Four Star Retford In Playoff Push

Ryan Hindley’s Retford United continue to challenge at the top end of the Northern Counties East Division One, the Badgers continuing to push for what would be a second successive promotion.

This past weekend, at home to lowly Athersley Recreation, the hosts were in devastating, first half form, an opening forty-five which saw them register the four goals in which they won by, and which sees them sitting in fifth place, and just the six points splitting them, and leaders Parkgate.

Jake Champion, who bagged a brace, opened the scoring inside ten minutes, heading on a ball from Max Pemberton which fooled the visiting back-line, and ‘keeper, to hit the back of the net; Pemberton was again in on the action as the lead was doubled just before the half hour, teeing up Joshua Nodder who volleyed home.

Now firmly in control, the Badger quickly added a third, and a fourth, Champion grabbing his second when shooting home on the turn just after the half hour mark then, two minutes later, the hosts had a four-goal advantage when Alister Haydock, who’d already seen several chances go begging, got in on the act when putting a volley in at the near corner.

With all the action pretty much done with in the first, the second was punctuated by the substitution of Nodder just after the hour mark, following a stoppage in play due to injury; home ‘keeper, Danny Haystead, kept his clean sheet intact with some smart saves as the Badgers settled for four.

Retford United – Danny Haystead, Max Dungworth (Charlie Dawes, 64), Max Pemberton, Sam Finlaw (Charlie Baird, 70), Owen Fieldsend (Jack Dando, 75), Alister Haydock (Adam Chapman, 75), Liam Owen, Brandon Kane, Mark West, Joshua Nodder (Danny Deakin, 64)

Elsewhere, and with few games played across Nottinghamshire, Basford were beaten 4-1 at Ilkeston Town, and Worksop Town won 2-0 at Stafford Rangers, in the Northern Premier League Premier, Hamza Bencherif and Jordan Burrows netting for the Tigers who continue their own, promotion push.

Four games were played in the United Counties League involving Notts clubs, AFC Mansfield winning 3-1 at home to Newark & Sherwood United in the Premier North, and Eastwood losing by the odd-goal-in-five when home to Skegness Town, Kyle Tomlin with a brace for the Red Badgers.

As for Division One, there was an entertaining draw in the game between fourth top Kirby Muxloe, and third bottom Selston; the Notts-based visitors, who’ve games in hand at the bottom of the table, led after half-an-hour when a ball over the home defence from Charlie Humphries was collected by Alex Hardman, and he proceeded to deftly lob the ball over the advancing, home ‘keeper.

The hosts were then reduced to ten men inside five minutes of the restart for an off-the-ball incident, then, as the game headed into the final ten, Selston saw two players red-carded in which succession; Jordan Black saw red for a pair of yellows in a matter of minutes, then substitute Kevin Mushambi was dealt a straight red shortly after.

Come the end though, the visitors found themselves hanging on and the high-flying hosts eventually took advantage when, deep in stoppage time, equalised through Tom Carroll following a goalmouth scramble, the game finishing level at ones apiece.

Selston – Lewis Scott, Lee Stevenson, Joe Houghton, Josh Smith, Rioual Bakala-Koussaba, Isaac Fisher, Alexander Hardman, Ben Moore, Jordan Black, Andrei Boros, Charlie Humphries

In the remaining UCL One match, Newark Town found themselves soundly beaten when home to Leicester St. Andrews, the visitors netting two in each half in a 4-0 win.

As for the Nottinghamshire Senior League Premier Division, just three matches were played there also; Wollaton are ten behind leaders Stapleford Town, with two games in hand still, following a comfortable, 5-1 home win over mid-table Ruddington Village, Liam Taylor having bagged a brace alongside goals from Josh Stevenson, Josh Broad, and Jarrod Westcarr.

In the other two games, Woodthorpe Park Rangers are sixth following a 3-0 win at West Bridgford Colts IIs, Markell Bailey with a brace, whilst Basford CFC and Keyworth United finished in a 1-1 draw.