Central Midland League (North)
Retford FC (0) 0
Collingham FC (2) 2
Jackson Buckthorpe 21
Daryl Price 30
Admission £3. Programme £1.
Retford FC are moving to a new ground next season, which rubbishes the widely held misconception that they are merely Retford United Reserve team playing under an alias using a non de plume.
The statement on the 'Choughs' webite pertaining to this matter reads thus:
After 2 successive seasons at Cannon park Retford FC are moving to a new ground in Retford.
The club couldn't reach an agreement with Retford United FC for another lease for 2017/18 and the current lease will expire at the end of this season.
Retford United FC have different ideas going forward which meant Retford FC having to look for a new home.
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| The winds of change at Retford FC |
The committee have moved quickly to find a new ground for the 2017/18 season and we are delighted to announce we have signed a 5 year exclusive lease with the Babworth Road Railway club.
There are already exciting plans agreed for this summer at "the Rail" and for the immediate future at the ground so that we achieve the standard required for next season.
It's a fantastic opportunity for the club and we are looking forward to getting started.
To make a donation towards the undergoing ground improvements at Babworth Road click HERE
Intro:
Back in December, Retford defeated tonight's visitors 3-2, in the reverse fixture at Station Road.But tonight they laboured to make much of an impression in front of the Collingham goal.
One could have been forgiven for expecting a goal feast tonight, with Retford having won 5-1 at Dinnington at the weekend, while tonight's visitors destroyed Thorne Colliery by 23 (twenty three) goals to 1.
Tonight's result means that Collingham climb to within two points of the fifth placed 'Choughs' in the CMFL North table.
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| Thankfully the fire brigade were soon on the scene to remove a rather large obstruction from the turnstiles |
The opening exchanges of the game proved to be a cagey affair, with both sides tentatively trying to find a way to goal by using their width.
Though it was sheltered enough in the lively corner of the care in the community stand, out on the pitch, the game was played out in a stiff, diagonal wind, that combined with an end of season threadbare playing surface must have made things 'interesting' for both teams. Well, all three teams if you count the match officials: Ian Jackson and his assistants, Michael Massingham and Alastair Lindsay.
Mr Jackson always looks as if he is genuinely enjoying being charge of the various matches I have seen him officiate and he'll be a great loss to the level of the local game that he currently resides over, when he inevitably moves up through the ranks. I reckon that the region is fortunate at present to have so many up and coming, still relatively young match officials, maintaining such a high standard in their chosen field.
"Typical end of season stuff", is what I'm led to believe this sort of performance is called.
Collingham had far more enthusiasm and get up and go about them and it was they, who opened the scoring, which also kick started the game, in the twenty first minute, when Jack Wilkinson dropped his shoulder and made himself some space out on the right, before delivering a cross that Retford could only clear as far as Jackson Buckthorpe just outside the area, who hooked a first time shot over the crowd of players in the Retford goalmouth and into the roof of the net.
I can't imagine that Jamie Housley, in the home side's goal, saw very much of the ball and couldn't be held responsible in any way for conceding from Buckthorpe's strike.
Within two minutes of the visitors taking the lead, the 'Choughs' central defender found himself off radar in front of the Collingham goal, but headed over from six feet out.
Daryl Price, the diminutive number nine for the Station Road outfit, proved that looks can be deceptive, when he powered towards the Retford goal from out on the left flank and was unlucky to see his angled shot narrowly clear the crossbar.
In his oversized amber and black shirt and shorts flapping below his knees, Price resembled the kid who always used to forgot his PE kit at school and was made to dress up in ill fitting clothing from out of the 'dressing up box' by a sadistic games teacher... and no matter how much of an influence some footballers say they had been on their careers, all games teachers were genuinely sadistic.
But I digress... either way, Price scored seven goals for Collingham on Saturday, so he must be doing something right.
Max Batty, singled out as 'one to watch' by those in the know, did well to carry the ball forward and into the Collingham area on the left hand side, but he shot straight at Ellis Spencer, who gathered the ball comfortably.
Jack Wilkinson launched a long, dipping free kick towards the Retford six yard box, but the ball held up in the wind and landed on top of the goal.
On the half hour mark, Retford struggled to clear their lines and left Housley exposed with Price bearing down on him. The Retford keeper had no option but to advance from his line to narrow the angle, but in doing so allowed the lively attacker to lob the ball over him and double the visitors lead.
Batty had the opportunity to half the arrears, but though he struck the ball cleanly and powerfully this time, his effort flew wide of the right hand upright.
Jason Swannack and Jack Johnson combined well to push forward deep into Collingham's half on the left, but the visitors were absorbing any pressure that Retford were applying, though at times the home side seemed to be merely having a nibble than taking a proper bite inside the final third.
Housley kept Retford in the game, with a great save at full stretch, after Wilkinson tested him with a twenty five yard pile-driver.
With half time approaching, Jason Bradley headed the ball into the path of Matt Bryce, who spanked the ball over the bar and in first half stoppage time, Batty hit a free kick into the wind, that fell straight into Spencer's waiting arms.
HT: Retford FC 0 v Collingham FC 2
Tom Moore, with Sidnei Costa filling in behind him in support, was making some threatening in roads into the Retford half and the home side could be grateful to Housley, when he claimed Moore's cross that only needed a touch from Price.
Given his staure, Price was given the task of taking the corners for Collingham and ten minutes into the second half, he picked out Costa with a delivery from the right, but the impressive number three directed his header wide of the left upright.
Luke Clifford seemed to be having a sponsored 'Look how many times I can hoof the ball into the car park' marathon, as Retford rode their luck and Collingham cursed the way that the ball moved in the stiff breeze.
Price threaded the ball through to Clifford who looked odds on to score, but Swannack was among the Retford players who were actually tuned in tonight and he made a clearing tackle.
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| Half time raffle winner, that nice Mr Dexter.... again! |
In a moment that summed Retford's night up, John showed great skill to get himself into a good position through the left channel, but scuffed his shot at Spencer.
Costa, one of the many former Collingham youth team players who augments and compliments their senior side this season, threaded the ball through to Moore... who by now was in direct competition with Clifford, to see who could lump the most balls out of the ground and miss kicked the ball over the bar from twelve yards.
With ten minutes to go, Luke Tong who'd been having a quiet game by his standards, forced a great reflex save out of Spencer, with a thumping long range shot.
Bilham dispossessed Price in full flight, but the marauding attacker was soon back and drilled the ball across the Retford penalty area towards Clifford, who took aim and... well lets just say, his goal attempt was met with a shout of "Do that again and you can fetch it yourself!"
To be fair, the Cannon Park crowd didn't see the best of Clifford tonight and given his non stop running and positional awareness, on any other night he could easily have claimed four or five goals.
Truth be told, Retford struggled to contain him and on a better surface, he would have caused them some real damage.
Housley saved from Drew Alwood at the second attempt, as the Collingham substitute headed the ball into the ground from Price's cross and it sat up awkwardly.
Right at the death, Nathan Fearn headed wide from Swannack's delivery after Bryce's cross from Johnson's well weighted pass had deflected behind for a corner.
FT: Retford 0 v Collingham 2
Retford can (and must) play better than they did tonight and Collingham really ought to have put the game to bed and taken a few more of the chances they created throughout the game.
Both sides are at home on Saturday when Collingham face Welbeck Lions, in what will possibly be another high scoring game, while Retford entertain Askern, in what will be their penultimate game at Cannon Park.
