Match Report:

North Ferriby VS Retford FC

Urban Newton

It was a stalemate at the Dransfield Stadium this afternoon, as North Ferriby FC and Retford drew 0-0.
The two teams remain level on points in the league table, with nothing to separate the sides on the pitch in a game lacking goals but not quality and entertainment.
The first half was a very good contest between two sides towards the top end of the NCEL Division One table.
The hosts arguably enjoyed the majority of possession, though they created few chances to note.
The best chance of the half fell to Retford's Adam Scott on twenty-two minutes. He received a long diagonal pass on the right and showed great control to waltz past Jack Mail. That left him one-on-one with goalkeeper Lewis Exall but the effort was straight at the keeper.

Ferriby played really well in possession before the interval but lacked the decisiveness to make a breakthrough.
Danny Emerton and Morgan Brough combined well down the right and Laurence McKay also put in a number of crosses from the left yet it was all to no avail. 
Ferriby right-back Jason Mycoe also hobbled off after a knock on the stroke of half-time. He was replaced by Danny Norton.
Though the tempo of the first-half was fairly high, it was instantly upped after the interval.

Retford's Scott curled an effort from the edge of the Ferriby eighteen-yard-box onto Exall's right-hand post. It then bobbled across the goalmouth, with Shay Evans-Booth's rebound bundled off the line well by McKay.
Brough then went in behind the Retford back four. He picked the ball up halfway, beat a man but couldn’t beat the onrushing goalkeeper Jon Kennedy. The keeper and visiting captain was out quickly to stop the on-loan Alfreton Town striker.

Referee Duncan Carratt had a busy afternoon, giving out seven yellow cards in total.
On the hour mark, Retford's Gareth Davies was handed a yellow for aimlessly kicking McKay. Much of the 467-strong crowd called for more punishment however.
A slide-rule pass found Danny Emerton in the inside-right channel on seventy-three minutes. He fired a low ball across the six-yard-box but the stretching Brough was unable to get on the end of it.

The visitors from Nottinghamshire did have the ball in the back of the net five minutes later.
Eddie Birch received a yellow for a cynical foul on the edge of his own area. The resulting free-kick was hit low at Exall who pushed out only as far as Evans-Booth who turned in the rebound. The Retford striker was offside however.

Despite the score line, the game did not lack in entertainment. Both sides showed their quality, contributing to a match played at a high intensity and tempo throughout the full ninety minutes.
The Villagers are not in action next weekend. The next fixture is away to Skegness Town on Saturday 21st September. The club are running a coach down to the match, with seats £10 per person. It will pick up at Darley's pub in Hessle from 10.45, then the Humber Bridge car park at 11.00.
Please contact Anthony Wood on 07745113831 or antjimw62@hotmail.co.uk if interested.

North Ferriby FC squad: Lewis Exall; Jason Mycoe (off 42'), Jack Mail, James Piercy (c), Laurence McKay; Eddie Birch, Russell Fry, Jamie Forrester; Louis Kirk, Morgan Brough (off 79'), Danny Emerton

Subs: Danny Norton (on 42'), Jordan Douglas, Sam Robinson, Tom Oliver (on 79'), Kieron Walker
Attendance: 467