Pickering Town left reeling as hoodoo strikes (From Gazette & Herald)

Pickering Town left reeling as hoodoo strikes

3:50pm Wednesday 16th January 2013 in Sport

LAST-minute agony ended Pickering Town’s good run of form but they will be looking to bounce back against struggling Arnold Town this weekend in the Northern Counties East League Premier division.

The Pikes looked to be cruising against Retford United on Saturday – two goals to the good on the hour mark – but collapsed in sensational fashion, conceding three in the final 12 minutes, the last in stoppage time, to crash to a 3-2 defeat.

It was manager Jimmy Reid’s first loss since December 1 and continued his side’s poor run against Retford, whom they have never beaten in a league game.

But surely this had been their best chance.

After a goalless first half, where Retford had the better chances and the majority of the play, Pickering came out fighting.

Thomas Reid put them in front with a free-kick and the home side, playing the latest in a succession of games at the Recreation Ground, were well on top.

Joe Danby could have extended the lead and the two Liams, Salt and Shepherd, combined well only for the former’s effort to go wide.

The Pikes finally doubled their lead after 59 minutes when Chris Gowen set up Danby to net with a nice finish into the bottom corner.

At 2-0 behind, Retford began to take chances and, in the next 10 minutes, they brought on all three of their substitutes.

They pulled a goal back with 12 minutes left when Richard Medcalf scored but Danby could still have sealed the points for the Pikes when shooting just wide on 82 minutes.

Pickering also had strong penalty appeals turned down when a Retford player appeared to handle the ball in the area, and the visitors then levelled on 87 minutes through Kyle Hadley.

A point wasn’t enough for Retford, though, and, in stoppage time, substitute Craig Fisher grabbed all three with the winning goal.

Pickering: A Reid, T Reid, Gowen, Readman (Cass 79), Sturdy, Taylor, Ramm (Dalton 45), Patterson, Danby, Salt (Baxter 72), Shepherd. Sub not used: Calvert.

Pickering won 4-0 at Arnold back in August and the strugglers, who are second from bottom in the league and were beaten 3-1 at home by Heanor Town last Saturday, could provide perfect opposition for Reid and his men to get another winning run going.

l Former Pickering junior, now club president, Craig Short, who enjoyed a career at Scarborough, Notts County, Derby, Everton, Blackburn and Sheffield United, will be the star of a question and answer evening on Friday, January 25 at the Recreation Club, Mill Lane. Admission is £10 and includes a hot supper.