Grantham Town battle out goalless draw on the road
Northern Premier League East
Pontefract Collieries 0
Grantham Town 0
Grantham Town came away with a point from their trip to Pontefract thanks to a solid defensive performance.
Both sides were reduced to 10 men in the first half, but Pontefract coped better and but for good saves from Dan Haystead could have taken the three points.
"I can't fault our defence today," said Gingerbreads manager Matt Chatfield. "Equally, I can't defend another red card. I still think it's a good point."
The home side got on top of the game early in the first half. Jack Vann put a free kick two yards wide after nine minutes.
Haystead made the first save a minute after. Gavin Allott and Joe Lumsden set up Harry Spratt who took the ball past Haystead, but great covering denied the home side a goal that looked certain.
Haystead was in the right place after 12 minutes to deny Vann. Adam Preistley and Spratt worked the ball into the box and Allott got it back to Vann, but Haystead made a great save to claw Vann' s shot away from the top corner.
The Gingerbreads found themselves a man down again on 25 minutes. Harry Wood launched into a challenge just inside the Pontefract half and caught Jack Shepherd high on the shin. Referee Mr Hallam went straight for his red card and Wood was off for the second time this season.
Allott headed wide of the goal as Grantham were on the back foot with Pontefract winning most of the 50:50 challenges. Matt Tootle gave the ball away on 28 minutes and Lumsden made space for a shot that Haystead turned away for a corner.
The two sides were level in numbers just before half time. Vann got a yellow card after 37 minutes for a deliberate handball. A late challenge on the stroke of half time led to a second yellow and dismissal for the Pontefract midfielder.
Both sides made half time substitutions, but Grantham's did not change the pattern of play. The Gingerbreads spent most of the second half repelling Pontefract attacks. Jack Greenhough' s long throw was the home side's most dangerous weapon, but Ashton Hall in particular had the measure of the throws and won header after header.
Grantham's best chance of the game came on the hour mark. The Gingerbreads won a free kick on the edge of the Pontefract penalty area. Steve Leslie stepped up but Patrick Boyes was his equal, stretching full length to turn the free kick away.
Greenhough put a long throw into the Grantham penalty area on 64 minutes. Shepherd flicked the ball on for Picton, but his shot lacked power. Haystead made a good save two minutes later from Cody Cromack's free kick.
The home side kept up the pressure, with Greenhough heading over the bar, and a few minutes later Jack Sherlock cleared off the line from another corner.
Haystead saved the Gingerbreads again on 77 minutes when Shepherd hit a low drive, with the Town goalkeeper equal to his effort.
The last chance for Pontefract came from another Greenhough long throw. This time Shepherd had a free header, but missed the target.
Ricky Miller, as a late Grantham substitute, went close to influencing the game with five minutes to go. A long ball for Sherlock saw the ball delivered to Miller, but the home defence got there first.
