The Stan had to settle for a point at Pontefract, despite having a two-goal lead twice in the game.

It was the home side who had the first chance of the match on 4 minutes, beginning with a long kick forward by the goalkeeper which bounced over a leaping Stan defender, flicked on by a forward into the path of a Pontefract player out on the left who drilled a shot low but straight into the hands of Alfie Gordon.

Less than a minute later, the Stan were gifted an opportunity to take the lead when Pearson was tripped in the box, following a Dan Stephenson free kick from just inside the Pontefract half. Reliable as ever from the spot, Leighton Hopper calmly dispatched the kick after a short run-up.

After the home side failed to make the most of a sustained spell of pressure, the Stan punished them by adding their second goal on 18 minutes. Once again, a Dan Stephenson free kick from deep caused mischief, pinballed around the box with Pontefract having to make several clearances, but they could only watch when Alex Payne surged into the area to seize upon a loose ball. One touch to control, another to rifle it low into the bottom corner.

Having been thumped 7-1 earlier in the week, Pontefract will have been keen to avoid a repeat and rallied to get a grip on the game before half time. Alex Metcalfe pulled them back into the contest just after the half hour mark, on the receiving end of a knockdown following a short cross from the right, finishing with a powerful swerving lash.

The Stan went in search of a goal to restore their lead before half time, with Alex Payne looking to double his tally for the day after receiving the ball 25 yards out from a flick-on, getting to the edge of the box and driving a low shot just past the far post.

With just one minute of the half remaining, Dan Stephenson had a free kick from the edge of the area brilliantly pushed against the post by the Pontefract goalkeeper, but Jay Errington was on hand at the back post to tuck in the rebound for his first goal of the season.

Pontefract piled on the pressure and having seen efforts saved by Gordon and blocked by Stan defenders, they cut their deficit in half on 52 minutes when a free kick from out wide was flicked into the area by a Stan head, giving Jack Greenhough a free header to plant past the keeper.

And by the 77th minute, Pontefract had drawn level, albeit in controversial circumstances. After a Stan attack broke down, they countered quickly and sent three blue shirts forward against four in yellow. A through ball evaded the Stan back line, appearing to be headed for a player in an offside position, and although he was running towards the ball, he allowed it to run across him and into Harry Spratt to his left who arrived from behind the defensive line to get a shot off, blocked, but then followed in on the rebound.

A tough one to take, having looked good for three points for long spells in the game, but it capped an unbeaten September, with one league win, two cup wins and two league draws.

Liam Milburn

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A frustrating night at Ossett United’s Ingfield Stadium saw the Stan pick up a point, in a game that will only be remembered for dubious decisions and moments of controversy when reflected back upon in years to come.

Alfie Gordon started in goal for the first time, having signed from Bishop Auckland earlier in the day, and although perhaps not kept too busy, what he was called upon to do was done well and earned him the man of the match award on his debut.

Ossett had the game’s first chances, with one corner scrambled away by the Stan defence on 13 minutes, and then an effort from the left hand side of the penalty area whistling past the far post a minute later.

The Stan’s first opportunity, and perhaps best chance of the whole game, arrived on 17 minutes when Dale Pearson slipped a ball through the Ossett backline into the path of Konner Lamb, who was closed down quickly by the keeper Petrovic before his shot could do any real damage.

Another chance came along a few minutes later, this time Pearson on the receiving end of a long diagonal ball from Slaughter on the halfway line. The striker surged into the left flank, controlled the ball and headed for goal but again Petrovic came out to stop.

Ossett were awarded a free kick on the edge of the area midway into the first half which was curled ever-so-slightly wide.

Alfie Gordon was called into serious action for the first time just after the restart. An Ossett player got onto the end of a neat flick-on inside the area, got to the by-line and tried to drive the ball into danger, but Gordon got down to prevent an opportunity to tap into an empty net.

Ben Milburn found himself with an opportunity in a similar position at the other end after good work to beat a defender. He cut in from the right and shaped up a shot with his left, not enough power or precision to trouble Petrovic.

Midway into the second half, the Stan were reduced to ten men. Joe Robson had already been the recipient of one of the game’s 11 yellow cards, but received a straight red card for an off-the-ball incident.

Despite a man disadvantage, the Stan battled valiantly and almost carved out an unlikely lead on 69 minutes when Leighton Hopper slung a ball in from the left, with Jay Errington just a fraction away from making a connection and stabbing it home.

A back-and-forth ensued with both sides desperately trying to get ahead, with both goalkeepers busy. Gordon took the sting out a long range effort, gathering at the second attempt, and moments later at the other end, Petrovic got down low to stop a fairly tame effort, flicked on from a deep Stan free kick.

To take a point from a game where it felt at points that the odds were simply stacked against them will have ultimately been positive for Dean Nicholson and his men, even if it felt wounding at parts.

The Stan return to Ingfield in just four days time when they face Pontefract Collieries, who are currently ground sharing with Ossett while refurbishment work takes place at their Beechnut Lane home 15 miles away.

Liam Milburn

Tuesday’s high from knocking out Newcastle United & ensuring a senior cup final place at at James’ Park continued as the Stan secured a well-deserved away league win at Ossett United. The Stan remain undefeated on the road in 2025 after 6 away league fixtures. Relegation rivals Ossett had won in mid-week but they were no match for the buoyant Stan. There were 3 changes from the win over Newcastle with Marriott, Burn & Errington replacing Stepheson, Slaughter & Hopper.

After 4 minutes, the 1^st threat came from Ossett after being awarded a dubious free kick but the Stan defended well & were awarded a free kick of their own. After a Stan attack in the 6^th minute, Ossett had a shot from in the Stan box blocked. In 18 minutes, a Brass clearance deflected off an advancing Ossett player & the ball went out. In the 20th minute, a Stan move ended with Payne shooting just over. In 25 minutes, Marriott sent a volleyed cross into the box & although Adamson got his head to it, he lacked power & the keeper easily collected the ball. After a quieter period, Errington shot just wide from a difficult angle in the 37^th minute. The 1^st half ended goalless.

The 2^nd half was to be a livelier affair than the 1^st & contained all 3 goals. In 55 minutes, a Shepherd ball from halfway was not cleared properly by the Ossett keeper but the Stan couldn’t turn the rebound ball into the net. A minute later & a Stan header from a corner was blocked. In 60 minutes, the Stan won a free kick just outside the Ossett box. Burn sent the ball into the box & it was headed into the net by Shepherd to give the Stan the lead. Brass made an important double save from an Ossett free kick in the 68^th minute. He dived to his left to stop the free kick then got down to stop the rebound effort. Ossett then sent the ball from the resulting corner wide. In 73 minutes, the Stan defence again worked hard to stop a joined-up Ossett attack. In 76 minutes, the Stan were 2-0 up when Adamson had won a loose ball on half way & decided to advance towards & into the Ossett box & when he reached the bye line he squared the ball for Lamb who tapped it into the net. Soon after, Walker blasted wide from the edge of the Ossett box. In the 90^th minute, Ossett reduced the gap when they scored from shot from the edge of the packed Stan box. The Stan sealed their victory in the 96^th minute, as Ossett pressed for an equaliser, when the advancing Lamb was supplied just outside the Ossett box & he advanced into it & shot to score his 2^nd goal of the match.

After sustained pressure, the Stan got 3 goals in the last 30 minutes to secure a well-deserved & important win. The 3 points sees the Stan move up to 15^th place & they are 4 places & 1 point above the relegation zone. They now host Bridlington Town on Saturday.

Kevin Mochrie