Graham Street Prims 1-2 Radford (EMCL)

Graham Street Prims FC were formed in 1904 but were disbanded at the outbreak of WW1. Many years past before the Church side were reformed in 1953. Their finest years came when they won 15 trophies between 1971-1981. The club was disbanded again in 1991 but reformed once more in 1995. In 2008 the club joined the newly formed East Midlands Counties League where they currently compete.

The Rainbow 4 or Indigo bus to Derby from Friar Lane, Nottingham stop at Borrowash Road. Spondon. Take the first turning right on Borrowash Road at the Asterdale and immediately on the left is the ground.

Admission £5, £2 OAP/Child, programme £1

Good little refreshment hut, Pie & Peas £1.50, Sausage Roll 50p, Tea/Coffee 60p

The ground itself is bleak, surrounded by a 2 metre high wooden fence. Currently hard standing on three sides but by next season four. Four Floodlights, one each corner and a small seated stand positioned close to the entrance near the corner flag!

The home side were wearing red and were quickly on the attack. Louis Mundin blasted over from twelve yards after being set up by Tom Cooper-Richards. Radfords first attack of any note resulted in the ball being crossed in from the right for Harry Allen to direct a header into the GSP net. On 25 minutes Allen out muscled his marker and sent in a cross come shot that flew marginaly wide of the goal. Radford went two goals up on the half hour when a poor GSP goalkick landed at the feet of Danny Powell and he raced forward and a low shot from outside the area beat Nathan Tomex. Just before half time the home side pulled a goal back when a free kick into the area was flicked past Radfords keeper Jake Want. HT 1-2

Graham Street Prims came out in determined fashion in the blustery conditions and completely bossed the second half. Tom Cooper-Richards was a thorn in Radfords side as he ran the defence ragged. A good chance came his way after the ball was crossed in from the right by Jim Slack but his shot rebounded to safety after hitting the post. Radford were riding their luck as free kicks, corners and chances came and went for the home side with none being converted. Radford held on for their first away victory in this their last game of the season. FT 1-2

Sandiacre Town 2-5 Chellaston ( MRA Prem Div)

Sandiacre Town FC started off in the Central Alliance League where it competed in the late 70's and early 80's. The club then moved to the Central Midlands League but lost their place in this League at the end of season 1989/90 due to the lack of ground facilities.  After missing one season the Saturday side was started again in 1991/92, merging with Lace Web United of the Midlands Regional Alliance. The Club went on to finish runners-up in the MRA Premier Division that season.

The following season the club was re-admitted to the Central Midlands League and had a very successful season, winning both the Premier Division Championship and the League Cup. The season ended with a remarkable record of winning the last 24 League and Cup games.

Recent times have seen a marked decline in the clubs fortunes with the side dropping down to the MRA. At the start of this season the club lost most of their players and had to play youngsters in the side. They are currently bottom in the league and heading for relegation to the first division.

The Number 4 Trent Barton bus to Sandiacre from Nottingham Broadmarsh stops at the Blue Bell pub 100 yards from St Giles Park. Smart ground with a picturesque setting. Three floodlights each side of the pitch, railed on all four sides. Hard standing along the entrance side of the ground and behind the goal to the right. There is quite a large covered stand at that end. On the far side where the dugouts used to be (vandalised), there is only standing from the halfway line to the far corner flag. The other half is overgrown with pleasant trees and shrubs.

Sandiacre were in an all red strip and Chellaston all blue. I was surprised to see Sandiacre go at Chellaston from the start and they were not short of attacking options. When in possession Chellaston had plenty of time on the ball but were guilty of wasting good chances. But 13 minutes into the game Chellaston went 1-0 up. After the ball had been played into the Sandiacre area defenders failed to clear the danger and Chellaston's Sam Scarlett scored from 12 yards out. Sandiacre's Adam Steele hit a thundering drive from 25 yards straight at the keeper and just after the Sandiacre  keeper  Mark O'Neil saved a goalbound volley from Fitzhugh and later from a corner he made another superb save from a close range header. On the half hour Sandiacre's Darren Hart sent Lynton Francis through on goal but poor control let him down and the keeper was out to clear. Chellaston went 2-0 up shortly after. A long clearance found a striker upfield, the ball was crossed into the area, a Sandiacre defender failed to clear leaving John Webster free to slot the ball past the keeper.Ht 0-2.

Three minutes into the second half Chellaston's James Riley created a good opportunity for Fitzhugh but he stumbled six yards out with only the keeper to beat. Five minutes later it looked like a Chellaston player had handled the ball in his area but the referee shouted 'play on', and seconds after Sandiacre's Sean Sheppard blasted the ball into the top right hand corner of the goal. 1-2. Sandiacre were now running rampant and drew level when Lynton Francis stole the ball on the halfway line, raced on and beat the keeper with a low drive. 2-2. Chellaston's keeper Ryan Hamilton was forced into a superb save when he stretched to keep out a free kick heading for the bottom corner on 70 minutes. It was around this time that Sandiacre began to look jaded and when a Sandiacre free kick was cleared Chellaston quickly attacked down the right wing and a fierce stinging shot beat the keeper from 20 yards. 2-3.  Chellastons Fitzhugh ran free on the wing ten minutes from time and chipped the keeper to make it 2-4. Then in the final minute Chellaston were awarded a corner which Riley took. The ball was sent high to the far post and looped over the keeper hitting the upright before ending up in the net. FT 2-5.

Derby Rolls Royce Leisure 3-1 Cromford (MRA Prem)

I dont have details on the early years of the club other than Rolls Royce Welfare Derby were Derby & District Senior League winners in 1941-42. In 1983 they were known as Rolls Royce (Derby) and joined the Central Midlands League (CML), transferring from the East Midlands Regional League. They won the Premier 1 division title in their debut season in the CML and were promoted to the Premier Division.

In 1988 they had a change of name to Derby Rolls Royce and they remained in the CML until 1997 when they joined the Midlands Regional Alliance (MRA). A change of name again occured at the start of the century, this time to their present title of Derby Rolls Royce Leisure. In 2005/06 and 2006/07 they finished as Premier League runners up.

A Red Arrow bus from Nottingham Victoria takes you to Derby bus station. From there an Arriva bus 43 from bay 15 will take you to the nearest stop to Moor Lane on Osmaston Park Road. Walk back 50 yards from the stop then turn right into Moor Lane, passing the Moorways Stadium. On the opposite side of the road a little further down is the Rolls Royce Club.

The pitch is railed off along the dugout side and Moor lane end but only half railed behind the near end. The other side has wooden posts and blue rope separating the main pitch from pitch number 2. There is hard standing running along the length of the dugout side.

The game kicked off four minutes early and the home side in black and blue stripes took an early lead. The ball was worked to the Cromford corner flag and put out for a throw in. A long throw came into the area and was flicked on for Matt Savage to score from close range. The home side were running rampant and Cromford did well in stopping them adding to the one goal already scored. It was twenty minutes before Cromford had a meaningful effort at goal and on 28 minutes Cromfords Alex Statham had a shot on target but it was straight at the keeper. Just before half time Cromford were to benefit from chaos in the Rolls Royce defence. After clearing a free kick a Rolls Royce defender was lying prone in the six yards box, the defence moved up as play continued then the ball was crossed into the area where Kyle Johnson dummied the ball for Alex Statham to rifle the ball into the net. HT 1-1.

The second half saw Rolls Royce strike on 47 minutes. They regained the lead from a stunning 25 yard free kick from Ash Foster, which sailed over the keeper into the roof of the net. Owen Brown of Rolls Royce was a threat along the right wing and an Ash Foster shot was tipped over on 65 minutes. Cromfords Kyle Johnson went on a weaving run and set up Alex Statham with a shot that hit the base of the post. Cromford had a good period of pressure but couldn't convert their chances. They were to rue the missed opportunities when Rolls Royce got their third goal five minutes from full time. The ball was cleared upfield and Sean Godden beat two defenders and laid the ball off for Davy Hamson to stroke the ball past the keeper. FT 3-1.

Selston 1-5 Awsworth Villa (NSL Senior Division)

Selston FC was formed in 1968 and played it's early football in the Alfreton & District Sunday League. In the late 80's with the ambition to progress, the club decided to concentrate on Saturday football and joined the Central Midlands Football League. In season 1990-91 the first team won the C.M.L Division One Cup. The 1993-94 season saw the senior side playing in the Midlands Regional Alliance and winning the division one title. The club returned to the Central Midlands Football League in the 1997-98 season. 1998-99 Season saw the senior side promoted to the Supreme Division, and they also reached the final of the Wakefield Floodlit Cup. At the end of season 2002-03 the first team were disbanded to concentrate on the development of youth football.

Season 2006-07 saw senior football return to Selston FC with a Saturday side competing in the Midlands Regional Alliance. Season 2007-08 saw SFC progress again, the Saturday senior side romped home in division 2 of the MRA finishing 13 points clear of second place. They also won the MRA league cup, trouncing MRA division 1 champs 8-2. Recent season have seen the club progress through the Notts Senior League to the Premier Division and last week the reserves won the Notts Junior Cup.

The Rainbow One Trent Barton bus heading for Alfreton leaves from Nottingham Victoria once per hour and stops at Lea Lane Selston. Walk back fifty yards from the bus stop and cross over and walk up Mansfield Road. Walk past the Selston Parish Hall and the entrance to the ground is next left. Opposite the Pavillion is the cricket pitch and the football pitch is on the other side. The cricket pitch side is roped off, but the other three sides have white metal fencing. There is hard standing behind the goal to the right on a slightly raised bank. On the far side there is hard standing and a covered stand as well as the two dugouts. Behind the left goal is a small non hard standing area.

Awsworth were wearing their red and white shirts and were immediately on the attack. Selston were having a problem keeping possession and fell behind 8 minutes into the game when a crossfield ball found Awsworth's Danny Chambers, his marker slipped and he raced on and slid the ball past the Selston keeper. Awsworth's John Hughes was lucky to escape a Red card on 17 minutes when a two footed challenge brought down the Selston right back Ben Griffiths. The referee was very generous in just giving him a caution. Awsworth went 2-0 up halfway into the first half when a header was flicked on for Luke Davies to run on and beat the keeper from 15 yards. A minute later and Awsworth scored their third. The ball was played wide, the Selston left back Ryan Kemp was beaten for pace and a shot across the face of the goal flew past the keeper and into the bottom right hand side of the goal. In time added on in the first half a fine solo effort from Selson's Ben Small gave the home side some hope for the second half.

Two minutes into the second half saw Awsworth's Kieran Saxton played through but his finish went two yards over the crossbar. The same player was guilty of another wasted opportunity but Danny Chambers took his chance to make it four for Awsworth. From the restart Selston went forward and Awsworth had to clear off the line. It was 5-1 to the visitors soon after when Danny Chambers sent over a cross for Luke Henson to score. Selston's keeper Jake Simpson made two more excellent saves before the game was to end. The Coach of Selston gave his players a round of abuse after the game for their lack of effort. FT 1-5.