Pontefract Collieries (H) - Tuesday, 5th November 2024

The Opposition - History
Football in the town can be traced back to the 19th century when Pontefract Garrison competed in the West Yorkshire League.
Pontefract Borough are known to have reached the Yorkshire League in the late 1920s.
They then ceased to exist, with football in Pontefract being resurrected in 1935 by Tanshelf Gems and they soon became Pontefract United.
After the war they were joined in the town by the Collieries side and by the late 1950s both sides were playing in the West Yorkshire League.
Collieries became extinct in 1960 but bounced back a couple of years later when United merged with a local youth side and took the name on.
They enjoyed success in the West Yorkshire League and joined the Yorkshire League in 1979, winning Division Three in 1982.
The following year the Yorkshire and Midland Leagues combined to form the Northern Counties East League, of which Colls were founder members.
They were promoted in each of the first two seasons of its existence and held their position in the NCEL Premier for a decade.
They eventually suffered relegation in 1995 but bounced straight back, picking up the Wilkinson Sword Trophy the same season.
A further relegation followed in 2002 and it would be 2015 before they returned to the Premier. The 2007/08 season in particular was a disaster for the Colls who won the first game of the season but failed to pick up another victory. Only a league restructure saved them from relegation.
In 2018 they secured over 100 points to win the NCEL Prem and reach the NPL.
In their first season they finished 2nd in the East Division but lost out to Brighouse Town in the play-offs.
The last few seasons since the Covid abandoned ones have seen them finish 12th, 10th and 4th.
(Source: Pontefract Collieries website)

Manager Jimmy Williams took over in May 2024.

A journey of around 60 miles awaits them this evening.

The Opposition - This Season
Pontefract started the season with defeat at Dunston but bounced back with victories over Heaton Stannington (League) and Redcar Athletic (Cup) without conceding.
Good wins over Ossett United and Runcorn Linnets (Trophy) sandwiched a heavy defeat to Sheffield but after the Runcorn match they failed to win in six matches, ended with victory over Liversedge, Ashington and Bridlington.
They have suffered defeat in their last two matches, at Newton Aycliffe and at home to Grimsby Borough on Saturday.
They currently sit 9th: P 15 W 6 D 4 L 5 F 21 A 19 Pts. 22.

The Nailers
It's been a roller coaster few weeks for Belper fans.
The Nailers started the season well, and their only away defeat in the league remains at Emley who top the table.
After defeat at home to Cleethorpes came a run of five successive wins, ended at the Raygar Stadium by Brighouse Town and then four days later Newton Aycliffe won at Belper by the same scoreline of 2-0.
However the Tuesday before last saw a return to winning ways, Harry Draper securing a brace as the Nailers won at Carlton Town.
Ten days ago Belper exited the FA Trophy, losing on penalties at Chasetown after a 1-1 draw but back in the League on Saturday the three points were secured in an incredible 6-4 win over Consett.
Draper is clear as leading scorer with 16, while Nat Crofts has five and Curtis Burrows four. Luke Rawson has three, Keaton August two and six players have one goal each.
Belper sit 3rd in the table and are the only side yet to draw a match this season: P 14 W 10 D 0 L 4 F 25 A 18 Pts. 30.

Head to Head
The two sides met on many occasions in the NCEL, and the fixture has been played 34 times in total.
Belper enjoyed the better of things in the 1980s, winning five out of the first six league encounters but Colls won the first overall, a NCE League Cup tie in February 1984.
Between October 1986 and September 1990, the Nailers won only one out of seven but bounced back to win three of the next four including a thrilling FA Vase Preliminary Round tie which finished 4-3.
Pontefract then took a strangle hold of the fixture again, winning 4-1 in December 1992 and 5-1 in September 1993.
January of the following year saw Belper win 4-1, the first of a run where they won six out of seven, with the other a draw in August 1994.
The sides didn't meet from March 1997 until October 2018 when goals from Robson, Peterson and Milner saw Belper come out on top 3-2.
The last three meetings have been won by Colls, 4-2 in January 2019 and 3-1 & 3-0 last season.
Overall record for Belper: P 34 W 15 D 5 L 13 (1 abandoned) F 54 A 56.
The return fixture from today is scheduled for Saturday, January 11th 2025.

Form Guide (all comps)
Belper Town: WLLWDW
Pontefract Collieries: WWWWLL

Team News
There are no major injury concerns or suspensions.

Permutations
This is the only game of the evening in the East Division.
Belper will be in 3rd position at full time regardless of the result but can close to within three points of Cleethorpes with victory, as well as within one point of Emley with a game in hand.
If we fail to win it leaves the door open for Stocksbridge to leapfrog us tomorrow night.
For Pontefract, victory will take them up to 7th.

Match details
Belper Town vs. Pontefract Collieries
Northern Premier League Division One East
Tuesday, 5th November 2024 - 7:45pm kick off
Raygar Stadium
Bridge Street
Belper
Derbyshire
DE56 1BA

Admission prices: Adults £11, Concessions (under 16 and 60+) £7, Under 11 (with paying adult) £0

Follow the match
Live audio commentary is available with Tom on Radio Belper Town - https://radiobelpertown.mixlr.com
Full coverage on X and Facebook.
Match reports to follow on the website (all matches) and in the Non-League Paper (Saturday matches only).

NPL East fixtures
Tuesday
Belper Town vs. Pontefract Collieries
Wednesday
Grimsby Borough vs. Stocksbridge Park Steels
Heaton Stannington vs. Garforth Town