Choughs Happy At Halfway

Football Non League info@nottinghamsport.com November 27, 2021

Halfway through their 2021-22 Northern Counties Eastern League Division One campaign, the Nottingham Sport head to The Rail and caught up with Retford FC gaffer, Chris Woodhead, to discuss a start which, all told, has certainly garnered mixed feelings.

Early on in the campaign Woodhouse would celebrate what was his 250^th game in charge of the Choughs, shortly afterwards they were rocked by the death of Martin ‘Buster’ Keeton, but on-field, they’ve carried on and, with no cup competition to hamper the remainder of the season, their current, joint-sixth place, puts them in good stead for the second half.

A campaign which begun in defeat (3-0 at home to Parkgate), the Choughs were up-and-running on match-day two, winning 2-0 at Dronfield Town, goals coming from Jack Walters and George White, it was the first of ten wins in eighteen so far.

Looking back, Choughs box, Woodhead, said of his side: “To be fair, every season we’ve had has been good, and, when we started out, there was a five-year-plan in place to move up.

“We did it that in four, and we’ve still got the majority of the squad that has done that, which is great.

“So for me, seeing this club develop the way it, grow into what we’ve got now, with a good dozen plus teams, and a great structure in place – that’s what I’m most proud of here.”

Late September, early October, would see the Choughs put together a five match, unbeaten run, consisting of three wins and two draws (Clipstone, 2-2; Teversal, 3-1; Nostell Miners Welfare, 3-1; Shirebrook Town, 1-1; and Rainworth Miners Welfare, 2-1).

The run itself would come immediately after the capitulation away to Skelmersdale United (NW Counties League) in the FA Vase, it being one of three, cup exits the Choughs have suffered.

“The cup competitions weren’t really something I was looking at this season,” admitted Woodhead.

“Although we’d have loved a run in the Vase, coming against Skelmersdale, with the quality they possess, was always going to be difficult.

“The focus though has been on the league and, with funding in place, if we want to look at promotion, we can do, and see how things go.”

Led on the field by captain/goalkeeper, Jon Kennedy, and the goals of striker Adam Scott, among others, Woodhead is aware that, with the returns of several players, including one in particular, then the second half of the season could see them go for that promotion spot.

After all, they have extra motivation to do so, in honour of ‘Buster’ Keeton.

“Martin, I was absolutely distraught,” explained the Choughs boss.

“I played Sunday League for him when I was like 14, 15-years-old, and had been close friends for years; we’d only spoken the previous day as we were watching our Development team play Thorne Colliery.

“Now though, we have to focus on the remainder of the season.

“If we can do in the second half what we’ve achieved in the first, then we won’t be too far off.

“I honestly think we could sneak into the play-offs, and go for that last spot, or higher.”

Those thoughts were reaffirmed with the showings the Choughs have put out in their last two outings, winning 4-1 away to Humber United (George White, Alex Wonham, Adam Scott, Matthew Parking netting) and, in their last outing, a 4-2 home win over Harrogate Railway Athletic, avenging their League Cup defeat at the start of the Season (Adam Scott 2, George White, Zach Casburn).

“We weren’t prolific at the start of the season,” added Woodhead.

“But now, we’re more ruthless, which is great heading into the festive season and the games we have there.

“Also, to be getting players back, is great, and that includes our ‘Plan B,’ in big Will Tomlinson.

“He’s been out injured for a good 3-4 months and has been a big miss for us, that and we know that other clubs hate him – he’s like a new signing, unbelievable really.”

The Choughs travel to Swallownest on Saturday (27 November) afternoon, before the final month of the year sees them play oppose Dronfield (home, 4 December), Parkgate (away, 11 December), Glasshoughton Welfare (home, 18 December), and a Boxing Day bash, away to Ollerton Town, in a local derby, to finish the year off.