On Friday we travelled to Station Road, a ground that we have always struggled to pick up points from, we certainly haven’t got all three away at Collingham in the last few years. We have either been beaten or held to a draw. Hopefully we could beat the curse this time out.
The game started with a high tempo, both sides pressing with intensity. The opening goal came early on as the inform full back, Luke Smith played a long ball into the opposition box where Dean Conway was to head it in. Made it look simple! However only two minutes later on the 8th minute Collingham got an equaliser through their number nine after Retford failed to clear the ball from the box. The game felt like a derby game with a lot of fouls being committed. Player’s flying into tackles all over the pitch.
On the 14th minute Conway set up Mark West to put us back in the lead, West can’t stop scoring at the moment! Tom Crosby denied Collingham minutes later as they looked to equalise. The Badgers had many chances to increase their lead before the half time whistle. Conway put a shot just wide, Kane had a shot saved and Collingham had to clear one of the line.
Retford came out the better side in the second half and this was evident when Mark West got his second and the Badgers third on the 57th minute after taking it round the keeper. That was Mark’s 10th of the season in the league! 10 in 6 puts him as the top goalscorer in the Central Midlands along with Newark Town’s Lewis Chambers who also has 10 goals in 6 games. The Badgers continued to attack, Daughtrey and Forster were causing so many problems for the opposition from the wings. In the 79th minute Collingham pulled one back and showed that they were not going to make it easy.
Igor Mlynarski and Matty Templeton came on to reinforce the left hand side. West thought he had his Hat-trick in the 80th minute but it was cruelly ruled offside. Collingham’s number four was given his second yellow a minute later and he took the long walk back to the dressing rooms. Mlynarski made an instant impact as he made two runs in the final few minutes and got his shot off both times. The whistle was blown and finally we have got three points at Station Road! Man of the Match was awarded to Brandon Kane after a superb performance from central midfield.
“Up the Badgers”