STOCKTON TOWN VS PONTEFRACT COLLIERIESÂ
COMPETITION: Northern Premier League East Division
DATE: Saturday 3rd February, 2024
KICK-OFF:Â 3:00pm
ENTRY: £9 Adult, £7 Concession, £3 kids (tickets available online or at the gate)
GROUND: MAP Group UK Stadium, Bishopton Road West, Stockton-On-Tees, TS19 0QD
LIVE UPDATES: @stockton_townfc – Twitter/X
It’s a big day at the MAP Group UK Stadium as Captain Adam Nicholson marks his 500th appearance for the club.
Following Tuesday’s postponement at Newton Aycliffe, the skipper now has the opportunity to mark the milestone in front of the home supporters.
Stockton Town stretched their unbeaten run to 12 games last Saturday with a goalless draw at Dunston. They will be aiming to return to winning ways after drawing their last three games.
Barring the injury to Dan McWilliams, Michael Dunwell has a full squad to select from. Elliott Beddow could make his return. He was fit to face Dunston last Saturday but was not risked due to the pitch.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
This is the eighth meeting between the two clubs. Here’s a list of the last five results:
20 Aug 2022- Stockton Town 2-3 Pontefract Collieries- Emirates FA Cup Preliminary Round
18 Oct 2022- Pontefract Collieries 2-1 Stockton Town- Northern Premier League East Division
21 Jan 2023- Stockton Town 2-3 Pontefract Collieries- Northern Premier League East Division
09 Sep 2023- Stockton Town 3-1 Pontefract Collieries- FA Trophy First Qualifying Round
16 Sep 2023- Pontefract Collieries 2-0 Stockton Town- Northern Premier League East Division
FORM GUIDE
Stockton Town: D D D W W
Last Game: Dunston 0-0 Stockton Town
Pontefract Collieries: W D L D W
Last Game: Liversedge 0-1 Pontefract Collieries
THE OPPOSITION
Pontefract Collieries are currently 4th in the Northern Premier League East Division and are nine points behind Stockton Town with a game in hand.
The pair have already met twice and won a game each but that was back in September.
Last time out they won 1-0 at Liversedge with Jack Steers on the scoresheet. That gave them another three points on the road. They have the second best away record in the league.
Adam Haw will be the man to watch, he has hit double figures this season with 16 on the year.
PRE-MATCH QUOTESÂ
Looking ahead in his programme notes, Manager Michael Dunwell said:
“Pontefract are a team we have had a mixed bag against. This season we beat them in the FA Trophy with ten men and they beat us the following week in the league. I think our squad looks totally different to what it was in both of those games. In neither game did we have Shane Henry, Tom Portas or Michael Fowler available.
“They have had a good run and are up to third so we are going to have to be at our best. We have to start being more ruthless in the final third because we have lacked that in recent games. We will take the game to Pontefract and aim for three points as we always do.”
