Keeper was the hero in four-goal loss

The Wrens, without both regular centre-backs, had to defend deep inside their own half in the opening minutes.

Luke Jeffs went close in the 11th minute as his well-struck free-kick went over.

When Rainworth failed to deal with a corner in the 19th minute Jack Greenhough opened the scoring.

Seven minutes later Pontefract doubled their lead as a Jeffs corner went directly into the far corner.

Townsend made an excellent save at full-stretch from Kieran Scargill in the 31st minute and another eight minutes later from Cody Cromack.

In the final minute of the half, Townsend denied Pontefract again from Vaughn Redford’s point-blank header.

At the start of the second half Rainworth started to push Pontefract on to the back foot without creating an end product.

At the other end Townsend tipped Kane Reech’s goal-bound effort over. However, the relief was short-lived,when from the corner Redford’s effort evaded everyone.

Townsend made an incredible double-save to thwart Reech, but he later added a fourth despite the keeper getting his fingertips to the effort.