RETFORD FC (The Rail Ground)

NORTHERN COUNTIES EAST LEAGUE DIVISION ONE, RETFORD 4-2 HARROGATE RAILWAY ATHLETIC, ATTENDANCE: 132

When the first national lockdown began in March 2020, with all football cancelled or behind closed doors, and not knowing when fans would be able to return to stadiums, I became slightly obsessed with the Futbology app, as a means to reminisce of games gone by and to plot in my head future visits to grounds, if we were ever allowed again.

One of those grounds was The Rail, home of Retford. This weekend I was finally able to get across country and make it to Nottinghamshire. A bonus for me today was that, due to the league restructuring that took place over the summer, this was the final ground I needed to complete visits to all of the grounds of the Northern Counties East League.

Retford were formed as recently as 2015, as a means to give local players a chance to play football. They entered the Central Midlands League that same year and in season 2018/19 they clinched the CML North title and with it promotion to the Northern Counties East League.

They initially groundshared with Retford United before establishing their own home at The Rail. As you could guess from the name, it is adjacent to a railway track (the east coast mainline) but the best view of the ground is from the bridge on Babworth Road.

A view from a bridge!

The game was entertaining, but it was the three penalties awarded by the referee that were the main talking point.

Adam Scott gave Retford the lead after 30 minutes before the first penalty of the afternoon was awarded to Harrogate on the stroke of half time, for a ridiculous handball, duly converted by Daniel Thirkell (pictured left).

George White restored The Choughs lead after 57 minutes and there were further chances for both teams but victory for Retford was confirmed when Zach Casburn converted another penalty after 82 minutes. The final spot kick came deep into stoppage time, once Thirkell converted for Harrogate but it was much too late to have an impact on the outcome of the match.