Manager Rouse looking for improvement from Pontefract Collieries in Bridlington game

Manager Craig Rouse was left to bemoan a lack of quality as his unlucky Pontefract Collieries side were knocked out of the FA Vase at the first qualifying round stage despite leading for 88 minutes against Yorkshire Amateur.
Goal scorer: Eli Hey.Goal scorer: Eli Hey.
Goal scorer: Eli Hey.

Manager Craig Rouse was left to bemoan a lack of quality as his unlucky Pontefract Collieries side were knocked out of the FA Vase at the first qualifying round stage despite leading for 88 minutes against Yorkshire Amateur.

Eli Hey gave Ponte the perfect start when the visitors were caught in possession in their own half and the striker was slipped in to score confidently after just five minutes.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

More chances were missed, but Ryan Musselwhite also saved a penalty as it remained 1-0 to half-time.

That was the way it stayed until the Ammers were given a second penalty, which was this time put away by Adam Priestley in the third minute of added time.

Amateur then went on to score all their spot kicks in the shoot-out to win 4-2 and they advance.

Colls boss Rouse said: “It was probably the worst game of football I’ve watched. There was no tempo, no purpose and not much quality.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Having said that when you go 1-0 up and you have three or four chances you’ve got to make them count and take the game away from them. We haven’t done that.

“For us, in the 93rd minute dangling a lazy leg in our own box and people not taking responsibility from a set piece. It’s a penalty and 1-1 and there’s no time to do anything from there. It goes to penalty and it’s a lottery.

“We haven’t even done the penalties with any conviction so it’s a really poor day.”

Pontefract have a big game coming up in the FA Cup this Saturday, but before then they face Bridlington Town at home in the Pitching In Northern Premier League East tonight with Rouse looking no further than the first of those matches.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He added: “Before the cup match we’ve got a big game against Bridlington and we’ll take each game as it comes.

“We’re certainly not looking ahead and we weren’t doing that (against Yorkshire Amateur). That was the message, we want to take every game seriously and we want to win every game.

“I’m certainly not looking past Bridlington, they’ll come here and pose a threat. We have to be much improved to get anything from the game.”