But having won the competition as Under 12s, Nigel Reeve's side are well used to winning up north and made light of a heavy playing surface to record what turned out to be a comfortable 5-1 win.

First-half goals from Dan Lipscombe and Hayden Errico were followed by three more after half-time as Deeping cantered to success.

Shortly after the break Matt Sparrow hit his first of the match before finishing off a nice team move to grab his second.

With the game won Reeve then made a number of changes and it was one of those substitutes, Jamie Sadler, who added the fifth from a well worked throw-in.

And while the home side did manage to take advantage of a slight defensive lapse to hit a consolation in the closing stages, the game was by then already well won.

Reeve said: "We are now in the hat for the second round which is of course very pleasing. The lads turned in another professional performance after a long journey.

"And they did it without really having to hit top form against a Retford team who never stopped battling."


WHITTLESEY boss Mike Hope is focusing on the 'light at the end of the tunnel' after watching his side lose two of their opening Division Two games this season.

Because despite two defeats on the bounce - their latest reverse was a 3-1 defeat to Yaxley on Sunday – Hope knows his team are doing all the right things and that the good times could be just round the corner.

He said: "I really feel for the boys as they are playing some excellent football and yet have got nothing from the last two games. Against Yaxley we were camped in their half a lot of the time but just couldn't take our chances.

"On another day we could have had three or four goals but that is just the way football is sometimes.

"But I know I have some excellent young players here who will bounce right back. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

"This is a very tough league this season with some excellent sides in it but I am more than confident that we will be right up there."