Retford F.C - Match centre

Retford FC
Dronfield Town
J Street (53' Sent Off), S Evans-Booth (72', 84'), J Johnson (78', 94')
Full time
ti 20 elo 19:45 - Toolstation Northern Counties East League - Division 1 Attendance 152

Match Report - Retford F.C. 4-4 Dronfield Town

By

Unbelievable scenes at The Rail as Choughs come from four down, with ten men, to snatch late equaliser.

Tuesday 20th August 2019
NCEL Division One
The Rail, Retford
Retford F.C. 4-4 Dronfield Town
Report by Rich Williams

There used to be a game that started with the words ‘Never have I ever’ and tonight was one of those moments. Never have I ever been part of a game where I have experienced the emotional rollercoaster which saw Retford remain unbeaten since January 5th.

January the 5th saw Retford’s only league defeat since August 2018, this set of lads know how to win. From that 0-3 defeat to Collingham the Choughs have won 14 straight league games which saw them to last season’s title and the top of the NCEL Division One at the start of this season. It was a record which everyone assumed was coming to an end as The Choughs trailed 4-0 at the break having being completely outplayed in the first half.

Retford FC 4-4 Dronfield Town : 200819
112 photos

In the only change from the first three games Joe Knowles replaced Toby Rutherford at right back, however for the first 35 minutes Retford looked like a side that had never played together before as mistake after mistake was punished by their rampant visitors.

Josh Street had the best chance of the opening exchanges as he turned his man before firing across Lewis Naylor’s goal.

From then on Dronfield were dominant for the remainder of the first half and in a horrendous spell of twenty-two minutes for the hosts it looked like they were going to slip to a first competitive defeat in eight months.

Firstly, the usually reliable Jon Kennedy spilled a centre from Sam Bebbington and Dronfield captain Stuart Hill poked the ball over the line. Five minutes later, Bebbington turned from provider to scorer as he headed home a pinpoint cross from Danny Wood.

It was 3-0 to the visitors after just 22 minutes when Ethan Flower curled a free-kick inside Kennedy’s near post. Kennedy getting hands to the effort but being unable to keep it out. 4-0 followed just after the half hour as Billy Wright’s deep cross was met by right back Bebbington to head home his second of the game and leave Retford stunned.

Adam Scott served ten minutes in the sin bin as frustration grew and the only signs of life the Choughs showed were in winning a corner in the last minute of the half which Tom Burgin headed into the side netting.

The second half brought one of the greatest turnarounds ever witnessed in the game. All hope seemed to fade just eight minutes into the second half as Josh Street saw red for a nasty challenge on Flower at a time when Goddard was in the sin bin reducing Retford to nine men. However, this along with the introduction of Tom Gilmore galvanised the hosts who never gave up and the improbable happened.

With eighteen minutes remaining Retford trailed 4-0 when Shay Evans-Booth curled a free-kick round the wall from 20 yards out, beating Naylor low to his left. Most thought consolation for the ten men, but six minutes after the first Will Tomlinson chested the ball into the path of Jack Johnson who rammed the ball past Naylor at his near post to half the arrears.

Six minutes of normal time remained when Tomlinson was hauled down on the edge of the area and Evans-Booth stepped up again, this time smashing the ball over the wall into the top corner and the deficit was just one. Cue delirium four minutes into stoppage time as Dronfield failed to clear their lines and Johnson got enough on the ball to guide it past Naylor and send the crowd of 152 home thoroughly entertained and having conversations about how they couldn’t believe what they had just seen. The Choughs have ten points from the opening twelve in the league this season with Parkgate next on the horizon.

Retford F.C. - Jon Kennedy (c), Joe Knowles, Haydn Goddard (Paul Middleton, 72), Graeme Severn, Will Tomlinson, Tom Burgin, Adam Scott (Tom Gilmore, 63), Oli Bilham, Shay Evans-Booth, Josh Street , Jack Johnson.

Unused Subs - Nath Reah, Toby Rutherford, Dec Heath.

Dronfield Town - Lewis Naylor, Sam Bebbington, Billy Wright (Aaran Bovill, 45), Ash Rawson, Alex Pugh, Stuart Hill (c), Ethan Flower, Lawrie Wilson (Charlie Stewart, 64), Blake Owen , Danny Wood, Matty Ord (Alex Mosley, 69).

Unused Subs - Richard Mintoft, Nick Siddons

Tom Gilmore

Star Player

Tom Gilmore

Key moments

53:00
Red Card Josh Street is sent off for Retford FC
72:00
Goal Shay Evans-Booth scores for Retford FC
78:00
Goal Jack Johnson scores for Retford FC
84:00
Goal Shay Evans-Booth scores for Retford FC
90:00 +4:00
Goal Jack Johnson scores for Retford FC

Videos and photos

Retford FC 4-4 Dronfield Town : 200819
112 photos

Highlights

View 0 new events
90:00 +4:00 Goal 4 - 0
Jack Johnson scores for Retford FC
90:00 Star Player
Tom Gilmore is awarded star player for Retford FC
84:00 Goal 3 - 0
Shay Evans-Booth scores for Retford FC
78:00 Goal 2 - 0
Jack Johnson scores for Retford FC
72:00 Goal 1 - 0
Shay Evans-Booth scores for Retford FC
72:00 Sub On
Paul Middleton is substituted on for Retford FC
72:00 Sub Off
Haydn Goddard is substituted off for Retford FC
63:00 Sub On
Tom Gilmore is substituted on for Retford FC
63:00 Sub Off
Adam Scott is substituted off for Retford FC
53:00 Red Card 0 - 0
Josh Street is sent off for Retford FC
50:00 Yellow Card
Haydn Goddard is yellow carded for Retford FC
End of period 1
43:00 Yellow Card
Graeme Severn is yellow carded for Retford FC
33:00 Yellow Card
Adam Scott is yellow carded for Retford FC
Start of the game
Replay game

As it happened

  • Retford FC
  • Dronfield Town
  • 0
  • Adam Scott Yellow Card 33:00'
  • Graeme Severn Yellow Card 43:00'
  • Haydn Goddard Yellow Card 50:00'
  • Josh Street Red Card 53:00'
  • Tom Gilmore Sub On 63:00'
  • Adam Scott Sub Off 63:00'
  • Shay Evans-Booth Goal 72:00'
  • Paul Middleton Sub On 72:00'
  • Haydn Goddard Sub Off 72:00'
  • Jack Johnson Goal 78:00'
  • Shay Evans-Booth Goal 84:00'
  • Jack Johnson Goal 90:00 +4:00'

Team selection

Kennedy, Jon Kennedy, Jon
Knowles, Joe Knowles, Joe
Goddard, Haydn Goddard, Haydn
Burgin, Thomas Burgin, Thomas
Severn, Graeme Severn, Graeme
Street, Josh Street, Josh
Scott, Adam Scott, Adam
Bilham, Oliver Bilham, Oliver
Johnson, Jack Johnson, Jack
Evans-Booth, Shay Evans-Booth, Shay
Tomlinson, Will Tomlinson, Will
Retford FC

League round up

Other Division 1 results

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League table

# Team Pl Pts
1. Skegness Town 26 56
2. Winterton Rangers 26 56
3. North Ferriby 24 49
4. Campion 24 48
5. Selby Town 22 47
6. Retford FC 27 44
7. Glasshoughton Welfare 25 40

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