Bulls charge into the record books

New signing James Cullingworth had a debut to remember, being named man-of-the-match after scoring four goals in his 30 minutes on the pitch.

Ollie Fearon also grabbed a hat-trick as the home side hit 11 second-half goals.

Retford manager Darren Giovannetti resigned after the rout and the goal spree earned AFC the talkSPORT2 non league team of the week award.

The Bulls had three efforts blocked in the opening five minutes through Grant Allott, Ryan Williams and Ollie Fearon as desperate defending denied them an opening goal.

But in the 14th minute Jimmy Ghaichemcut in from the left, wriggled past three defenders and struck a low drive past the outstretched Adam Valente.

Ghaichem, who was in impressive form, started the move for number two on the half hour, moving the ball on to Danny Patterson.

Patterson fed Williams, who in turn found Bradshaw in the box, who chipped to the far post to give Fearon the simplest of finishes.

Just before the break Ghaichem was upended in the box and it looked as if it would be 3-0, but Jason Whit’s spot-kick penalty skimmed the bar.

The Bulls did not give Retford a let-off in the second half, though, as they rattled in a further 11 goals.

Within three minutes of the re-start a Ghaichem cross was volleyed in by Matty Plummer.

Fearon got his second on 52 minutes, cutting in from the left past two players before firing home.

A minute later he got a touch on a Gary Bradshaw effort to complete his hat-trick.

Manager Rudy Funk replaced captain Patterson with Cullingworth and he quickly drove in from the edge of the box.

Another substitute then got in on the goalscoring act, Lynton Karkach cutting in from the left and drilling his effort past the keeper to make it 7-0.

Ghaichem crossed for Williams to add number eight and from the kick-off AFC regained possession before Cullingworth scored from 25 yards, driving into the top corner.

Double figures came on 77 minutes. Jason Paling’s initial effort was saved by Valente, but Paling laid-off the rebound to Karkach, who finished neatly into the bottom corner.

Bradshaw finally got the goal he deserved 10 minutes from time and two minutes later Cullingworth made it 12-0 for his hat-trick on debut.

The icing on the cake for the new player was a fourth goal with another low drive from inside the box two minutes before the final whistle.

AFC Mansfield travel to Handsworth Parramore on Boxing Day.

AFC Mansfield: White, Plummer, Dudley, Allott (Paling 65), Cheeseman, D’Laryea, Williams, Patterson (C) (Cullingworth 60), Fearon (Karkach 62), Bradshaw, Ghaichem. Subs not used: Timons, Naylor.