Pontefract Collieries edge closer to safety despite wrong red card for Mikey Dunn

A valuable point at home to Bishop Auckland in a rollercoaster of a game saw Jimmy Williams’ men nudge closer to safety in the NPL East as they now sit five points clear of fourth from bottom Brighouse with just three games remaining.

There are five more teams between Colls and Brighouse as well so the Pontefract side can feel confident of winning their relegation fight. But they also know a victory at Emley on Saturday or at home to Bradford (Park Avenue) in a game kicking off at 1pm will go a long way to securing their place in the league.

And they felt a little hard done to that they did not take two more points from the Bishop Auckland game after they battled back from a goal down to draw 1-1 thanks to Danny Burns’ volley then had Mikey Dunn sent off in a case of mistaken identity.

“It was frustrating,” said manager Williams. “First half they were the better team, we were far too deep and couldn’t get our wingers high enough.

"Second half there was only one team in it. Their assistant gaffer said to me that we steamrollered them and we did. We got the equaliser then it looked like we are going to be on top, creating chance after chance after chance. Then the referee decided to give Mikey a second yellow when nobody knew he was on a booking.

"We’ve watched it back and he’s got it totally wrong. It was Boyle who got booked for dissent. He asked the wrong linesman if it was the right man and they decided it was, he gave him a second yellow and it’s killed us.

"Even then with 10 men for the last 20 minutes it only looked like one team was going to score and that was us.

"I can’t be any prouder of the lads. It’s a bit of a kick because I thought if we’d kept 11 on we’d have definitely won the game. But we take a point and move on.”

Williams insisted that his team will have to keep focused right through to their final game of the season.

He added: "Nobody is still out of it and it will probably go to the last game of the season.

"Every game we play until the last game is a cup final.

"But it’s definitely in our hands and we’ve got a good group who are determined to keep this club in the league.”