Retford United 2 Belper Town 3
The second of three away trips on the bounce and the biggest of them all. Top against 2nd with Belper 9 points behind but having four games in hand on the Badgers. The trip to Retford was straight forward enough and was the last one in the current motor as the new one should be available from next Friday all things being equal. No detours on the way, but then again it was my turn to drive and I had the sat nav plugged in, relying on Tom Tom rather than Nigel Nigel.
Last season Retford won the league but failed to gain promotion due to the state pf their ground. The belper fans were all intrigued to see what they had done as we had heard that the ground had now been passed for Premier Division football should they repeat their achievement. First impressions were that nothing had happened ot the ground but in closer inspection the fence around the pitch now had blue plastic netting attached and they had added 12 more seats to the poor excuse for a stand on the far side. A fair number of the seats have a restricted view of the pitch due to the dugouts obscuring parts of the pitch. They have added a new toilet behind the pressbox and they have acquired some builders fencing to form a makeshift players tunnel. The league really are accepting a very low standard it seems. Still, good luck to them if they win the league again they deserve to go up this time around.
A trip into the office to say hi to Retford snapper Jon Knight, really nice friendly bloke. The teamsheet shows that surprisingly Hobbo is fit but as already known there is now Kots or Barney so it looks a very difficult game. The nailers fans are in agreement that a draw would be a brilliant result and would put the initiative with Belper thanks to the games in hand.
Belper get off to the best possible start when Ben fires in a stunning strike that curls round the keeper and inside the post to give us a 5th minute lead. The rest of the half belongs to retford as they equalise through a bizarre goal. A free kick just inside the Belper half is hoisted into the area, one bounce into an empty net with the Nailers keeper nowhere. Then Neil Harvey strikes to make it 2-1 to Retford. Two other glaring chances go begging for the home side and at the break we're feeling happy that we're only a goal adrift.
Half-time break and a chance to get some circulation into cold hands and feet then we return to see if Belper can get back on level terms. A few minutes into the half and former Badger Ryan 'massive' Hindley fires another stunning goal to make it 2-2. All we needed to do was hang on and take a point back to Derbyshire.
The last 5 minutes seems to take an eternity to pass but as we prepare to celebrate a great draw a Retford defender has a rush of blood and handles in the box. Pandemonium as Stevo steps up and cooly fires his 21st goal of the season past the Retford keeper. he celebrates by leaping onto the barrier into the welcoming arms of George Waterfall. An amazing victory making thoughts of the league title seem a lot more likely than it did at kickoff today
The trip home was all talk about the fact that we couldn't believe we had just beaten Retford at Cannon Park and then thoughts turn to Tuesday night and the trip to Stocksbridge Park Steels Look Local Stadium
Next Up: Stocksbridge Park Steels
The second of three away trips on the bounce and the biggest of them all. Top against 2nd with Belper 9 points behind but having four games in hand on the Badgers. The trip to Retford was straight forward enough and was the last one in the current motor as the new one should be available from next Friday all things being equal. No detours on the way, but then again it was my turn to drive and I had the sat nav plugged in, relying on Tom Tom rather than Nigel Nigel.
Last season Retford won the league but failed to gain promotion due to the state pf their ground. The belper fans were all intrigued to see what they had done as we had heard that the ground had now been passed for Premier Division football should they repeat their achievement. First impressions were that nothing had happened ot the ground but in closer inspection the fence around the pitch now had blue plastic netting attached and they had added 12 more seats to the poor excuse for a stand on the far side. A fair number of the seats have a restricted view of the pitch due to the dugouts obscuring parts of the pitch. They have added a new toilet behind the pressbox and they have acquired some builders fencing to form a makeshift players tunnel. The league really are accepting a very low standard it seems. Still, good luck to them if they win the league again they deserve to go up this time around.
A trip into the office to say hi to Retford snapper Jon Knight, really nice friendly bloke. The teamsheet shows that surprisingly Hobbo is fit but as already known there is now Kots or Barney so it looks a very difficult game. The nailers fans are in agreement that a draw would be a brilliant result and would put the initiative with Belper thanks to the games in hand.
Belper get off to the best possible start when Ben fires in a stunning strike that curls round the keeper and inside the post to give us a 5th minute lead. The rest of the half belongs to retford as they equalise through a bizarre goal. A free kick just inside the Belper half is hoisted into the area, one bounce into an empty net with the Nailers keeper nowhere. Then Neil Harvey strikes to make it 2-1 to Retford. Two other glaring chances go begging for the home side and at the break we're feeling happy that we're only a goal adrift.
Half-time break and a chance to get some circulation into cold hands and feet then we return to see if Belper can get back on level terms. A few minutes into the half and former Badger Ryan 'massive' Hindley fires another stunning goal to make it 2-2. All we needed to do was hang on and take a point back to Derbyshire.
The last 5 minutes seems to take an eternity to pass but as we prepare to celebrate a great draw a Retford defender has a rush of blood and handles in the box. Pandemonium as Stevo steps up and cooly fires his 21st goal of the season past the Retford keeper. he celebrates by leaping onto the barrier into the welcoming arms of George Waterfall. An amazing victory making thoughts of the league title seem a lot more likely than it did at kickoff today
The trip home was all talk about the fact that we couldn't believe we had just beaten Retford at Cannon Park and then thoughts turn to Tuesday night and the trip to Stocksbridge Park Steels Look Local Stadium
Next Up: Stocksbridge Park Steels
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