Hillmen progress in FA Trophy

Glossop North End launched their FA Vase campaign in the second qualifying round stage with a 60-mile trip over the Pennines to Retford, Nottinghamshire, to face Retford FC at their SL2 Rail stadium.

The FA Vase holds many happy memories for Glossop fans who have been treated to two trips to Wembley in this competition since the run of the millennium.

On a warm and sunny Saturday afternoon on a hard, dry pitch, the game got underway with GNE making a bright start.

A harsh offside decision denied Tom Lawless a chance through on goal after neat interplay had put him through in the opening 10 minutes.

A sloppy 10-minute period by the Hillmen then saw the home side come back into the game. An in-swinging cross from the Retford right was misjudged at the back post and as the ball was squared across goal the shot was blocked on the line by captain Ollie Parker.

Moments later Glossop were caught four on three and needed on loan goalkeeper Bayleigh Passant to come to their rescue.

He was quick off his line to complete a smothering save at the feet of the forward and avert the danger.

Glossop responded well to this wake up call and took a deserved lead on 39 minutes through midfield maestro Abdul Djalo.

The attack started down Glossop’s right with McMahon once again carrying the ball well before Joe Berks picked out Djalo who placed the ball into the bottom corner of the goal from 22 yards out with his left foot, much to the delight of the travelling fans behind the goal.

Glossop saw out the rest of the half comfortably to take a deserved lead into the break.

The second half started uneventfully with neither side really troubling the other’s goal.

The game seemed to be going nowhere and the hosts started to become frustrated and lost their discipline, trying to drag Glossop into a scrap.

Things boiled over on the 70th minute following a foul on Lee Rick close to his own penalty box by Retford wide man Max Dungworth.

Initially the referee played on, despite no advantage to Glossop, forcing Ollie Parker to made a firm tackle on Retford midfielder Richard Patterson on the edge of the box.

The Retford man reacted by throwing a punch at Glossop’s captain. Several players got involved in the ensuing melee with the referee deciding to brandish a red card to Patterson and Parker.

Patterson attempted to carry on the dispute and had to be escorted off the pitch.

With tempers frayed, the game restarted with the hosts, having made the game scrappy, literally, on the front foot.

Once again though Passant was there to claim the long deliveries into his penalty area and ensure the clean sheet was preserved.

GNE followed the win with yet another victory in midweek, defeating Barnoldswick Town away from home by a single goal on Tuesday.

Lewis Riley’s sublime free kick was enough for Richard Brodie’s men to come away with all three points, and record their fourth win in a row.