The lethal finishing of marksman Craig Rouse and Micky Long was in stark contrast to the the lack of firepower shown by Welfare, who failed to reap the rewards of some sustained pressure against an organised back-line.
Collieries led 3-0 at the break and from then on there was no way back for Glasshoughton, whose plans were rocked by late cry-offs by captain Nigel Croad and club stalwart Paul Mattison.
Pontefract mounted the early pressure and took the lead on nine minutes when Ben Gilbert and Dean Lackie played in Adam White, who made no mistake. Welfare suffered another setback with the loss of Paul Arkle injured, prompting an early appearance from Thomas Carr.
Glasshoughton, with striker Paul Nodder causing problems, had their moments. Sam Harrison and Blaine Kellett put headers just wide while at the other end Gilbert almost got on to the end of a dangerous cross from the excellent Long.
The second goal was an audacious strike from the burly Rouse, who found the target with a looping 25-yarder. Gilbert started a good move that ended with Long firing just wide and Rouse was just off target with a header.
Ponte' old-boy Glen Shelley just failed to get on the end of a lovely cross from Nodder and Welfare were made to pay on 35 minutes when Rouse strolled through to cut the ball back to Long, whose lovely right-footed strike went beyond the despairing dive of stopper Luke Beedle.
The visitors had chances at the start of the second half. Gilbert couldn't take Lackie's lovely pass in his stride and twice Beedle came to his side's by foiling Rouse. Nodder got past the commanding Handley as Welfare looked to hit back but under pressure, the striker could only fire wide as Glasshoughton enjoyed a good spell.
And the lack of a finish proved the hosts' downfall.
Shelley had to be alert to deny James Tomlinson a goal and Joburns was on hand to snuff out a threat after Nodder again posed problems.
Gavin Cooke replaced Callum Wylie as Welfare switched to an attack-minded 3-4-3 formation and just before the end Nodder escaped his marker to nod home a free-kick from Shelley.
But just moments later, Ponte' hit a fourth. Josh Stacey almost scored off a cross by Tomlinson but Rouse made no mistake with a far-post finish.
It crowned a good performance from Simon Houghton's men, who were much-improved from the patchy display produced in a recent Wilkinson Sword Trophy tie between the sides.
Glasshoughton: Beedle, Price, Hazelden, Kellett, Wylie (Cooke), Amos, Shelley, Young, Harrison, Nodder, Arkle (Carr).
Pontefract: Joburns, Sykes, Romaniw, Handley, Tomes, Lafferty, Lackie (Tomlinson), White (Stacey), Rouse, Gilbert, Long (Lewins).