Thursday 9 November 2017

Retford United 2 v Sheffield FC 4 - WVH NMU19L

Thursday 9th November 2017
Worksop Van Hire North Midland U19 League (North)
at Cannon Park, Leverton Road, Retford
Retford United (2) 2
Zach Casburn 6 pen
Toby Rutherford 16
Sheffield FC (0) 4
Finlay Barker 55, 58, 70
Louis Hutchinson 65
Admission £3. Programme 20p
Attendance 57 plus 8 freeloaders watching over the wall
The Badgers Under 19 side suffered their first defeat of the season last week, when they lost 4-1 against tonight's opponents at St Georges Park on Friday night. Hence they suffered their second loss tonight, having taken what looked to be a very comfortable two goal lead in with them at the half time break.
The visitors started the night in third place (on goal difference) just above Retford in fourth, who were level on points with Sheffield; while second placed Worksop Town, who drew 1-1 at Dronfield Town last night, were one point ahead of them both.
Sheffield United are top of the table, and sit three points ahead of the Tigers, who have two games in hand over 'dem Blades.
As the match referee Mr Ibrahim Arsali sounded the full time whistle, the visitors celebrated a thrilling comeback and win that saw them leapfrog over Worksop to move into second place, a point behind Sheffield United but with a game in hand. Sheffield's next game is a home fixture against the Blades on Friday 24th November.
As a consequence of Russ Eagle's sides half time change in formation, application, personnel and approach, the visitors completely turned this game on it's head and were rampant after the break and rammed home their dominance four times, after looking second best all over the pitch before the interval. In doing so Sheffield's Under 19 side completely redefined the old cliche: "a game of two halves" tonight, in an emphatic style and the Badgers youngsters were left to rue the fact that they hadn't grabbed a couple more goals when they were bossing the game early on.
Retford started well and things looked quite ominous for the visitors from the outset.
Liam Bennett fizzed a long range shot narrowly wide of the left hand upright during the opening exchanges and Zak Khalifa impressed from the off, using his upper body strength well to shield the ball, while bringing his teammates into the game with some good touches.
Six minutes in Zach Casburn skipped past two challenges in the Sheffield area and was tripped, leaving Mr Arsali with no option but to award a penalty, that Casburn calmly slotted straight down the middle as Ben Woodcock opted to move to his right.
As the game progressed in a 'competitive' manner, the referee, who along with his two very competent assistants Wayne Gray and David Hunt, who marshalled the game very well between them, had to dish out a few yellow yards and occasional 'quiet words', but their firm but fair officiating helped to keep  the game flowing at a cracking pace.
Sixteen minutes in, the live-wire Callum Amendola, stripped Danny Rose with a neat turn and burst of pace out on  the left, before delivering the ball across the face of the Sheffield goal, that Casburn unselfishly left for Toby Rutherford who had made a well timed run into the box to arrive behind the Badgers centre forward and to all intents and purposes, he buried an unstoppable shot past Woodcock from eight yards out to (apparently) put Retford in control.
Casburn went close again twice, with a glancing header from Declan Heath's cross, that Woodcock did well to deal with and he put the ball just past the wrong side of the post from Amendola's threaded pass.
Sheffield had their moments in the first half, not least when Alfie Smith saw his twenty yard free kick narrowly clear the top right hand corner of James Gamble's goal, but in  the main, the first half belonged to the home side.
HT: 2-0
The visitors made all of their substitutions in a tactical overhaul at half time, while Russ Eagle barked out his 'instructions' in a manner that could probably be heard in Retford Market Square.
Casburn flicked Louis Colley's left wing delivery onto the Sheffield crossbar, but then, Russ Eagle's youngsters showed up and once they got to grips with the game, they never looked backed.
'Club' pulled a goal back ten minutes into the second half, when Regan Watkinson broke clear on the left and flicked the ball inside to Smith whose first time flick, split Retford's defence and left Finlay Barker with a clear sight of goal and he picked his spot to half the deficit.
Three minutes later, the scores were level, when Max Dungworth latched onto a long ball, nudging the ball forward from six yards out... and as the Badgers defence tried to clear his goal bound knock away, Barker pounced to add the finishing touch.
Sheffield's third came through a string of pinpoint passes inside the final third, with Barker touching Callum Walton's knock to the feet of Louis Hutchinson, who swept the ball past Gamble.
Just fifteen minutes after scoring his first goal of the night, Barker completed his hat trick from Walton's angled ball into the Badgers six yard box, not a bad night's work from the Sheffield substitute who had also set up Sheffield's third goal and hit the post just before scoring his third.
Retford almost pulled a goal back late on when Casburn played the ball sideways to Callum Wilson, who unleashed a crashing shot from fifteen yards out that Woodcock did well to save.
But the visitors second half revival had deservedly won the game by then.
FT: Retford United U19 2 v Sheffield FC U19 4
I think that I've got all of the second half goals in the correct sequence, but my pen 'conked out' so I only managed to record some sketchy details, to prompt my even sketchier memory when I got home. 
Thanks to Alex Tittcomb for filling in a few of the details for me, it was good to catch up with you again pal... give my regards to your old fella! 
Next Thursday night I'll be watching the Worksop Town U19 side when they take on Espial at Sandy Lane.
And then I'll be back here at Cannon Park on Thursday 23rd November when Swallownest U19 venture over the M1 and head for this most salubrious neighborhood.
It's all go in the Worksop Van  Hire North Midland U19 League innit!?