Badgers Hit Five At Askern

Askern Miners 1-5 Retford United (Central Midlands League Premier Division North) 27.11.21

One of only a handful of games played in the Central Midlands League, a lot of games, around the country, badly affected by Storm Arwen, Liam Kay would see his ruthless, Badgers side, register five goals, and move into second place in the table.

A brace from Aaron Fell, taking him to 11 in 15, alongside further goals from Mark West, Dean Conway, and a late Liam Frost effort took them onto 67 goals, in just twenty outings, to date.

A near quiet opening quarter was brought to life after 18 minutes when the Badgers broke the deadlock as Brandon Kane showed some unselfishness to play in Fell and he wasted no time in finding the back of the net.

Ten minutes later, and after West had put one wide of the right post, it would be he who’d double the score, getting on the end of a pass from the ever-industrious Fell; the goal was to be West’s 24^th of the season.

Within minutes of Fell turning provider for West, then he would add his second of the game, and the Badgers three goals to the good, in just half-an-hour.

In what was the culmination of a devastating, ten-minute spell from the visitor, Fell would go solo, beating the offside trap, and finishing well past the home ‘keeper, affirming what was a man-of-the-match performance.

The first quarter of the second period would be brought to life just after the hour mark when Tom Crosby, the Badgers’ shot-stopper, was called into action to pull off a great save, after a rare attack from the hosts.

At the other, two minutes later, and the high-flying visitors moved out of sight when adding a fourth, substitute Drew Allwood, who’d been on the field less than ten minutes, broke up an Askern attack and played the ball well to Conway who took the ball round the ‘keeper and buries it in the back of the net.

Against the run of play the hosts managed a consolation goal, with a little over twenty to go, but it would be all they could muster, and spurred their dominant visitors onto more as, heading into the final quarter, Kay would bring off West, for Frost, and it would be who’d wrap the game up in the closing minutes.

With what was his sixth goal in nine outings, Frost would dispossess the home ‘keeper before finishing with aplomb, and in doing so, added the icing to a sumptuous cake, wrapping up a 5-1 win.

Next up for Liam Kay’s Badgers, a return to their Cannon Park home, on 4 December, as Retford United play host to AFC Bentley, in the league.

Retford United: Tom Crosby, Jason Paling, Tom Brook, Aaron Fell, Stuart Ludlam, Mason Barlow, Danny Booth, Sam Jones (Callum Littlejohn 77) Brandon Kane (Drew Allwood 60), Dean Conway, Mark West (Liam Frost 69)