Wednesday 11th November 2011, at Cannon ParkBaris NMU19L League Cup Quarter Final.
Retford United 5
Walker 5, Johnson 40, Plant 68, Bland 75, ? 117
Dunkirk 4
Ryan Ejezie 10, 42, William Coutts 83, 87
After Extra Time
Half time 2-2,
90 minutes 4-4,
105 minutes 4-4,
120 minutes 5-4
A cracking cup tie, which could've gone either way, right up until the 27th minute of extra time ... when it finally did!
Retford United U19
Dunkirk surprised me ... in the first instance because I thought Pinxton were the scheduled visitors at Cannon Park tonight (in the event they were actually playing Sheffield FC at home in another tie that went to extra time and then penalties), but mainly because, even though the fact they're occupying second place in the third division shows they must be a half decent side, I was taken back by just how good they actually are ... and how well they played.
They gave Retford United a real test tonight, in what turned out to be one of the most open and entertaining games I've had the pleasure of watching all season.
I would've had this one down as a 2nd v 3rd division home banker .. but to be honest, I had completely underestimated the visitors when I heard who they actually were.
I was only here by default, because I was too busy elsewhere to set off for my originally intended destination, Holme Pierrepont, in time, where Harworth CI Under 19's beat West Bridgford Colts 2-1 (thus proving I've been a jinx at their previous games this season), or my Plan B, Field Mill, where the unbeaten Mansfield Town Under 19's were thrashing Stalybridge Celtic.
Thanks to Dave, Simon and a mentally disturbed crazy woman in Mansfield for score updates from those two games, much appreciated guys and gal.
They gave Retford United a real test tonight, in what turned out to be one of the most open and entertaining games I've had the pleasure of watching all season.
I would've had this one down as a 2nd v 3rd division home banker .. but to be honest, I had completely underestimated the visitors when I heard who they actually were.
I was only here by default, because I was too busy elsewhere to set off for my originally intended destination, Holme Pierrepont, in time, where Harworth CI Under 19's beat West Bridgford Colts 2-1 (thus proving I've been a jinx at their previous games this season), or my Plan B, Field Mill, where the unbeaten Mansfield Town Under 19's were thrashing Stalybridge Celtic.
Thanks to Dave, Simon and a mentally disturbed crazy woman in Mansfield for score updates from those two games, much appreciated guys and gal.
Dunkirk U19
Retford were ahead inside 5 minutes when Luke Walker finished off a neat passing move from just inside the box, but Dunkirk were on level terms shortly after, when Lewis Brealey parried a free kick away and Ryan Ejezie pounced to fire the ball home from the rebound.
The visitors were nearly ahead on 27 minutes when a quick throw in, taken by Ben Clark, allowed William Coutts to make a quick break into the penalty box, but his effort was narrowly wide.
On 40 minutes, the Badgers were back in front, when Bobby Johnson's shot went over the line, despite Lewis Wilcox's determined effort to keep it out.
But before half time Dunkirk were level again, when the ever dangerous Ryan Ejezie broke away at pace and scored a neat solo goal.
45 minutes 2-2
The visitors were nearly ahead on 27 minutes when a quick throw in, taken by Ben Clark, allowed William Coutts to make a quick break into the penalty box, but his effort was narrowly wide.
On 40 minutes, the Badgers were back in front, when Bobby Johnson's shot went over the line, despite Lewis Wilcox's determined effort to keep it out.
But before half time Dunkirk were level again, when the ever dangerous Ryan Ejezie broke away at pace and scored a neat solo goal.
45 minutes 2-2
On 68 minutes Alister Plant scored with an unstoppable header and with just 15 minutes remaining Tom Bland gave Retford a commanding 4-2 lead.
But on 83 minutes William Coutts gave the visitors a lifeline when he smashed the ball into the top corner of Brealey's net and then four minutes later helped himself to a late equaliser.
90 minutes 4-4
In extra time, the game continued to swing one way and then the other.It must've been nail biting time for both benches, but I doubt if anybody who had paid a mere two pounds to watch a game as exciting and full of incident as this, was complaining about getting another 30 minutes of non stop end to end action.
Right at the end of extra time, the ball dropped into the visitors penalty area and through a crowd of bodies, the ball ended up in the back of the Dunkirk goal.The Retford players mobbed their goalscorer and prevented me from getting getting a good look at his shirt number ... and the referee blew for full time before Dunkirk had the chance to get back into the game yet again.
I dare say the scorer of the winning goal's name will appear on the Retford United and NMU19L websites in due course, but I had to dash off right at the end instead of hanging around to ask who he was, because the extra half hour had made me late for a prior arrangement elsewhere (24 hour party people n' all that), but I'm glad I waited right 'til the end of the game before I left.
See you again soon mate and I promise not to offload any more dodgy merchandise on you.
Well played both teams ... I wouldn't hesitate to watch either of them again any time soon.
Thanks to RUFC U19 manager Chris Howard for the team sheet info.
Next up, tomorrow night - Bottesford Town U19 v Frickley Athletic U19 at Birch Park, see you all there!
