tackle, leaving Nyle-nel Messi to neatly tuck away the loose ball and to break the deadlock. HT 0-1.

With Ponte replacing almost their entire side at half time, the second half was a slow burner. It took until the 56th minute for the first chance of note, Ponte’s Damien Reeves lobbing a shot just over the bar.

In the 58th minute, Les Bleus won a corner that was floated in for Chris Salt to head down to Brad Grayson. The Bagsman turned on a sixpence and fired low into the net to double the lead.

20 minutes on and a second Salt-Grayson combo put the Azzurri virtually out of sight. Salty headed the cross back across goal into the path of the Bagsman who made no mistake with his bullet of a header into the onion bag.

Conor Green completed the scoring with 5 minutes to go, chasing down some ponderous Ponte defending before coolly slipping the ball past the keeper.

In hot and humid conditions, Margs had done his shift and went off for well-earned breather, to be replaced by Kyle O’Reilly for the final 4 minutes. Moments after entering the fray, he was almost on the scoresheet. KO’R was Bergkamp-esque as he watched a looping ball drop over his shoulder before volleying goalwards, the keeper having to make a stunning reflex save to tip the ball onto the post (btw WHEN KO’R scores, we’re on he pitch!!). FT 0-4.

It’s only a pre-season friendly, so no time to get too carried away, but it’s always good to put in a performance, to get a win, to keep a clean sheet and to do it all against your local rivals.

WEBMASTER MOTM – a really good team performance for so early in pre-season and another top show of fitness in tough conditions on a pitch that was harder than laminate flooring (Salty’s blistered feet are testament to that!). The engine room of Jack Smith, Nathan Hotte and Kegan Everington was solid. Tom Davie barely gave Ponte a sniff. Tom Nick and Alfie Eccles-Smith were safe as houses in the net. Chris Salt continued to impress, a rock in defence and a menacing presence in the attacking third with 2 more assists. Conor Green was superb in the second half, defending from the front and nabbing a well taken goal. However, the Glitterball is a joint one and goes to the skipper Jonny Margetts and the Bagsman Brad Grayson. Margs was pivotal, unselfishly bringing others into play, and Brad, with his brace, was looking razor sharp. Bravo gentlemen!

Still missing the Blue faithful though. Hopefully, your attendance grows ever nearer!