Retford FC 0-3 Parkgate
In truth this this was my third game of the season having
taken in Gainsborough v Lincoln and Kirkton Brickworks v Ashland Rovers
reserves over the past couple of weeks, however I wanted to start this year’s
blog when the real action started and with today’s game being on the opening
weekend of the NCEL season it felt like the right time to start blogging. I
managed to keep the blog up to date last season until lockdown 3 put the brakes
on the 20/21 season so I am relatively confident I will be able to do the same
this season if the COVID situation remains relatively under control (and by
that, I mean not the total chaos it has been in the UK for the past 16 months).
Plus given that my dating life is still a total shitshow I should have plenty
of time to write and hopefully enjoy both life and writing once again.
The weekend has got off to a decent start on Friday. Over
the various lockdowns I have been busy practicing darts ahead of playing for
the White Lion this upcoming season and after a decent showing at an inhouse
knockout Tuesday another win was recorded on Friday evening. This was followed by ordering tickets for the
Imps opening game of the season at the shit tip of Gillingham next weekend.
Since most Imps away games when all ticket ordering the tickets has been my job
for the Retford Imps Cateraday club and one that I am very good at if I do say
so myself. Not only that but given Felice is to computers what Bella my cat is
to speaking Latin it’s a good job that I am. Everybody needs an Adam in their
life.
Whenever I check in on Retford FC’s social media channels
the club is always doing something new be it building up the club’s structure
on the playing side or completing work on the Rail ground itself. Over the long
break the club appear to have added a hospitality area and bar which are most
welcome.
To go along with this
some covered standing has been built along the side of the pitch which has fixed
the grounds only real draw back up until now. I have always had a soft spot for
this ground due to playing a handful of games for the BRSA cricket team 2nd
X1 way back in the early 90’s that played on the pitch behind where the ground
is now. Indeed, one of my favourite memories is as a fresh faced 14-year-old
clean bowling Felice when he was in his mid 20’s with three balls of my left
arm medium pace reverse swing being too much for him. I remember telling the
story of this part of Retford sporting folk law to a girl working in a chip
shop in Colchester before an Imps game a few seasons ago alas it’s hard to see
who was more unimpressed, her or Baz. The Fish and Chips were very nice though.
Today’s entrance fee was £5 with a further quid for the
programme. There has been a lot of chatter about the future of matchday
programmes and if they still have a place in the game these days. In my humble
opinion they absolutely do. If you need any more proof just check out the @NonLgeProgs
account on twitter to see the great range of programmes being produced up and
down the country was clubs at all levels of the pyramid. For the record FC’s
programme was more than adequate for the first game of the season and it goes
without saying you show buy one of you ever visit “The Rail”
The NCEL has always been a tough league and Retford sadly
found that out again going 0-2 down in five minutes. The first being slotting
home by Sam Ackroyd following some poor defending after only a couple of minutes,
a tough start for the hosts that was going to get a tad harder 3 minutes later.
The second Parkgate goal was one of those moments that
happens once in a hundred games or so when the keeper was caught in possession by
Ackroyd closing him down thus losing the ball and allowing the striker to roll
the ball into an empty net. In the modern game lots of teams don’t bother to
chase down so-called lost causes but as Parkgate showed if you do you can reap
the rewards. Now obviously it’s never great news for a team to go 0-2 down
after five minutes but as ever in life it’s how you react to setbacks that
defines you and to their credit Retford did stick their passing style and tried
to get a foothold in the game. Parkgate however are experienced campaigners at
this level and were perfectly happy to let Retford have possession until the
final 3rd then win the ball back and hit them with a digital ball
over the top. This led to Parkgate have the better of the chances to add to
their lead with the one of note crashing down off the inside of the cross bar
but thankfully for the hosts not crossing the line.
Halfway through the 1st half I felt it was a good time to grab a beer in the bar area and have a
quick word with Martin Keeton who has worked tirelessly for FC over the years
and a man that has forgotten more about local football than most people will
ever know, the old chap was in good spirts about the club despite the score and
was (rightly) proud of the progress the club is making both on and off the
pitch. FC continued to plug away but found clear chances hard to come by with
the best chance falling to the impressive Dembele just before halftime when his
curling shot was tipped around the near post by the Parkgate Keeper.
The second half followed much the same pattern as the first
with Retford having more of the ball but not really creating chances of note. It
got worse for the home side on 63 minutes when Bennet was sent off for an off
the ball incident. I must confess I missed it so can add little more to it than
that. Parkgate rounded off an impressive performance on 75 when Ackroyd drilled
a low shot into the far corner to complete the scoring and his hattrick.
It’s obvious to say that this wasn’t the start to the season
that Retford FC wanted but I always try and find positives in life and the big
one for FC was the crowd which looked to me to be well over 200 including local
pub landlord legend Graham Ince amongst many others. On the pitch it was a
rough afternoon, but you must tip your hat to Parkgate who were the better side
on the day and look to be a much-improved side from recent seasons.
In fact, the NCEL Division one looks like being a tasty
league to watch this season with plenty of local interest now that Shirebrook, , Ollerton and others have all joined its ranks. After League One and the Regionalliga
Nordost it could well be the league, I keep an eye on the most. And its one
that you should most definitely to. I always like to follow the Scottish
Premiership but given the results on day one that league could already be over.
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