Hucknall Town 1 Retford United 4

Unibond Premier Division

Saturday October 31st

Retford United travelled to the other end of Nottinghamshire to face a Hucknall Town side who were coming to the end of a rocky week. It is pretty much a lcoal derby, but such is the apathy amongst both sets of fans, coupled with the lack of any meaningful meetings prior to this, that it was really just a run of the mill game. Retford picked the same team who had surrendered so meekly the previous Tuesday to Gusiseley, whilst Hucknall had made much of their troubles but truly had really only sacrificed squad players in their "swingeing cuts"


As early as the first minute, Hucknall had a chance to change the complexion of the game, as the magnificently named TJ Nightingale fluffed hsi kick when faced with an open goal. Five minutes later Ian Deakin, making only his second appearnace of a loan spell from Eastwood, had a touch too many from a pass back, and was forced into a 50/50 tackle from which he came out second bext. The game was delayed for more than twenty minutes as management and physios sought to comfort the Retford keeper as the waited an inordinate amount of time for the ambulance. Talk of broken legs at the time turned out to be wide of the mark, with severe bruising and inflamation the prognosis a couple of hours later.

Both teams struggled following the delay, and it was not until the 45th minute of normal time, which was only about 20 minutes in to the half, that Mick Godber bundled the ball over the line from an Ellender cross. A cynic might suggest he knew little about it, but Godber himself maintains he was completely in control at all times. Had he managed to miss it tho, it would have been of equal standing as this miss



Retford continued to press, and limited Hucknall occassional breaks upfield. As half time approached, neat work by Neil Harvey down the right brought a save from the home keeper, but he could only palm the ball out to an unmarked Colin Marrison, the winger getting back on the scoresheet after a barren few weeks. Fearing the half time team talk, Hucknall sought a foot hold more eagerly, and when Harvey lost the ball in the hosts half, they broke quickly before the ball fell to ex-Badger Lee Whittington, who used to have a dodgy haircut, and the defiecit was halved. Far from retreating in to their shells however, Retford promptly went down the pther end, where Neil Harvey redeemed himself, and broke his far too long drought, with an exquisite curling shot into the top right hand corner, giving the scoreline a far more reflective look.


Hucknall came out for the secind half with their ears ringing, and whilst they never really tested stand in keeper Chris Kingston, the first fifteen minutes or so were farily constant. Finally however a trademark burst down the right by full back Stuart Ludlam put Hucknall on the back foot, and as the ball was pulled across the six yard box, that steady old warhorse Godber was on hand to put a cap on the scoring, and ensure a healthy reward for once.

The win puts Retford United into second in the Unibond Premier Dvision, and whilst there are a couple of clubs with goals in hand, few teams around us can possibly have been struggling so much recently. If the goals scored mark the return of a an ability to convert chances, then the future is very promising.