Beechnut Lane, home of Pontefract Collieries based in West Yorkshire and play their trade in Step 4 of the Non League Pyramid in the Northern Premier League Division One East. Nicknamed the “Colls” as it’s in the name “Collieries”.
A rare Tuesday night for me so let’s take advantage of it for Pontefract Collieries vs Carlton Town! An early training finish so it’s straight towards the A1 and off at Pontefract, over towards Skinner Lane and here I am… Oh wait the car park isn’t here… I’m at the wrong end! Back I go, I’ll probably miss kick off now…
I’m driving around Pontefract here… Where is the entrance? It must be this housing estate surely… How do I get into that car park?! Oh dear me… Back on to the main road… OH THERE IT IS! Only… 30 minutes in… £5 to get in here… Thanks Google Maps! It’s currently 1-0 to Pontefract here… Hate missing goals!
There’s an injury to a Carlton man as I walk in… It’s 5 minutes later and Carlton’ 8’s Niall Davie is still down and the stretcher is out… Never nice to see injuries like this! The Referee appears to be on the phone… Is he phoning for an ambulance? This doesn’t look good… The players have been taken off the field now… Time rolls on… And on… And on…… The ambulance is on the pitch and finally they manage to transport Niall safely from the field to a round of applause!
The Pontefract players are back out on the field re-warming up now but no sign of the Carlton players. It appears that the Pontefract captain is arguing with the Referee… The game is off! It has been abandoned! Oh dear… The Pontefract fans are not happy! 30 minutes late and I haven’t seen a ball kicked… *SIGH*
2 days later… Let’s try that again! A quick re-scheduling to Thursday. This time the Merry Miller will be joining me! Work is done for the day and off to Rotherham to pick him up. A relatively shorter drive later and here we are parked up in the ground.
A chance to see a Wakefield Sunday League game at Chequerfield FC so off we go… Oh look a chippy! That’s tea sorted so back on the trail.
Where is this ground…? Time rolls on and here we are at DeLacy Academy but this isn’t where Google Maps was supposed to take us right? Pontefract is NOT the place for Google Maps with the looks of things! Back we go towards Beechnut Lane. A wasted walk!
We are back at the ground and in we go! Free Entry tonight! Thanks Ponte! Into the bar we go to kill the rest of the time. ACDC’s Thunderstruck echoes around the ground and out come the teams! Pontefract with nothing to play for whereas Carlton need to win and win to have a chance of avoiding relegation. Let’s do this!
Kick Off! 6 minutes in… A few tough tackles so far! Pontefract manager: “shut the f**k up 3 you fat c**t!” Oh dear!
12 minutes in and Pontefract play a ball over the top for Adam Priestley to run onto, he battles with the defender and gets into the box to shoot… The defender gets there and the shot rolls nicely to the keeper.
3 minutes later and Carlton come forward, it s played in for Niall Hylton in the box on the left, he shoots… He’s found the net! The Carlton fans go crazy! 0-1! One giant leap to safety!
28 minutes now and it’s a throw in on the left for Pontefract, it’s played short, they get a cross in, the header at the far post… It’s wide!
Great to meet some of the travelling Carlton faithful here tonight! Always known for being a friendly fanbase and the Merry Miller can’t get enough of a team in red here tonight called the Millers!
41 minutes gone and it’s a corner for Pontefract, in it comes… It’s pinball on the goal mouth… The Ponte fans celebrate as it’s been forced in! Adam Priestley runs away in celebration! It’s 1-1!
Into stoppage time in the first half and Carlton play a long ball out to the left for Nat Watson, he’s hacked down and it’s a free kick just outside the box on the left, it’s whipped in… It’s headed away and that is half time with the score at 1-1.
Second half, 48th minute and Pontefract get in the box on the right, it’s played to the edge of the box for Adam Priestley to strike… Over! Good start from Pontefract.
The atmosphere in the Pontefract end is certainly building nicely!
64th minute and Nat Watson charges into the box from the right, he glides past the defender and he shoots… It’s saved! Corner for Carlton, in it comes… It’s punched away from the goalmouth… That was close!
Another familiar face? It’s Officer Kizz! Certainly didn’t expect to see him tonight! The Merry Miller: “Carlton are going to win 3-2 and Ponte are going to score first, Carlton will equalise in the 85th and win it in the 93rd!” A bold prediction to say the least.
78th minute and Pontefract play a long throw in from the left, it’s off a Carlton head… And it’s gone in! 2-1! It looked like a Carlton head from here anyway. “Ole ole ole ole!”
85th minute now and Carlton play down the left, it’s crossed in low, Kieran Watson is there… AND HE’S SCORED! The Merry Miller was right on that one! Have we more to come?! Carlton are level and it could be a massive goal in their survival push! 2-2!
It’s anyone’s game now! 93rd minute and here come Carlton, has the Merry Miller got it on point here? They get into the Pontefract half… But Pontefract deal with it. Play goes on… It’s a point a piece here tonight!
FT: Pontefract Collieries 2-2 Carlton Town
Ratings
- Atmosphere: 7/10 – Brilliant from both sets of fans here tonight! Great to see Pontefract with a large group of passionate fans at this level especially!
- The Ground: 6/10 – It’s not too bad! The stands are good and the new shed end is better than it was! The bar doesn’t look as good as it did… It looks like it’s about to be turned into changing rooms respectively… Could that be the new building?
- Expense: 10/10 – A good game and all for free… Well £5 in my case but still!
- Overall Experience: 8/10 – Great to see Officer Kizz and the Merry Miller as always but great to meet some of the Carlton fans here tonight as well!
31/40