Wednesday 30th October 2019
Central Midlands League - Presidents Cup - Conf Round
at Cannon Park
Retford United Reserves (2) 2
Liam O'Brien 7
Cory Goodwin 22
Long Eaton United Community (0) 3
James Shaw 46, 86
Benedict Wilson 90
Although Long Eaton had to overturn a 2-0 half time deficit, and their 'comeback' included two goals inside the final four minutes; it would be fair to say, that in spite of the statistics suggesting otherwise, the visitors weren't in any way lucky to have won through to the next round tonight.
In actual fact, if it hadn't have been for a man of the match display by the Badgers goalkeeper: Kieran Conway, the Derbyshire side would've been home and dry, ages before their late double strike clinched a late victory for them, in this open and attacking game.
The home side took the lead in the 7th minute, when Liam O'Brien ran onto Matty Blakemore's well weighted long knock, right through the middle of the visitors rearguard, before planting the ball emphatically past Marcus Coombs.
Conway's heroics stopped Long Eaton providing an immediate response to Retford's opener, when he thwarted Josh Lane, Reece Alexander and James Taylor, in quick succession, and as play switched back to the other end, Cory Goodwin picked up the ball just outside the area and darted towards Coombs' goal and drilled a shot just inside the right hand post, to double the hosts lead.
The Badgers enjoyed a spell of pressure, but were unable to add to their lead, when Goodwin couldn't quite divert the ball towards the goal, as he attempted a half volley on the turn, shortly before Brandon Ashmore crashed a thumping shot against the right hand post, O'Brien then looked odds on to score again, when he rounded Coombs, but Brandon Mannix covered his keepers back and cleared O'Brien's effort off of the line.
Ashmore went close again, shooting a fraction wide of the target, but it was the visitors who finished the half on the attack, with Nathan Bannon going close when he drilled the ball into the side netting, and, of course: Conway was on hand to pull off another top drawer save to deny Taylor
HT: 2-0
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| The visitors manager: Paul 'Dutch' Holland. A former England youth international, who played for and managed Mansfield Town, from where he went to Sheffield United. He also starred in a FA Cup semi-final for Ch*st*rfield v Middlesbrough in 1997. |
The visitors pulled a goal back a minute into the second half, when a defence splitting flick by Lane, put Jack Shaw through on goal and he calmly rolled the ball into the bottom right hand corner.
Moments later, Shaw set up a chance for Lane, but he dragged the ball just past the wrong side of the post.
Long Eaton looked strong going forward in the second half, but just couldn't find the finishing touch to grab a second goal, as several chances went begging and Conway continued to impress as he thwarted them again and again.
But with four minutes remaining, Matt Langton crossed the ball to Shaw, and though the Retford keeper got an outstretched hand to the resulting close range shot, the ball bulged the roof of the net.
As full time approached and a penalty shoot out seemed to be beckoning, James Gale's shot, from just outside the Badgers area, was blocked, but when the rebound fell kindly for Benedict Wilson, who smashed home the winning goal.
And it was too late for the hosts to find a third goal for themselves now.
FT: Retford United Reserves 2
v Long Eaton United Community 3
I don't think the visitors fancied their chances against Kieran Conway in a shoot out, so they forced the issue at the end to avoid such a scenario ;-)
In closing, I think that Richard Riley deserves a special mention for officiating this cup tie so well, and allowing play to flow, in a manner that contributed no end to providing a great spectacle.
