Retford United 1 v Worksop Town 1 - PSF

Wednesday 5th July 2017
Pre season friendly
at Cannon Park
Retford United (1) 1
Brad Kilner 25
Worksop Town (1) 1
Mitch Husbands 34
Admission £5. Attendance 298

As if to demonstrate just how tight knit local football is round these parts, the managers of tonight's respective teams, namely: Ryan Hindley (in charge of his first Tigers game tonight) of Worksop Town and Mark 'Willy' Wilson of Retford United, have played for both clubs, during their illustrious careers.

The Retford United starting eleven names are
all correct but not their shirt numbers 

The hosts, augmented by a number of trialists and guest players, almost took the lead inside the opening five minutes, when Jake Outram's left wing corner picked out Max Phylis, whose goal bound header was cleared off of the line.

Adam Scott broke forward down the right flank for Worksop, but was met by Josh Lill who advanced out of his area to tackle the lively Tigers (and former Badgers) wide attacker at the expense of a corner, from which Connor Chappell laid the ball back towards Steve Woolley, who was unlucky to see his twenty five yard strike dip and swerve narrowly wide of the left hand post.

Jake Currie was guilty of missing an absolute sitter from the edge of the home sides area, when he latched onto a scuffed clearance and within moments the Badgers took the lead, when play switched quickly from end to end and Brad Kilner got a decisive touch amidst a goalmouth scramble in front of Callum Fielding's net the the 25th minute.

But the Tigers were on level terms within nine minutes, when Mitch Husbands' long range, left footed strike, took a wicked deflection, that diverted the ball into the top right hand corner and beyond the reach of Lill.

Worksop would've been in front from their next attack, had it not been for the agility of Lill, who twisted in mid air to turn Wolley's header over from Adam Scott's right wing delivery.

Just before half time, Currie turned well on the edge of the home sides area to get his shot away through a crowded defence, but the ball crashed off of the left hand upright to safety.

HT: Badgers 1 v Tigers 1

Half time saw the introduction approximately fifteen substitutes all told, by which point the use of actual allocated shirt numbers had apparently been completely abandoned.

The home side, looking to mount a challenge in the NCEL first division this season, will have been happier with the draw than the NCEL premier division Tigers, even though their make do and mend patchwork squad, had to work damn hard for the draw and rode their luck a few times after the break and had their second half goalkeeper Malik to thank for making a few decent and timely saves.

Liam Greenfield and Steve Woolley were both denied by the Badgers keeper as Worksop finished the game the stronger of the two sides, but United held on for a morale boosting draw at the end of this well contested local derby encounter, between two work in progress sides who both still have plenty to do before the season starts for real next month.

FT: Retford United 1 v Worksop Town 1

Next up: 

On Friday night I'll be at the friendly game between Ollerton Town and Harworth Colliery. 

Kick off is at 7.45pm and the ground address is: Walesby Lane, Ollerton, NG22 9UT

Man of the match: Reece Wesley