Towering forward Lamin Colley netted his first for the club in the first half before Aiden Savory came off the bench to volley home the eventual match winning goal. Michael Dunn reduced the arrears a couple minutes later but nevertheless the Brewers held on to jump up two places to 13th.

Simon Collins made two changes to the team that suffered a midweek cup defeat at Scarborough Athletic with Corey Roper and Pete Davidson returning to the side.

The Brewers made the brighter start of the two sides as Lamin Colley’s scuffed attempt was just about held by Ponte stopper Ryan Musselwhite. The hosts had a good opportunity of their own on 3 minutes as Vaughan Redford was slid in down the right-hand side but his low drive was well kept out by Michael Ingham.

Colley was looking menacing in the opening minutes and he came increasingly closer to breaking the deadlock soon after but Musselwhite excelled again. Casey Stewart cut in from the left and curled onto the head of the experienced forward who’s header was well tipped over by the Colls goalkeeper.

Albion may have started on the front foot but Colls certainly grew into the game with their lively front three of Hey, Redford and Dunn all looking dangerous when given the chance. Michael Dunn did well to twist around Chris Howarth but his punched shot was comfortably beaten away by Ingham.

However it was Tadcaster who drew first blood, poignant as defender Harry Coates also drew blood seconds before. Billy Whitehouse’s instinctive strike could only be parried by Ryan Musselwhite allowing Lamin Colley to turn in the rebound from close range.
That was Colley’s first goal in a Taddy shirt and he always looked to have the beating of the Ponte backline as his fizzing cross was somehow cleared out of the six yard box by Jake Picton ten minutes later.

The second half began in a scrappy manner with referee Ian Jackson not allowing the contest to flow whatsoever with whistle after whistle after whistle being blown. The temperature continued to rise and shortly after the hour mark it boiled over as the home side were reduced to ten men. Captain Jamie Williams, who had been cautioned just seconds previously, was sent off for barging Billy Whitehouse into the advertising hoardings.

Despite being a man down, Pontefract only seemed to grow in confidence as they released the shackles off in search of an equaliser. The home side threw many set-pieces into the mixer but Josh Barrett, Harry Coates and the rest of the Albion defence stayed strong. Michael Ingham was also playing a pivotal role in the performance as the experienced goalkeeper continued to dominate his box coming and claiming every cross or set-piece possible.

You got the feeling that the Brewers needed a second goal to make sure of the victory and that’s exactly what they did doubling their lead 11 minutes from time. Billy Whitehouse notched his eighth assist of the season sending an impressive cross-field pass to substitute Aiden Savory who let it bounce before exquisitely volleying into the opposite corner with his weaker left-foot.

However the two-goal cushion only lasted 120 seconds as Michael Dunn pulled one back with a neat touch and finish setting up an interesting finale.

A consolation was all it turned out to be though as the final action of the afternoon saw a second red card shown the hosts. Goalscorer Michael Dunn was given his marching orders for cynically fouling Pete Davidson in stoppage time.

It’s never an easy place to go is Pontefract but the Brewers defended resolutely and thoroughly deserved the three points.

Full-Time: Pontefract Collieries 1-2 Tadcaster Albion

Pontefract: Musselwhite, Greenhough, Smythe, Picton, Williams (OFF 61), Clarke, Cromack, Bailey (Starcenko 75), Hey, Dunn (OFF 90), Redford

Unused: Jeffs, Brown, Whitehouse, Hill

Tadcaster: Ingham©, Howarth, Walters, Roper, Coates, Barrett, Whitehouse, Davidson, Colley (Savory 67), Rose (Langton 83), Stewart

Unused: Mycoe, Hardy, Barkworth

Ref: Ian Jackson