Tuesday 8 December 2015

Retford United 2 v Hucknall Rolls Leisure 1 - Notts Senior Cup 3rd Round

Tuesday 8th December 2015
Nottinghamshire FA Senior Cup 3rd Round
at the Jones & Co. Stadium, Cannon Park
Retford United (0) 2
Brad Hanson 70
Adam Lee 77 Pen
Hucknall Rolls Leisure (1) 1
Jack Allen 19
Admission £6. Programme £1.50. Attendance 67
Since losing to Pinxton back in October, Hucknall have embarked on a six match unbeaten run. Most recently the CMFL (South) side drew 1-1 at Clay Cross Town at the weekend of the back of five consecutive wins.
The home side picked up three points at home on Saturday with a 1-0 win against Pickering Town, but hadn't won in four games prior to that.
Ten months ago, Retford United eliminated Hucknall Rolls Leisure from this competition, winning by six goals to three at Cannon Park.
Tonight, particularly in the first half, the visitors showed why they have been in such a rich vein of form and they certainly went on the offensive straight from the kick off, with Jack Allen shooting narrowly over the bar from close range inside the first minute.
The same player forced the first save of the night out of Jamie Davies after Rory Smith had knocked a through ball into his path, just inside the Badgers box.
Retford pushed forward and Mark Wilson was unlucky to see his deft chip strike the woodwork.
In the 19th minute Chay Betteridge floated a free kick into the Retford area, Jack Patterson challenged for the ball and it fell to Allen who added the finishing touch inside the six yard box.
Within minutes, Hucknall were on the attack again as Patterson rode two challenges as he advanced on the Retford goal along the dead ball line, before unleashing a shot that Davies saved with his feet.
Greg Conn, the lively visitors right back, sent a free kick across the Retford area to Patterson, who headed it back across the face of the goal and Davies was called into action once more, saving bravely at the feet of Jack Allen by the foot of the right hand post.
On the stroke of half time, the home side almost equalised against the run of play, when Jordan Hardman's long free kick picked out Jason Bradley, but he headed tamely straight Jack Walker, the Hucknall keeper.
HT: Retford United 0 v Hucknall Rolls Leisure 1
As the teams went in for the break, cat calls of "What a load of rubbish!" and "Don't come back out!" were heard... but the jeers turned to cheers as Retford picked up in the second half, eventually.
Jack Allen broke forward and cued up another shot on goal, but Dec Lycett put in a well timed tackle just inside the area to prevent his side conceding a second goal.
Patterson threaded a pass through to Betteridge, but Davies anticipated his shot well and gathered the ball.
At one stage, Hucknall belied the gap between these two clubs status wise and put ten passes together as they built up patiently looking for an opening for the all important next goal.
But United were getting more to grips with their livewire visitors now.
Lycett rolled the ball forward to Kerr, he skipped past two challenges before his path to goal was blocked by a saving tackle.
In the 70th minute, Adam Lee pressured a defender and forced a corner. Hucknall stood firm and got the ball away from their goal, but it fell to Brad Hanson twenty yards out, who thumped an unstoppable shot into the back of the visitors net, to mark his first appearance in a Badgers shirt.
The home side picked up the pace and in the 77th minute, they were awarded a penalty after a clumsy challenge just inside the area. Adam Lee made no mistake from the spot and Retford were in front.
United were very close to adding a third, when Mark West took the ball between two defenders before laying the ball sideways to Kerr whose effort was saved.
Harry Allen almost grabbed a late equaliser for the visitors, which would've taken this tie into extra time, but having 'ghosted' into the home side's area, he hooked the ball over the bar... and right at the death Patterson saw his shot narrowly clear the goal too.
FT: Retford United 2 v Hucknall Rolls Leisure 1
Retford dug in and found the extra resolve that they needed to get them over the finishing line, even though they took a while to get going; but Hucknall gave a very good account of themselves and will quite probably, justifiably feel that they could have got more out of tonight's 'game of two halves' to show for their efforts, especially in the opening forty five minutes.
Retford United now face Radford at home in the next round.