Retford Hit Top Spot

Retford United 4-1 AFC Bentley (Central Midlands League Premier Division North) 04.12.21

In winning eight of their last ten games, and sixteenth of twenty in the league to date this season, Liam Kay’s Retford United side moved top on goal difference, from Club Thorne Colliery, courtesy of a 4-1 home win over AFC Bentley on Saturday afternoon.

It was to a victory highlighted by Mark West’s 25^th of the season, and another, stern, defensive display at the back from Tom Brook, Tom Crosby et al.

A hectic opener would see the hosts fly out the blocks, as is the norm of late, with both West, and Brook, sending headers wide of the visiting goal, before Bentley’s ‘keeper, who certainly kept his side in the game, made saves from both West, and from Brandon Kane, with just a quarter of the game gone.

West again would see several chances go begging before he opened the scoring, in the latter stages of the first period; that opener, eventually, landed with seven minutes of the first half remaining when, having capitalised on a beautifully flicked pass from Dean Conway, West proceeding to beat the defender, and fire home the opener.

Within minutes the Badgers’ lead would be doubled when Danny Booth finished well for what would be his first goal of the season, before the visitors breached the hosts’ back-line with what would prove to be a consolation, in the closing exchanges of the first half.

A little over ten minutes into the second period as Conway would see himself make double figures for the season, registering his tenth goal, smashing home from close range and, in doing so, restored the two-goal advantage.

Making one of those inspired substitutions just after the hour mark, Badgers boss, Kay, took off 25-goal hitman, West, and brought on Charlie Baird, for only his second appearance of the season; inspired it was for, within a matter of minutes of coming, Baird repaid the gaffers’ faith in him when he would volley home the decisive fourth, and his first of the season.

As the game wore on there was still plenty of time for some late drama, albeit no more goals, this being a red card for the visitors, they finishing the game with ten men, and Retford, they’d keep the three points at Cannon Park.

Next up for the Badgers, a home game against Arnold Town in the Central Midlands League Floodlit Cup on Wednesday (8 December) night, before hosting South Notts, in the Nottinghamshire FA Senior Trophy, on 11 December.

Retford United: Tom Crosby, Jason Paling, Tom Brook, Aaron Fell, Stuart Ludlam, Mason Barlow, Danny Booth, Igor Mlynarski (Sam Jones 47), Brandon Kane, Dean Conway (Liam Frost 69), Mark West (Charlie Baird 63).