Pontefract Collieries handed home tie with Halifax Town in final qualifying round of Emirates FA Cup

Pontefract Collieries will face former Football League club Halifax Town after being handed a plum home tie in the fourth and final qualifying round in the Emirates FA Cup.
Pontefract Collieries players celebrate as one of their six goals goes into the net in the FA Cup tie against Handsworth. Picture: @dribblingcodePontefract Collieries players celebrate as one of their six goals goes into the net in the FA Cup tie against Handsworth. Picture: @dribblingcode
Pontefract Collieries players celebrate as one of their six goals goes into the net in the FA Cup tie against Handsworth. Picture: @dribblingcode

The history making Colls have already come further in the competition than they have ever done previously in the club's history and are now only one more win away from the first round proper when clubs like Sheffield Wednesday, Sunderland and Portsmouth from the Football League will enter the draw.

Before they can think of that prospect they will take on a Halifax Town team with its own Football League history in what must be the club's biggest ever competitive match.

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The tie is set to take place on the weekend of October 16 with ticket details and kick-off time to be announced shortly.

Pontefract Collieries players celebrate their FA Cup third qualifying round tie victory over Handsworth. Picture: @dribblingcodePontefract Collieries players celebrate their FA Cup third qualifying round tie victory over Handsworth. Picture: @dribblingcode
Pontefract Collieries players celebrate their FA Cup third qualifying round tie victory over Handsworth. Picture: @dribblingcode

Pontefract's cup dream is still alive and progress was only briefly in doubt when they took on Handsworth at home in the third qualifying round on Saturday.

There must have been a few little worries when Colls did not take an early chance to take the lead as Vaughan Redford saw his penalty saved after Eli Hey had been brought down in the area.

But Craig Rouse's men shrugged off the missed opportunity to be three up by half-time and go on to win 6-0 to record the biggest margin of victory for the club in their FA Cup history.

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In front of a big crowd of 455, Colls were ahead from the 23rd minute when right-back Jack Greenhough bundled the ball over the line following Gavin Rothery’s corner.

Four minutes later Redford had the chance to make amends for his penalty being saved and took it with a fine finish from Ben Gordon’s cross to double the lead.

More chances followed as Colls went into overdrive with Hey hitting a shot over and Rothery seeing his effort well saved.

Another penalty then followed after Spencer Clarke was caught in the head by a Handsworth defender who had tried to clear a ball into the box and Redford made no mistake this time, firing home the spot kick for his second goal of the afternoon.

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The second half was only two minutes old when Spencer Clarke powered home a header from Gordon's corner to make it 4-0.

Scott Smith was unlucky to hit the crossbar as the hosts continued to dominate, but Hey did score. Again it came from a Gordon corner with the striker netting from close range after Redford sent a header towards goal.

Handsworth’s afternoon got worse when they had Nana Nyarko was sent off for a dangerous tackle.

With an extra man, Ponte put the icing on the cake with a sixth goal, Scott Smith scoring after the Handsworth keeper could not hold Jack Lazenby’s initial shot.