Pontefract Collieries in winning form ahead of big FA Cup date

Second half goals from forward Vaughan Redford and left-back Ben Gordon earned a 2-0 success against Bridlington Town that lifted Craig Rouse’s men up to 14th in the table and left their opponents bottom.

Colls now host Handsworth in one of the biggest games in the club’s history on Saturday, looking for a first-ever place in the fourth qualifying round of the FA Cup.

Kick-off is 3pm with a big crowd expected at the Regional Electrical Services Ltd Stadium to see if the Ponte team can move within one match of a place in the first round proper.

As warm-ups for big occasions go it was a great success against Brid with Colls having gone six league games without a win.

They had to wait 68 minutes to break the deadlock through Redford’s neat finish, but within seven minutes they were two up as Gordon got forward to score and a dominant second half display brought full reward.

It was a little scrappy in the opening 45 minutes and no surprise that it remained goalless. But Ponte upped their attack after the break and could have won by more than the two had it not been for several good saves by visiting keeper James Hitchcock.