FLASHBACK: JAMIE VARDY PLAYS @ RETFORD in 2008... Match report by The Mowdog...

Godber Swerves and Badgers Loosen Earth Under Steels

Retford United 2 Stocksbridge Park Steels 1

A late Godber strike, just as 5 minutes of injury/irritation time was about to begin gave Retford an unlikely victory over a strong Steels outfit, which failed to build on an early strike by skipper Lovell. Indeed, the visitors were poor on offense after the break and although Retford struggled to impress, two goals overhauled the bending Steels in a tetchy match of unpleasant fouls, rather inconsistent refereeing and the sheer anguish on the Steels’ bench.

Simpkins was relieved to concede a corner on the Steels’ left flank in the opening seconds, after the pacy Vardy had troubled Staley with a strong sortie. The flag-kick was cleared but only to the left again and another centre was headed back towards Vardy, his back to the middle of the goal; the forward laid the ball to his right and Lovell slammed a close range effort under ‘keeper Turner from 5 yards or so. A good start for Stocksbridge and Retford found the early going tough against a lively Steels midfield, the heading of Ring and the grafting speed of Vardy. Hindley did manage to test goalie Radcliffe with a 25 yard free-kick for Retford but the hosts were off colour and even their band was off the beat.

Ring headed on for a Steels break and Telling and Hirst exchanged passes to win another corner, which was unproductive. White fed Hindley for Retford but Radcliffe held the subsequent low drive easily and the Steels defenders were dealing with the bulk and threat of Godber with little difficulty. Telling, who was making a telling contribution in midfield, no, honestly, he was, lashed a drive well wide before Vardy’s left-wing lob was headed downwards, from close range by Simpkins, forcing Turner to fall and save to his left! Godber totally miskicked the insipid Owens’ low right-wing centre and spun like a shot-putter, as Fisher fell and the Steels cleared the danger.

Staley was having a tough time against the keen athleticism of Vardy but it was Telling who was fouled in an ugly manner by the energetic, if ferocious Staton, earning the Retford man a caution. Hindley was then fouled by Lovell but fired the free-kick too high and Fisher struck a wayward volley, after a little pressure by the Badgers. Whittington, again struggling to make an impact, charged down Radcliffe’s fly-kick but the Steels survived and Godber finally succeeded in getting in a shot, which was weak, following a pass by Whittington. Hindley broke into the left side of the penalty-box but saw his shot deflected wide of the near upright by the busy Ashley and following a dodgy punch by Radcliffe, Fisher’s drive was blocked by the massed Steels’ defence.

The game had been untidy until this point with the only real passing ability emanating from the visitors and they should have taken a two-nil lead late in the opening half when Lovell moved forward, laid the ball right to Vardy but with only the goalie to beat, the striker dragged a terrible attempt past the far upright from 15 yards. Stratford was cautioned for hand-ball on half-time before Staton’s shot was easily held by a reaching Radcliffe and Staley was booked for an unsurprising foul on the elusive Vardy. That summed up the half; untidy, niggling, lacking quality, except for the few decent breaks made by the Steels and the visitors probably deserved the lead. 

The ‘crowd’ of 255, exceeding the 95 hardy souls who watched Retford’s FA Cup replay at Willenhall, a few days previous to this rough and tumble league encounter, saw Ford replace the totally ineffective Owens for the Badgers at the break and it was the substitute who fastened onto an early poor clearance by Stocksbridge but struck a dreadful 15 yarder, well wide of an open goal. An equaliser was always possible and it was Ford who scored it, rising well in front of the hesitant Radcliffe, unchallenged, to head Hindley’s inswinging left-footer from the right flank down into the far corner of the Steels’ net. Godber had sprayed a neat pass out to Hindley to set up the accurate delivery. 

After several neat passes, a suddenly dominant Retford provided a chance for Whittington but his effort rose too high. Godber challenged Radcliffe on the left bye-line and although it seemed innocuous enough, the ‘keeper stayed down, Godber was cautioned and there was a break in play, soon to be followed by another lengthy delay, as the tiresome, inadequate but inoffensive referee sorted out a melee in front of the already volatile Stocksbridge bench, following a bad lunge by Ford on Duncan Richards.

The official cautioned neither player, surprisingly, considering the litter of bookings already noted. Chambers, battling gamely at the back for Retford, had just headed a dangerous centre from Vardy clear, after the striker had easily beaten White on the Steels’ right flank but Radcliffe was limping heavily and was duly replaced by reserve ‘keeper Hewitt, who began shakily, especially when a couple of centres saw him panicking and clutching thin air. Hindley did manage a weak header wide of the far post from Staley’s right-wing centre and when Sidebottom replaced the tireless Ring, it was plain that the Steels would do well to hang onto a point, although the hosts were not playing with any guile at all.

Fisher’s half-volley struck the head of Schofield, who had impressed, thus far and Hindley’s next delivery led to a corner with Hewitt flapping under stress. Chappell replaced Hindley for the Badgers but the substitute wasted a fine opportunity when he blasted too high from a promising position, following the compact Simpkins’ free-kick and in a scrambling finale to the game, Lovell was booked for a typical shovelling foul on Godber, who no doubt relished the restful dumping on the turf and more substitutions were made. Bray replaced Whittington for the Badgers and Adams was thrown on to bolster the Steels’ midfield, in place of Duncan Richards but Bray nearly settled the issue when White’s chip led to ‘keeper Hewitt smothering at the striker’s feet, near a post. When it seemed that a draw was beckoning, Godber broke clear to win the game for Badgers. Bray picked up a Retford clearance to feed the rotund one, who turned and I believe, shaped to feed a colleague on the right but the two covering defenders, Schofield and Stratford, became entangled with Godber, who retained possession, closing in on the penalty-box; he managed to curl a low drive from 17 yards past the despairing left hand of the diving Hewitt and just inside the upright. Bray chipped just over the ‘keeper’s right angle, following the enigmatic Fisher’s head-on and as the game ended, the Badgers’ midfielder was cautioned for a trip on Sidebottom.

The Badgers had ground out the victory but it was disappointing just how badly the visitors had faded after the break. The referee’s inconsistencies and irrationalities had certainly wound up the Steels’ bench but the players had failed to respond, allowing Retford to strangle the match and bulldoze a useful victory. Chambers was solid for the hosts but with Staton stalking midfield like a starved terrier dog, Stocksbridge’s earlier ascendancy waned to abject mediocrity and Godber saved the best until last…