Wednesday 26 February 2014

Staveley Miners Welfare 3 v Retford United 2 - NCEL Prem

Wednesday 26th February 2014
at Inkersall Road, Staveley, S43 3JL
Staveley Miners Welfare (2) 3
Josh Scully 12, 75 (Pen)
Matt Thorpe 43
Retford United (1) 2
Craig Fisher 64
Jack Booth 90+
Admission £5, programme £1, Attendance 115
Staveley Miners Welfare:
Turner, Coulbeck, Whittaker, Hill, Hassett, Colliver, Hague (Watters 86), Scully, Thorpe, Smith (Lindley 80), Trench (Woolley 71).
Unused subs - Goodwin, Butt.
Sent off - Colliver 30
Retford United:
Barford, Cooper, Severn, Smith, Jarvis, Dorgan, Fisher, Stannard, Mullen (Booth 61), Thompson, Hadley (Slack 61).
Unused subs - Swannack, Jones.
Sent off - Cooper 16, Barford 75
Dorgan took over in goal for Retford after Barford's dismissal.
Photos courtesy of Jon Knight of Retford United FC. 
Thanks Jon, muchly appreciated mate.
Long after the dust has settled, this game will be remembered for the three straight red cards, issued by the match referee Sam Mulhall.
Report etc. to follow very soon.


Tuesday 25 February 2014

Mansfield Town 1 v Bury 4 - Sky Bet League 2

Tuesday 25th February 2014
Game postponed on original date of Tuesday 28th January and first rearranged date of Tuesday 11th February, waterlogged x 2
at Field Mill (AKA the One Call Stadium)
Sky Bet League 2/ Division 4
Mansfield Town (0) 1
Sam Clulcas 71
Bury (1) 4
Danny Mayor 25
Daniel Nardiello 56, 64
Jake Carroll 71
Admission £18, Programme £3, 
Attendance 2.628 (inc. 220 in away end)
Mansfield Town:
Marriott; Sutton, Dempster, Tafazolli (Hutchinson, 81); Westlake, Clements (Cain, 67), Stevenson, Howell, Daniel; Rhead (Palmer, 63), Clucas. Subs: Dyer, Beevers, Meikle, McGuire.
Bury:
Jensen, McNulty, Jones, Sedgwick, Mayor (Miller, 72), Tutte, Nardiello (Dudley, 90), Platt (Forrester, 68), Carroll, Veseli, Mills. Subs: Charles-Cook, Hinds, Proctor, Burke
Field Mill
As glamour games go, it is fairly obvious why I felt compelled to make sure that I was at this one, instead of staying at home with my feet up, watching the European Champions League on TV. 
A quick look at the Football League table provides one with so many potential permutation and a massive portion of intrigue, it is just about enough to get any hardcore football purist leaking at least a few drops of sex wee, in a frenzied state of giddy abandon. 
And, quite frankly,  if you don't subscribe to that theory, you must be a some kind of a weirdo.
By my reckoning, any two from the bottom twelve in the League 2 table could be heading to the Conference at the end of the season, it really is that tight ... and both of tonight's teams urgently need points to climb away from that drop zone. 
I want to believe that Paul Cox's team have got enough in their tank, to stay clear of the dreaded last two places, however my (fading) hopes are probably borne out of the fact that I really don't want to believe they could be relegated back into the realms of non league football so soon. 
The reality of the situation is; if they don't get their act together soon, Paul Cox's Stags are bouncing recklessly on the exit trapdoor to oblivion and lining themselves up for a very painful reality slap.
I'm told that the Stags played better than they have done for a long time on Saturday, which gave me a faint feeling of optimism before the game, but as tonight's shambolic performance unfolded before my disbelieving eyes, and the news that the teams around Mansfield in the table were picking up points elsewhere, the alarm bells became deafening.
As we saw at the climax end of last season, any team that puts a good run of results together can soon leave those around them who have become complacent, stranded and in the mire.
The truth is, regardless of how crap the first season back as a Football League club is for Mansfield Town, I really miss getting to see them more often than I do, glutton for punishment and masochist that I am.
I wasn't merely getting my excuses in early last term, when I said that promotion back to the Football League wasn't necessarily the holy grail it's cracked up to be, just in case the Stags had faltered at the last hurdle and missed out on promotion, but now they are back among 'the 92', I wouldn't dare to speculate on what the consequences might be for the club if they were to lose their league status again.
It's an unthinkable and potentially catastrophic scenario, but one that is not yet beyond the realms of fantasy.
Off the pitch, there is far too much tacky sideshow type stuff going on at the Stags if you ask me and all of that must have a knock on effect on the pitch ... but, you didn't ask, so rather than pontificating over a tsunami sized shit storm of controversy and behind the scenes smoke screens, mirrors, half truths, downright fibs and distractions, I'll merely comment on the football fare that was on offer tonight ... from a Mansfield supporters perspective it was rubbish! 
If, however, you were one of the 220 Bury fans sat in the North Stand, it must have been a great night, because the Shakers played well, very well in fact, but for the bulk of the crowd, this was akin to having teeth pulled, it was a real horror show.
From the outset, the battle for the middle of the park, was a bit of an ugly runt, but Paul Cox's side are renowned for bypassing that section of the pitch as often as possible, in an up n' under, basic and fairly crude kind of way (horses for courses rules apply), so that wouldn't usually have influenced very much. 
Yet, having got a foothold in midfield, Bury looked impressive last twenty minutes of the first half after Danny Mayor had weaved is way into the left hand side of the Stags penalty area and unleashed a low shot past Alan Marriott, just inside the post, to give the visitors the lead.
Sam Clucas and Anthony Howell were both denied by the Shakers keeper Brian Jensen as the Stags looked to get back into the game, but it was the visitors who came closest to scoring again, just before the break, when Daniel Nardiello's effort from Mayor's right wing cross was tipped over the bar at full stretch by Alan Marriott.
HT - Stags 0 v Shakers 1
Right from the restart, Lee Stevenson had a chance to pull the Stags level, but he blazed the ball over the crossbar.
Shortly afterwards, Chris Clements set piece effort was easily dealt with by Jensen.
The Stags got the rub of the green on 54 minutes when Mayor went to ground under a challenge from Darryl Westlake in the penalty area, but the referee Graham Scott waved away Bury's appeals as Alan Marriott block a shot from Andy Tutte who'd latched onto the loose ball.
Bury didn't need to feel aggrieved for long however and Nardiello had doubled their lead within two minutes.
The ever lively Mayor played the ball into the path of Nardiello who turned the ball into the net via the upright from close range.
"You know Mansfield Town, will never let you down" ... ironic musical interlude:

Stevenson broke forward for the Stags, but Pablo Mills, dispossessed him with a timely interception that reminded me of a dad showing off and tackling his 6 year old son in a back garden kickabout.
And if that wasn't humiliating enough, Bury scored again in the 64th minute, by taking a route one, direct approach ... and embarrassing the Stags defence and goalkeeper in the process. 
Nardiello, flicked on Jensen's long punt up the field, to himself, noted that Marriott was off of his line and lobbed the ball into the unguarded net, before a defender had even arrived on the scene. 
Nil-three! At home! Against Bury! FFS!
Momentarily, Mansfield were handed a slight (tiny, miniscule even) glimmer of hope, when Jensen took pity on them and very generously made the charitable act of palming Colin Daniel's knock into the six yard box, straight to Sam Clucas, who pulled a goal back.
But while the Stags fans were still on their feet  celebrating the start of a highly unlikely comeback, Bury went straight up the other end and scored again.
Craig Jones crossed, Marriott replicated Jensen's palm the ball to an opposition player in the box stunt and Jake Carroll made it 1-4. At home! Against Bury! FFS!!!
Ollie Palmer should have scored a consolation goal for the Stags inside the last couple of minutes, but his effort was well wide of the target, despite him being clean through, with plenty of time to pick his spot. 
In stoppage time, Ben Hutchinson hit a 35 yard shot, straight at Brian Jensen, but a second Stags goal would've given the full time score a very flattering look.
Well played Bury, a well deserved win.
FT - Mansfield Town 1 v Bury 4

Monday 24 February 2014

Sheffield Wednesday 1 v Charlton Athletic 2 - FA Cup 5th Round

Monday 24th February 2014
FA Cup 5th Round
at Hillsborough
Sheffield Wednesday (0) 1
Leon Best 57
Charlton Athletic (1) 2
Callum Harriott 22
Simon Church 65
Admission £20, Programme £3, Attendance 24,607
Sheffield Wednesday
Martinez,  Palmer, Llera, Loovens, Mattock , Maguire, Gardner (Nuhiu 58), Coke, Maghom (Lavery 58), Best,  Afobe (Helan 74).
Unused Subs - Kirkland, Buxton, Onyewu, Hutchinson.
Charlton Athletic
Hamer, Wilson, Morrison, Wood (Dervite 90), Fox, Cousins, Jackson, Poyet, Harriott,  Ajdarevic (Hughes 90), Church (Ghoochanneijhad 85).
Unused Subs - Green, Sordell, Thuram-Ulien, Nego.
Stuart Gray's Owls seem to have done enough in recent weeks to pull themselves away from the relegation zone in the Championship (if they don't play like they did tonight again), but Charlton, despite having games in hand ... which are never half as good as having a few more points on the board ... are still deeply immersed in the brown sticky stuff and staring a drop into League 1 squarely in the face at the moment, despite having beaten QPR at the weekend.
In the build up to the game, the FA Cup still gave Wednesday a bit of something to possibly keep their season alive (for a short while longer at least), given that the play offs are now beyond their reach.
The Addicks, on the other hand, could probably do without the added inconvenience of the kind of fixtures backlog a cup run would create, given how they've already suffered more than most from postponements this season, due to them having such a problematic pitch at the Valley.
The prize on offer to tonight's victors, was a quarter final tie at Bramall Lane against Sheffield United, which possibly means a whole lot more to Wednesday's supporters than it does Charltons, given the intensity of the rivalry between the two 'Steel City' clubs,
According to the former Wednesday player and cult hero Carlton Palmer, who is now a co-commentator and match summariser on BBC Radio Sheffield, the cup ties against Charlton and the Blades are games that Wednesday should be able to win comfortably. Tonight just goes to show what he knows then ... not that anybody who has the best interests of either Mansfield Town or Stockport County at heart would've needed telling just how horribly wrong Mr Palmer can get things sometimes, given his disastrous managerial reigns at both of those clubs.
Maybe there might actually be some substance after all, behind the Wednesdayites tribute song to their former player: "We've got Carlton Palmer, he smokes marijuana!"
I've never pretended to like Sheffield Wednesday, not even a little bit, but each year we visit their ground (just the once), by way of tribute to Brian Sutton, an Owls fan, who is sadly no longer with us.
Since this annual event began, tragedy befell the family once more and we now raise a glass, or overpriced plastic bottle of lukewarm fizzy lager (as that was all there was on offer tonight), to the memory of Steve Oxby as well, another dearly loved friend and relative who died far too young.
Two great guys, taken from us far too soon.
Some things are more important than football rivalries and I have no problem whatsoever about visiting Swillsbo ... whoops! I meant Hillsborough, every year, to that end.
But Brian and Big Steve would've understood why, although I was paying my respects to them tonight, I wasn't exactly rooting for their team.
And I'm sure they wouldn't have wanted it any other way.
Charlton, for their part, were half decent, though nowhere near wholly decent, while Wednesday were ... hmm, well, not to put too fine a point on it, completely crap for most of the game.
The tactics that the Owls adopted in the first half, were mind boggling and embarrassing in equal measure.
Most teams who play a direct, hoof ball game, at least have a target man or a nippy runner or two in the oppositions half of the pitch when they launch the ball forwards (and skywards) at regular intervals. Wednesday had neither and their hit it and hope style, which they persisted with up until half time, became a cringeworthy spectacle and exercise in conceding possession cheaply, while offering no kind of threat to the visitors whatsoever.
Wednesday's own manager, Stuart Gray, said of the first half:
"It was the worst 45 minutes since I took over, I could not believe that was my team. I think it was 27 minutes before we got a cross, 40 minutes before we got a shot and 41 minutes before we got a tackle."
Gray went on to say, "We probably got what we deserved,"
I'd have to disagree with that last comment, because although he summed up the first half perfectly, there is no way that his side only deserved to be one goal down at the break.
When Charlton took the lead through Callum Harriott, after Astrit Ajdarevic's initial shot had deflected right into his path, there was almost an aura of inevitability already emanating from the home support sat around us in the North Stand.
"Well, you can't say it hasn't been coming!", boomed the large gentleman sat directly behind me; who seemingly couldn't even communicate candidly with the woman sat beside him without roaring at the top of his voice, in a manner becoming of an unhinged town crier.
But for once (just the once), he was 100% correct ... and those within earshot fell silent and nodded in agreement. Charlton were seeing plenty of the ball, but they just needed a bit more firepower to turn their possession into goals.
The Addicks fans up in the back of the Leppings Lane End, were having a party as they taunted the home fans with "Is this a library? Is this a library?" and "Can you hear the Wednesday sing?" type songs, which didn't even raise a flicker of response from the Hillsborough faithful.
HT - Owls 0 v Addicks 1
Maybe a 'massive' club (their words, not mine) like Sheffield Wednesday have bigger and better things to aspire to, than a run in the FA Cup, though I'm hard pushed to believe that, given their current standing.
So perhaps the truth of the matter is they just bottled it and arrogantly thought that all they had to do tonight was turn up and a place in the quarter finals was all but guaranteed either way, one thing is for sure, if they had squeaked an unlikely result against Charlton and then played like they did tonight, in the next round at Bramall Lane, their fans would've had to polish their 'Boxing Day Massacre' and 'Wembley 1993' memories one last time before putting them in storage, along with the 24,000 unworn: 'Wednesday at Wembley 2014' t-shirts that have only be made in one size ... massive!
Go on, admit it, my Owls supporting friends, associates and work colleagues, you know that made you chuckle really.
Jeez, I just admitted to being friends with some Sheffield Wednesday supporters, that is my reputation and social standing ruined ... forever.
But joking aside and getting back to my original point ... nine times out of ten, complacent teams have already contributed to their own downfall, before they've even stepped out onto the pitch, especially in cup games.
After the half time interval the game was a much better spectacle and Wednesday finally found their bearings and stopped being so wasteful whenever they had possession.
After a flying start to the second half the Owls drew level on 57 minutes, when Chris Maguire's free-kick into the area was knocked down by Miguel Llera and Leon Best fired home his first goal for the Hillsborough club since his recent arrival, on loan, from Blackburn Rovers.
It wasn't his first goal for the Owls, Best also joined Wednesday on loan from Southampton (twice) in both 2005 & 2006 and he scored once (just the once) during both of those loan spells. You stick with me my faithful reader ... I'll provide you with all of the football quiz questions you could ever need ;-)
In the 65th minute Miquel Llera was penalised for obstructing Simon Church and from Johnnie Jackson's subsequent free-kick, the former Reading forward headed beyond Martinez to put Charlton back in front.
Wednesday thought they had equalised for a second time seven minutes later when Llera's header hit the inside of the post and bounced straight into the arms of Ben Hamer, on (but not completely over) the line.
OMG! They'll let anybody in here!
Leon Best almost added a second goal for the home side, but his shot cannoned off of his team-mate Atdhe Nuhiu amidst an all hands to the pumps and frantic, goalmouth scramble.
Deep into stoppage-time, Chris Maguire's struck the ball well from the edge of the box and it appeared destined for the top corner, after taking a slight deflection, but Hamer pulled off a fantastic and acrobatic one handed save to tip the ball over.
Hamer might have been fortunate with Llera's header, when the post and (possibly) a lack of goal line camera technology had intervened, but there was no way back for the home side now and the Addicks keeper had effectively just claimed his side a place in the quarter finals of the FA Cup.
FT - Sheffield Wednesday 1 v Charlton Athletic 2
Walking along Penistone Road after the game, I bumped into a local pub bore, who just also happens to be a Wednesday fan as well: "Came to watch a big team for a change did ya!?" he snarled. "Yeah, massive mate!" I cheerily replied. However, I suspect his irony bypass operation, probably meant that my attempt at humouring him had been rather pointless.
Revised FA Cup Q/F draw following tonight's results:
Arsenal v Everton
Hull City v Sunderland
Sheffield United v Charlton Athletic
Manchester City v Wigan Athletic
Ties to be played 8-9 March

Saturday 22 February 2014

Gresley FC 2 v Goole AFC 1 - EvoStik NPL Division One South

Saturday 22nd February 2014
at the Moat Ground, Church Gresley
EvoStik Northern Premier League - First Division South
Gresley FC (1) 2
Jack Langston 36
Kieran O'Connell 49
Goole AFC (0) 1
John Guy 67 OG
Admission £7, Programme £1.50, Attendance 237
Left click blurred i-phone quality photos (below) to enlarge.
Click LINK for even more pictures of a similar ilk.
Gresley FC
Mats Morch, Mitch Hanson, John Guy, Marc Strzyzewski, Jamie Barrett (c), Eric Graves, Mickey Lyons (Paolo Piliero 79), Jack Langston (Sam Grice 71), Alex Steadman, Rob Spencer (Lucas Harrison 89), Kieran O'Connell
Unused Subs - Royce Turville, Liam Guest
Goole AFC
Liam Flynn, Derry Robson (Sam Colbear 86), Ashley Jackson, Tyrone Thompson, Muhammed Sabo. Richard Adams (c), James Cottingham (Rory Coleman 66), Anton Foster, Mitch Husbands, Shaq McKenzie, Tyler Williams (Andrew Jackson 72)
Unused Subs - Christopher Adams, David Taylor
A 17th v 14th encounter, between two clubs who were reborn out of the ashes of what used to be Gresley Rovers and Goole Town.
Goole AFC began life 1997 after Goole Town had folded due to financial difficulties and Gresley FC came about after Gresley Rovers went into liquidation at the end of the 2008-09 season.
It's a long and uninteresting story, that tells how I came to be in sun drenched south Derbyshire on this pleasant Saturday afternoon, instead of on duty in Bircotes, where Harworth Colliery played out a creditable 1-1 draw with NCEL Premier Division pace setters Barton Town Old Boys, so ... moving swiftly on.
The last time I visited the Moat Ground, was to watch Gresley Rovers ... and I'm happy to report, that save for having a few thick layers of red paint and whitewash splashed about the place, its hasn't lost any of its original aesthetic appeal, or rough arsed charm, whatsoever.
It's a real football ground, not one of those ten a penny, arrive on the back of a lorry and bolt together flat pack grandstand type nouveau grounds. And whatever anybody says about Gresley FC's locality, apparently intimidating supporters and 'not conventionally beautiful' ground, tucked away in a corner on the narrowest one way system in the known universe, I've always enjoyed visiting the place.
Anybody that thinks Gresley is a rough and scary enclave, must have had a very sad and sheltered upbringing.
Anyway, match details and some observational stuff to follow ASAP ... I'm off out now to watch the Lego Movie with my favourite ten year old and one of us is bouncing off the walls with excitement. 
But, I'm hoping she'll be able calm me down before we get to the cinema.
I ducked and it missed me, but only just!


Sloping pitch, & staggered roofline, aesthetically and architecturally grand.


"That's going over"

"Bugger ... it wasn't!"

Wednesday 19 February 2014

AFC Mansfield 5 v Brodsworth Welfare 0 - CMFL North

Wednesday 19th February 2014
at Forest Town Stadium (AKA the Clod)
CMFL (North)
AFC Mansfield (3) 5
Darren Bettison 5. Phil Buxton 13.
Dean Rick 16, Danny Tighe 81,
James McCann 84
Brodsworth Welfare (0) 0
Admission £3, Programme £1.50, Attendance 64
CMFL North table inc. tonight's result
Home:
Dale Sheppard, Steve McGurk, Danny Tighe, Matt Draper (C), Sam Holmes, Darren Bettison, Phil Buxton, Joe Naylor, Dean Rick, Danny Wiltshire, James McCann
Subs - Chris Timons, Joe Meehan, Brad Wilson, Tom Clarke, Ryan Fletcher
Visitors:
Dom Senior, Andrew Abbott, Theo Mowatt, Ben Hodgson, Jake Starbuck (C), Steve Knifton, Tom Bentham, Josh Dodd, Joe Fisher, James Irwin, Luke Kelly
Subs - Tom Semley, Scott Exley 
Well, I think it is safe to say, that both Harworth and Thorne can wave goodbye to any lingering outside hopes of gatecrashing the top two in the CMFL North, after tonight's straight forward home win for AFC Mansfield.
Mathematical possibilities and feasible outcomes are rarely the same thing.
Brodsworth were always going to be up against it when player unavailability meant that they would have to field four inexperienced 17 year olds tonight. And their assistant manager James Irwin was also in the starting line-up too. Though to be fair to James he did alright on the night.
AFC Mansfield on the other hand, had a strong squad to choose from, including debutant Daz Bettison.
And they'll have even more firepower at their disposal after the weekend when Carl Haslam returns to the Bulls fold.
The home side were in front after just five minutes, when Bettison struck the ball home through a crowded goalmouth past the unsighted Dom Senior.
Carlsberg don't make debut games, but if they did ...
Broddy were already looking at a damage limitation job, when Phil Buxton made it 2-0 with a 25 yard shot that went in off of the inside of the right hand post in the thirteenth minute and Dean Rick scored the Bulls third with a quality strike from just inside the box shortly afterwards.
'Brodsworth ... A Touch of Beauty'
Though the omens looked ominous for Broddy, to their credit they tried to close their ranks and keep the home side at bay as much as possible, though Dale Sheppard, the AFC Mansfield goalkeeper, probably won't have needed to have had his kit washed tonight.
But it wasn't until inside the final ten minutes that the home side finally scored again, though Dean Rick (twice) and Danny Wiltshire must both have been wondering how they hadn't added to the Bulls goal tally before then.
A deflected Danny Tighe free kick on 81 minutes made it 4-0 and two minutes later Dom Senior was a bit unlucky, that when he saved a close range effort from Dean Rick, James McCann was on hand close by to knock home the  home sides fifth.
Although 64 would be an excellent attendance for any other CMFL club, I was expecting there to be more here tonight, given that AFC Mansfield are now within sight of the promotion finishing line now and the weather was quite mild for a change.
I don't think that even the staunchest Brodsworth optimist could argue with the fact that the outcome reflected the 90 minutes as a whole.
In fact, somebody from the Woodlands (the north Doncaster home of Broddy FC), who shall remain nameless, said to me after the game (in jest obviously) "No complaints, we're happy enough to have kept 'em down to five".

Tuesday 18 February 2014

Retford United 0 v Rainworth Miners Welfare 4 - Notts Senior Cup SF

Sponsors
Tuesday 18th February
At Jones & Co. Solicitors Stadium/Cannon Park
Notts Senior Cup, Semi Final
Retford United (0) 0
Rainworth Miners Welfare (2) 4
Jack Hawkins 25
Jamie Clarke 40, 57
Ashley Longstaff 58
Admission £5, Programme £1.50, Attendance 96
Ultras
Retford United:
Barford, Cooper (Hadley 57), Severn, Walkden, Sanderson (Mullen 57), Smith, O'Neill, Johnson, Medcalf (Cross 57), Stannard, Thompson.
Unused Subs: Muirhead, Holdsworth
Rainworth Miners Welfare:
Martin, Gregory (Rogers 73), Dudley, Lloyd, Varley, Eldridge, Rickards, Bowles, Longstaff (Forbes-Swindells 79), Hawkins.
Unused Sub: Saunders
Hardcore
And so Rainworth are through to this season's Notts Senior Cup final, where they will face the winners of the other semi final, between Carlton Town and Basford United, at a venue that, as of yet, hasn't been decided upon.
Retford had the better of the earlier exchanges and ought to have done more with several chances, but the Wrens keeper James Martin kept United's forwards well marshalled, with saves from Richard Medcalf, Reece Thompson and Andy Walkden, the latter of which was the closest United came to opening the scoring.
Rainworth had reason to feel aggrieved with the referee, Stuart Richardson, when he inadvertently blocked a clearance and set up an attack for the Badgers, from which Reece Thompson almost opened the scoring, but no harm was done.
The visitors had the ball in the back of the net, but the referee had already whistled for a foul on the Badgers keeper Jody Barford.
Jack Hawkins was at the butt end of several Retford supporters jokes, given that he is so small, but the "are you an oompa loompa?", "Don't you be late with my paper in the morning!" and "is that number 11 on your back your age shorty?" type jibes, were silenced, when he opened the scoring on 25 minutes, with an audacious chip from out on the right hand side of the United area, that went in off of the left hand upright. Some might say it was a fluke, but I've seen Jack in action many times for Mansfield Town Under 19s and can assure you all that it certainly wasn't.
He probably possesses more skill and pace than most other players who were out on the pitch tonight and it's highly amusing to see that he's been working on his upper body strength, so he can confound bigger and more physical opposition players who make themselves look daft when they struggle to knock him off his stride with a bit of hands on rough stuff.
Steps
By the end of the game, the jovial taunts had long since ceased, as Hawkins put in a man of the match shift, proving good the old Alan Ball adage, that "if you are good enough, then you are big enough".
Besides, the disgruntled Badgers fans, management and chairman, had another target to aim their vocal barbs at, long before the full time whistle went, namely Mr Richardson, the match referee.
But, in light of how many people seem to be accusing him of all manner of things, it needs to be asked; exactly how much was the referee to blame for Retford's defeat ... and more to the point how much where they actually responsible for their own downfall?
At 1-0, inside the last five minutes of the first half, there was very little to choose between the two sides.
It was still very much a case of 'game on', with everything to play for, but a rush of blood to the head by James O'Neill, threw a spanner in the works for his side, as they looked to get back on level terms before the interval.
His two footed tackle in the middle of the park, straight after he'd just bundled Jack Hawkins to the ground, merited a straight red card and that is exactly the punishment that the Retford skipper got for his recklessness.
Rainworth's Ashley Longstaff (a former Retford United player as it happens) was booked for retaliating to the foul, but having received a caution, he then followed O'Neill as he left the field of play and continued to take issue with him.
Hmm, one player deserved to walk, there is no question about that. But, if retaliation is a  straight red card offence in itself, then Longstaff can consider himself very fortunate that the game hadn't just become a ten aside encounter.
Scrap!
To my way of thinking, you don't repeat an offence you've already been booked for just moments before, without running an extremely high risk of getting your punishment doubled.
Retford's bench were incensed that Longstaff was still on the pitch and their mood wasn't helped when the visitors attacked straight from the restart and Jamie Clarke scored a second goal for Rainworth, after Regan Edridge had headed Scott Rickards hopeful punt into the box right into his path.
The ref came in for a lot of abuse as the teams left the field at half time, but though the red card had changed the course of the game, and if truth be told, probably ruined it as a spectacle now too, it wasn't the match official who'd gone in two footed and left his team a man down as a consequence, it was their own captain.
HT - Badgers 0 v Wrens 2
Left click for enlarged image
The extra man advantage told in the second half and Rainworth enjoyed a lot of possession as Retford struggled to cover their one man shortfall.
The game was effectively over as a contest just before the hour mark.
On 57 minutes, Longstaff's shot from just outside the area beat Barford via a deflection off of Jamie Clarke. The latter was credited with the goal.
"You shouldn't even be on the pitch number nine!" shouted out a disgruntled Badgers supporter as Rainworth celebrated on their way back to the half way line.
Within a minute, Scott Rickards picked Longstaff out with a defence splitting pass, Andy Walkden struggled to get his challenge in and Rainworth's "number nine" broke free and rolled the ball past Barford as he ran from his goal line to narrow the angle.
Longstaff looked straight at the spectator who'd just been bad mouthing him and gave him a thumbs up gesture.
Graeme Severn came close to pulling a goal back for the Badgers, but he put the ball over the bar from close range.
Right in front of the home sides dugout, several players were involved in a bit of a scrummage for possession, and as the ball broke loose and Rainworth advanced forward, Severn caught a stray arm across his face and went to ground.
The referee waved play on and didn't stop the game until the ball was put out of play so the Badgers defender could receive treatment.
If Mr Richardson wasn't already public enemy number one, in the eyes of a vociferous cluster of Retford United supporters and club officials stood near the dug outs, he was now.
It was the referee's call to determine whether he thought the knock in the face constituted a head injury or not and he was closer to the incident than any of the people who were now hurling abuse at him.
But personally, I would have thought that it would have been prudent to stop the game at this point anyway, or at least check with the player that he was OK before allowing play to carry on, because at 4-0 a stoppage would hardly have had any influence on the final outcome of the game now.
That is not a criticism of the referee, I hasten to add, because I don't actually subscribe to the theory that he was the actual villain of the piece (or peace) tonight.
It transpired that Severn had a bloody nose, very painful, but thankfully nothing more serious.
As the game ebbed away towards its inevitable conclusion, it must've been as painful as a smack in the nose to watch for the Retford supporters.
Rainworth enjoyed a spell where they virtually practised keeping possession in and around the final third and United were having a frustrating time of it and were struggling to make any kind of impression on the game now.
Both sets of supporters were happy to hear the final whistle, as the visitors rejoiced and the Badgers fans were grateful to have been put out of their misery.
FT - Retford United 0 v Rainworth Miners Welfare 4
In closing, a quick plug for a Race Night that is being held on 14th March 2014, at the Elms Hotel on London Road in Retford, by the Retford United Supporters Club, to raise funds for RUFC.
It's a Friday night, I know you're not doing anything special, so get yourselves along.

Sunday 16 February 2014

Sheffield United 3 v Nottingham Forest 1 - FA Cup 5th Round

Sunday 16th February 2014
at Bramall Lane, Sheffield S2 4SU
FA Cup 5th Round
Sheffield United (0) 3
Conor Coady 66
Chris Porter 90, 90+
Nottingham Forest (1) 1
Jamie Paterson 28
Admission £15, Programme £3
Attendance 25,118
I was meant to be at the Blades home game in the previous round, a 1-1 draw v Fulham, but despite having a match ticket in my pocket and actually being in the vicinity of Sheffield 2 that afternoon, the nearest I actually got to the game was listening to the 'unrivalled match day coverage' on BBC Radio Sheffield, as I sat in my car, soaked to the skin, waiting for a roadside recovery service vehicle to turn up.
I suppose I should be grateful that I took the precaution of investing in a breakdown cover policy, or the day could've been even worse and a lot more expensive than it actually was.
Surprisingly, given that I frequent Bramall Lane fairly regularly when the teams I'm affiliated to aren't playing, this is only the second Sheffield United game I've seen this season and the previous occasion was only a friendly at Alfreton Town.
Of course, I saw Forest in the previous round, when they played out 0-0 stalemate v Preston North End at the City Ground, which wasn't exactly one of the most entertaining games I've ever been to, if truth be told.
Both of today's teams won their respective replays away from home, to set up this mouthwatering 5th round tie, with the Blades grabbing a dramatic winner in the last minute of extra time at Craven Cottage, to see off their Premier League opponents 1-0, while Forest beat League 1 PNE, 2-0 at Deepdale, the following night.
Both sides beat Premier League sides in the third round, where the Blades triumphed 2-1 over Aston Villa at Villa Park, while an out of sorts West Ham United were drubbed 5-0 at the City Ground, a result for which Forest possibly didn't get the credit they deserved, because the Hammers played an allegedly under strength side that afternoon, which 'only' cost approximately 500% more than the full strength one that Billy Davies fielded.
I was at the Forest v Hammers game too (a detour on my way home from Exeter City and Mansfield Town the previous afternoon) and serious allegations have been made about me by a work colleague, that I am developing a fondness for 'the Tricky Trees' of late.
You what!? Not effing likely!
The scene is set then ... and it was a fairly muddy scene in places too.
Sheffield United:
Howard; Brayford, Maguire, Collins, Harris (Hill 90); Flynn, Doyle, Coady (McGinn 90), Murphy; Scougall, Baxter (Porter 87).
Unused Subs - Miller, McGinn, Long, Kennedy, De Girolamo.
Nottingham Forest:
De Vries; Halford, Lascelles, Collins, Fox; Jara; Majewski (Abdoun 77), Reid, Paterson, Henderson (Djebbour 70), Cox (Mackie 68).
Unused Subs - Darlow, Harding, Greening, Derbyshire.
Prior to kick off, there was an immaculately observed and respected one minute silence held as a tribute to Sir Tom Finney, one of the greatest players in English football history, who has sadly passed away on Friday, at the age of 91 years old.
Nigel Clough's side adopted a good old fashioned 4-4-2 system this afternoon, while his foe Billy Davies, went for a more convoluted  4-1-2-1-2 approach.
It would be fair to say that football is, in essence, a simple game ... and traditional values, overcame the complexities and complicated structure of Forest's game plan.
No nonsense determination and perseverance won the day for the Blades, in this pulsating cup tie, which could've gone either way right up until the last minute.
Two penalty calls, one in each half, both in front of United's Shoreham Street Kop, had a massive bearing on the final outcome, but after controlling much of the first half and having taken a single goal lead in with them at the break, the wheels came off for Forest after the interval and the home side never looked back once Conor Coady capitalised on an error by the visitors keeper Dorus de Vries on 66 minutes, to level the score.
Harry Maquire tangled with Simon Cox in front of the Kop and the latter went to ground, after what looked suspiciously to me, like a push in the back. A stonewall penalty for Forest from where I was stood (nobody was actually sitting in Block H of the GAC South stand), but the referee, Michael Oliver, was obviously closer than me to the incident and had a much better view and grasp of the rules than me, so the game carried on and Maquire escaped punishment. To be honest, I wasn't unduly upset that the Blades had got away the blatant infringement ... and after all is said and done, I'm sure these things balance themselves out over the course of a season.
Former Blades player Andy Reid was instrumental in Forest taking control of the battle for midfield, which effectively dictated the pattern of the first half and it wasn't really a surprise that it was Reid who set up the chance that the visitors to took the lead from on 28 minutes, when he whipped an inviting cross into United's penalty area that Jamie Paterson nodded home past Mark Howard with a well directed glancing header.
But with half time approaching, Nigel Clough's side were keeping the Forest advantage down to just that single goal, as the former Forest player plotted how he intended to turn things around in the second half.
Half time
Elsewhere, as the interval approached, the draw for the next round of the FA Cup was being made and news started to filter through that the winners of this game, had been given a home game against the winners of Sheffield Wednesday and Charlton Athletic.
The teams left the field at half time, to the vocal strains of "Nigel, what's the score!?", aimed at the Blades manager by 6,000 away fans packed into the Jessica Ennis Stand (AKA Bramall Lane End), as word spread that a second half comeback, could potentially set up a Steel City derby at the Lane, if the Owls manage to overcome Charlton, in their rearranged game that was called off yesterday, due to Hillsborough having a waterlogged pitch.
HT - Blades 0 v Forest 1
Billy Davies's side squeezed United back into their own last third at the beginning of the second half and only a couple of excellent saves from Howard, kept Paterson and Cox at bay.
But then the tide turned and in front of a vociferous home support, the Blades started to cut through the Forest midfield and make some decent forward runs of their own.
John Brayford crossed from the right hand side of the area, Dorus de Vries made a real mess of dealing with the situation and spilled the ball to Conor Coady who took the ball around the grounded keeper and rolled it into the empty net, while a covering defender tumbled over de Vries to add a touch of comedy to the proceedings.
We decided that if this game ended in a draw, we were definitely going to the replay, because, this is the kind of occasion that the FA Cup is all about.
A bare knuckle scrap, on a glue pot pitch, in front of two partisan and noisy sets of supporters.
The ground was literally rocking ... if you could bottle this kind of atmosphere it would be a priceless commodity.
With three minutes to go, the Blades number 9 Chris Porter entered the fray from on the bench.
Evidently, Nigel Clough had decided that his team's best chance of progressing in the cup was here and now, rather than  taking their chances in a replay at the City Ground in a fortnight.
What a last throw of the dice Porter turned out to be.
Jamie Murphy broke into the Forest area and squared the ball across the face of goal, where it came off of Greg Halford's arm as the former Blades player attempted to block the cross.
This time Michael Oliver pointed to the penalty spot without hesitation.
Porter stepped up and with just stoppage time remaining, put United ahead for the first time in the game from the spot, with his first touch of the ball..
Cue noise and pandemonium all around me.
Forest surrendered possession cheaply from the restart and the Blades swarmed forward again and unbelievably, in an instant, Porter was on the scoresheet again, for the second time in a minute, when Jamie Murphy surged into the box to the left hand byeline and squared the ball to where the Blades 'super sub' was on hand to prod it over the line with his outstretched leg.
There was no way back for Nottingham Forest now and their army of supporters started to swarm out of the ground.
Unable to contain their joy, a large number of Blades fans swarmed onto the pitch to celebrate what will no doubt go down in Bramall Lane folklore as a famous victory.
It was now the turn of United's fans to chant "Nigel what's the score!?"
FT - Sheffield United 3 v Nottingham Forest 1
Full time
United are having a torrid season in Division 1, where they are deeply embroiled in a dogfight against relegation, while Forest are challenging for promotion to the Premier League at the business end of the Championship.
Nigel Clough said after the game, that the result of his sides away game at Gillingham this coming Wednesday night, was more important to him than this cup win ... and once the dust has settled, he is 100% right, of course.
But that isn't going to stop hordes of Blades fans from going out for a monumental celebration tonight.
It's up to Wednesday now, to step up to the mark and get past Charlton Athletic to set up a Steel City quarter final.
The FA Cup is apparently a diminished competition, that nobody takes seriously any more, but to me, it always was and always will be, the best cup competition in the world.
Today went a long way towards affirming that view.