Grantham Town lose at Pontefract in the Northern Premier League

A single second half goal separated the two sides as the Gingerbreads came back empty handed from Saturday's trip to Pontefract.

A heavy pitch prevented much football being played by either side in the Northern Premier League Eastern Division match.

And Grantham head coach Louis Bland was more disappointed with the surface than his team who remain four points adrift of safety.

"You could not play football on that," said Bland.

"Maybe 30 years ago it was acceptable but not today. We had to change our game approach and the conditions probably suited them better.

"However, the game was about two far post balls. We didn't deal with one well and conceded and didn't make the most of one at the other end."

Pontefract started sharper than the Gingerbreads, forcing a corner in the opening minutes from which Adam Haw shot over the bar.

A poor touch from the same player took the ball away from him for Curtis Hall to gather comfortably.

The home side were on top of the game and probably should have taken the lead around the quarter of an hour mark.

Jack Steers headed a corner wide before Haw sent Bailey Thompson clear but Hall kept the scores level with a good save. Further chances for Haw and Thompson were fired wide of the target.

Wide player Louis Chorlton had three chances in four minutes midway through the first half.

First he headed over the bar, then twice the Gingerbreads defence blocked his shot in quick succession. Finally Haw and Thompson set him up, but his shot lacked power.

As the game became more scrappy, Grantham struggled to create anything while keeping a tighter line at the back to frustrate their hosts.

Frankie Sinfield got down the Grantham right and pulled the ball back for Jack Vann who skewed his shot wide from the edge of the penalty area.

In the last minute of the half, Grantham fashioned their only real chance of the period.

Rodrigo Goncalves got on the end of a header and took the ball wide before laying it back for Harry Wood who was beaten to the ball and the chance was lost.

Immediately after the break, Elliot Walker delivered a good cross that was only cleared to Sam Hooper but his shot rose over the crossbar.

Two minutes later, Ryan Rushen beat the first Pontefract challenge, but a covering defender denied him a shooting chance.

Haw had another shot deflected over the bar before Pontefract took the lead on 61 minutes.

Rushen conceded a corner covering back. Although Grantham cleared the flag kick, it didn't go far and the ball was gathered by Pontefract and returned to the Grantham penalty area. At the far post, Thompson rose highest and headed just inside Hall's right hand post.

Pontefract looked more likely to score with another chance falling to Chorlton four minutes after the goal, but again he couldn't take the chance.

With 20 minutes to go, substitute Mikey Dunn got on the end of a header from Thompson and it took a great challenge from Sisa Tuntulwana to deny Dunn his shot.

Ten minutes from time, Pontefract went close again. A through ball for Jack Doyle was played on for Dunn, then again for Thompson. His low shot was dealt with by Hall low at his near post.

As the game went into its final stages, Pontefract pressed for a second goal. Connor Smythe and Dunn exchanged passes to set up Smythe, but again the home side missed the target.

The Gingerbreads' chance for a late equaliser came three minutes into added time. Curtis Morrison crossed to the far post, but Luke Horne could only direct his header wide.

The game ended in confusion as the referee was persuaded by the home side that he had already booked Tuntulwana when the Gingerbreads full back slid in for a challenge and seemed to win the ball.

Having shown a red card, the referee realised it was Osa Solomon who had been booked previously and changed his mind, only booking Tuntulwana.

Grantham are back in action on Tuesday night when they host Dunston at the South Kesteven Stadium (7.45pm).