The great Bassetlaw robbery - Worksop Town come back from 3-1 down to beat neighbours Retford United

Worksop Town were heading for a humiliating derby defeat by neighbours Retford United, 3-1 down and lucky to be still in the game.

But a pair of substitutes inspired a late fightback that saw them draw level, and then grab a spectacular winner to send the majority of the 730 crowd home relieved.

The 4-3 victory looked nigh on impossible at the break, but it sent Tigers back to the top of the NCEL Premier.

Worksop should have gone ahead in the first couple of minutes, Steve Woolley played in down the right and bearing down on Luke Scollins, the keeper making a sharp save.

But with five minutes on the clock, Tigers pressed high up the pitch and when Conor Higginson shot low from outside the box, Scollins was beaten, and the hosts were ahead.

In a fast and furious start to the derby, Retford levelled just three minutes later.

Jon Kennedy made an initial save from Mark West’s shot, but the ball was clipped back into the middle where Mark Waters arrived to head downwards, past two defenders and the keeper.

Lawrence Gorman almost opened his account on his home debut with a fine run and swerving effort that Scollins held at the second attempt.

The see-saw nature of the game continued, Badgers hitting the front as Adam Lee’s free-kick deflected off the wall and deceived Kennedy, who got a hand to it but couldn’t keep it out.

And things could have been worse for the home side, had Kennedy not made a good save from Jonathan Roper, low to his right.

Waters then came close to his second, receiving a cut back from the byline and firing it across the face of goal.

Retford had their tails up, and when Waters danced his way past two players, Cottingham pulled him back right on the edge of the box to stop the shot, and was booked for his troubles.

With passes going astray all over the pitch, Mark Shaw’s men needed to settle, and a rare moment of cohesion saw Adam Ward released, the little forward shooting over from a good position.

The youngster was found again by Cottingham, and having done all the hard work in controlling the pass, he blasted wide.

Another period of shambolic play from Worksop followed, and only a brave, desperate block from Phil Roe kept Retford from scoring a third, as a scramble in the box looked likely to result in a goal.

Two minutes before the break disaster struck, as a tame looking shot struck Julian Lawrence and changed direction, finding the corner of the net, Retford doubling their advantage.

If Tigers were given a rollicking at half-time, it didn’t show in their early second half play, giving away possession far too easily and gifting West a shot at goal from a corner, the ball soaring over.

Shaw reacted just six minutes into the half, sending on Andy Ofosu for Higginson, but it was Retford making everything happen, a corner nodded onto the bar and down onto the line - the visitors convinced they’d scored, the referee unmoved.

Cottingham was walking a tightrope, on a yellow card and giving away another blatant foul, replaced almost instantly by Mitch Husbands.

It was Husbands who brought Tigers back into the game, nodding a near post corner over the keeper and into the net.

And suddenly the game was turned on his head, the other replacement Ofosu running down the right and shooting low past Scollins from distance, sending the ground into raptures.

West could consider himself lucky only to see yellow in the aftermath of the goal, tangling with Lawrence and reacting furiously to the referee.

Retford were rocking, and Woolley, who deserved a goal for his industry, somehow curled the ball over from 16 yards.

Woolley then found Roe with a clever reverse ball, and the left-back clipped it over Scollins and just past the post.

The comeback was complete with 10 minutes remaining, a corner only half cleared as far as Woolley, who set himself and thumped a first time volley through a crowd into the net.

Worksop: Kennedy 6, Gorman 5, Roe 6, Lawrence 6, WOOLLEY 6, Henshaw 5, Cottingham 5 (Husbands 58), Harrison 5, Higginson 5 (Ofosu 51), Jordan 5 (Hadfield 87), Ward 5. Not used: Hodder, Waddle.

Retford: Scollins, Good (Igne 81), Johnson, Sellars, Finnegan, Hardman, Roper, West (Gledhill 87), Lee, Savage, Waters (Dickinson 90). Not used: Wilson, Gordon.

Goals: Higginson 5, Husbands 65, Ofosu 68, Woolley 80; Waters 8, Lee 17, own goal 43.

Yellows: Cottingham 22, Husbands 81; West 66.

Referee: Mr A. Bannister. Assistants: Mr M. Connell, Mr G. Thomas.

Attendance: 730.