It was comfortable, if not entirely comprehensive against lowly Rossington, who drop to second bottom after this reverse.
The game was only three minutes old when Michael Long got on the end of a lovely passing move to smash the ball past home stopper John Griffiths.
Twice Rossington went close to levelling but the visitors were also a threat, with game-star Josh Stacey prominent, and the speedy youngster played in Ben Gilbert, only for the striker's touch to let him down.
A free-kick cleared everyone, including Colls keeper Andy Joburns, but the defence was alert and Nicky Handley, who had a top game at the back, cleared to safety.
Pontefract looked the most likely, with Matt Wilkinson a whisker away from converting Gilbert's free-kick and Griffiths doing well to foil Stacey, and late in the half they had a strong penalty claim after Stacey was felled from behind after again outpacing the home defence. The referee waved away the appeals, to the amazement of the visitors' dug-out.
Top scorer Craig Rouse replaced Gilbert on the restart and immediately started to cause problems. Griffiths turned Stacey's ambitious lob over the top and twice Rouse went close before setting up Stacey, who was unable to force the ball home.
Rossington were having their fair share of ball, without every testing Joburns or his back-line. Rian Sykes headed a dangerous cross over his own bar and Jon Billups found space to get in a free header but it was straight at Joburns.
The excellent Long had a 'goal' ruled out for offside after being played in by Mark Lafferty and both Stacey and Rouse also had chances, with the latter curling a free-kick just over.
Just as it appeared Pontefract would have to settle for just the one goal, Lafferty killed the game off. Adam White started the move and Rouse sprinted beyond the back-line to set up the burly midfielder, who made no mistake.
And the game ended as it began, with Pontefract on the offensive. White shot straight at Griffiths and Dean Lackie forced a fine stop from Griffiths as Simon Houghton's side maintained their promotion challenge ahead of Saturday's derby clash with cellar-dwellers Glasshoughton Welfare.
Pontefract: Joburns, R. Sykes, Romaniw, Handley, Wilkinson, Lafferty, Lackie, White, Stacey (Tomlinson), Gilbert (Rouse), Long (Lewins).