NEW College Champions

The NEW College 2^nd XI Football team were crowned league champions on Wednesday with three games remaining. With back to back victories over Calderdale College, Pontefract stormed ahead of Kirklees College in the British Colleges of Sport League Two, and with 18 points they cannot be caught. Calderdale started the game well, and showed that they had learnt a lesson from the six nil loss against Pontefract the previous week. A top class save from home ‘keeper Jordan Myers, kept the game goalless and gave Pontefract the wake up call that they needed. Some motivational words from Manager Anthony Pagett on the side line, spurred Pontefracts’ strikers into another gear. Harry Turner grabbed the first goal of the game with a stunning long range shot from thirty yards out. It was not a bad shot to say Turners’ preferred position is goal-keeper. Pontefract continued to dominate possession and create chance after chance, but the first half saw them not capitalise on their chances. Calderdale had their chances too, but goal-keeper Myers made a number of excellent saves to keep the home side in the lead. The second half was a different story though. Pontefracts’ possession and quality showed. A second goal from Turner put the home side on course to win the league for the first time in nine years. In form NEW College Captain Hobey Lightowler continued to lead by example and got the third goal for Pontefract. Midfielder Richard Hossack got the final goal of the game in the last five minutes to give Pontefract a four nil victory, and crown them league champions.

Rugby League

NEW College proved to be too strong for a full strength Wakefield College side on Wednesday. With Pontefract still on a high after their narrow Varsity game victory against Wakefield at Belle Vue in December, there was a lot of pride at stake in this encounter. With Wakefield wanting to set the record straight following Varsity, both colleges started the game fully committed, although there were a lot of nerves evident. It took a fantastic solo effort from Pontefracts’ Ben Wilkinson to break the deadlock. Receiving the ball from Nico De Ville ten metres from his own line, Wilkinson ran the length of the field to score for Pontefract. With the conversion kicked, the home side held the lead for ten minutes. Wakefield battled hard, and Captain Oliver Wood got their equalising try after twenty minutes. Pontefracts’ defence went to sleep, and on the fourth tackle, Wood drove over the line to put the scores level. With further tries from Pontefracts’  Danny Thorpe and two from Nathan Fozzard, the score was 22-8 at half-time. With Pontefract on top in the first half, their inspirational loose forward Grant Richmonds’ game was cut short due to taking a bad knock to the head. Pontefracts’ rhythm went and they lost concentration early in the second half. Two early tries in the first five minutes of the second half saw Wakefield close the gap to only two points. Pontefract re-grouped and some cool thinking by prop Andy Slatter by putting a grubba kick through Wakefields’ defensive line, gave Wilkinson an easy second try of the game. Further tries from Pontefracts’ Nico De Ville and two from Slatter gave the home side a well earned 44-20 victory over their main rivals.