Hucknall Town 0 - 1 Retford United - FA Cup Preliminary Round

After weeks of promising Steve Peat I`d get over to see how things are taking shape at the new look Hucknall Town this fixture was the one to lure me over to Watnall Road given the intrigue of the fixture.

After steering Retford United to the top of the Ncel Prem last season, Brett Marshall, who had already made his decision to leave the club prior to the end of last season now finds himself (and the bulk of the players) at Hucknall Town competing in the Evo-Stik Division 1 South.

"Aye, aye" must have gone through many minds involved with both clubs as the draw for the Preliminary Round of the FA Cup unfolded, "Irony or just Fate"!!

Despite the fact they not only lost their manager and virtually all of the squad Retford have started the new campaign has they finished the last..in good form, winning three out of their first four games.

'The Yellows' on the other hand have had a mixed start to their season having had a draw away at Newcastle Town last Saturday and suffered a 1-3 defeat at the hands of Kings Lynn on Tuesday night.

Dudsey drops onto the M1 at Junction 29 as he`s promised to drop Mrs H off on the Giltbrook Retail Park en-route, the sky`s looking seriously black ahead and within a couple of miles it starts, raindrops the size of  golf balls and minutes later it blazing hot sunshine but that was just the start of it for an afternoon of weather which begged belief.

Starting the game in bright sunshine, Retford take the kick-off and look to the wings to make a way into Hucknall`s half, within minutes it`s easy to see they play a decent game and use every available inch of the pitch.

Hucknall look for a quick start to the game

Karl Slack and Julian Topliss who both had goals in abundance last season at their respective clubs are eager to press the visitors but 'The Badgers' back four are well composed and look hard to breech despite a few quick attempts to catch them on the break.

Retford`s No 10...Kyle Hadley looks particularly useful on the right-wing and penetrates deep down the bye-line and is a beautiful crosser of the ball. Hucknall try to open up the game a bit, but the battle of the mid-field is being won by the lads in stripes with Adam Scott and Danny Frost also creating problems with some good link-play.

Slowly but surely the visitors are taking control of the game, Hadley`s inch perfect crosses are becoming a real problem and are being very well received by Retford`s No 5 (Rob Sanderson) who is winning every header in the box.

Another high ball in the box for Hucknall to deal with.

The game is still in the balance and although Retford have the upper hand it still remains evenly poised as to where the first goal will come from, young Jamie Brown is looking a threat down the left hand side for Hucknall but it`s not falling right in the final quarter.

'The Yellows' skipper Rob Austin looks very able in doing the cleaning up in the area although when Rob Paling makes one of his attacking foray`s down the left in his wing-back role the void he creates sometimes seems to be overlooked leaving a gap for Hadley to exploit.

Jamie Brown looks to tee-up Slack

The rumble of the thunder had been echoing in the distance for a while and on the half hour it was well and truly above us, and boy did it come, an absolute deluge and although the feeling in the stand was one that the Ref wouldn`t allow play to continue for much longer...he was having none of it and the game continued in truly abysmal conditions....Thunder, lightening, Rain, Hail.. "you name it we were getting it".

"Sooner you than me Chaps"

Top marks to both sets of players for keeping the momentum going but understandably it`s becoming increasingly harder to maintain possession and gauge a decent pass whilst it`s so tricky underfoot although there are some lovely slide tackles being made.

Even in a spell where the conditions left little to be desired the visitors where still sharper on the ball and looked more adept at picking up any loose balls.

Fortunately the weather does ease off and play starts begins to flow again, Retford still have the slight edge and now look favourites to sneak the first goal and look to have got the break they deserve as Danny Frost finds himself in on goal as he charges in from the right in the last minute of the half but Jason Fisher makes himself big enough to thwart the shot from the pacey No11. All square at half-time.

Danny Frost (11) put Fisher to the test.

I`m sure Hucknall`s half time team talk would have been a little more direct than the one in the visitors changing room as they certainly haven`t imposed so much of a threat as inspected in the opening half.

Irrespective of what had been said 'The Badgers' look the brighter of the two sides once again immediately after the interval and Rob Sanderson`s dominance in the box was to bear fruit on this occasion.as he rose high against the opposition again and nodded the ball beyond Fisher within ten minutes of the re-start.

Sanderson, Cooper and Co celebrate Retford`s goal

The goal seemed to give Hucknall the kick up the arse they needed and immediately their game starts to gain some momentum, Chris Baugh was doing some sterling work down the right as a series of balls into the box have the visitors on the back foot for the first time in the game.

It`s starting to look as though an equaliser is on the cards as the corner count has now turned full circle and it`s Retford who have to turn their attentions to defending, penned in their own box with Kyle Ludlow just off the centre line picking up any clearances and duly returning them accurately deep back into Retford`s eighteen yard box but the visitors are holding on and manage to keep it clean.

Retford`s turn to 'dig in deep'

An innocuous challenge in the centre circle which for me was just one of those challenges brought about by the conditions didn`t go down to well with some of the Hucknall players, none more-so than Karl Slack (who wasn`t actually involved in the incident) sparking a mass breakout of handbags, luckily for Slack today`s Referee, Richard Woodward only deemed it worthy of a yellow card..Lucky Lad!!

Unfortunately for Hucknall not only did Slack`s actions bring the game to a halt it also brought his sides spell of dominance to an end as the stoppage completely killed any momentum they had enjoyed for the last ten minutes.

Handbags!!

The obligatory series of changes takes place... the very industious pairing of Hadley and Frost are withdrawn for 'The Badgers' being replaced by Tom Dorgan and Scott Bibby whilst Paling and Brown are replaced by Theo Ganderson and Danny Blair.

Even without Hadley and Frosts presence it`s Retford who are looking the better of the two sides once again and with the wind behind their sails once again they took the game into their own hands and pressed on once again.

Gavin Cooper is now spear-heading the advances and on any other day he would have probably doubled the visitors tally as he put Hucknall`s defence and Fisher to the test right up until the final whistle.

Cooper puts Fisher to the test in the closing moments

The game finishes with a brief spell of open play as the Referee indicates five minutes of extra time but Hucknall are out of steam and more-so ideas leaving Retford  to take the £1750 prize money back to Cannon Park.

A really good game of football in far from ideal conditions but non-the-less very entertaining. Retford look a very good side and will in my opinion be there or there-abouts at the sharp end of the Ncel Prem table again this season. They came with a point to prove today for the club and fans alike and perhaps..just perhaps the lads in stripes wanted it that little bit more today.

Attendance - 220

Teams - Hucknall - Fisher, Baugh, Paling , Hayes, Austin, Carty, Wilby, Ludlow, Topliss, Slack, Brown. Subs: Blair, Leggitt, Watson, Slawson, Ganderson.

Retford - Ward, Nesbitt, Severn, Walkden, Sanderson, Smith, Stannard, Cooper, Scott, Hadley, Frost. Subs: Bibby, Dorgan, O'Neill, Slack, Phillips, Aspinall, Howard (GK).

Click here for match pictures.

Last but by no means least, a big Thank-you to Derek, Steve, Ivan and Brian for the kind hospitality they gave me today.... Nice to see you all again.