Thurnby Nirvana 3-0 Radford EMCL

Radford have played Thurnby Nirvana twice in five days and on both occasions they were outplayed for large periods of the games. Nice ground at Thurnby and good hospitality for their visitors. £4 to get in but the programme was a poor effort.

In the first minute Thurnby's Will Gonga had an eighteen yard effort fly just over the crossbar and three minutes later Radford's Beardsley set up Jordan Alls but his shot was saved at the near post. On seven minutes Radford thought they had took the lead, A Beardsley free kick found Jarrod Russell free at the far post and he volleyed home from six yards out but the linesman had his flag up for offside. On 18 minutes Thurnby's Smyles had a chip from inside the area beat the Radford keeper and go narrowly over the bar. Radford came back at Thurnby and a Krasniqi shot from 25 yards fizzed over the Thurnby bar.

Thurnby took control of the game in the second half and five minutes in Adam Mahl saved Radford wth a last ditch tackle as a striker was about to score. Martins Apenitis in the Radford goal made two great reaction saves on 54 minutes but a minute later Louis Neckles gave Thurnby the breakthrough after good work from Reece Morris had set him up. It was 2-0 in the 63rd minute when Phabian Smyles recieved a flick-on in the area and cooly finished. Two substitutions for Radford made little difference to the constant Thurnby pressure and ten minutes from time it was 3-0 when Matt Melbourne finished off a move created on the right wing.

Radford 0-2 Long Eaton Utd (FA Vase)

It was a thoroughly entertaining game on Saturday and despite the gap in leagues it was an even contest. Radford in Sky Blue shirts were the first side to have a shot on goal when Bernado Alves jinked and weaved and sent in a shot from 18 yards, but there was no power in his effort and the keeper saved easily. Martins Apenitis in the Radford goal did well when he finger tipped the ball out for a corner when a dangerous free kick was heading for goal. Minutes later Apenitis pulled off a great save after Matt Savage had been put through. When a Radford corner had been cleared Richard Dean sent in a rasping drive that hit the Long Eaton crossbar before going out for a goalkick.

Matt Savage broke the deadlock on 33 minutes for Long Eaton, the ball was played wide to the left winger Danny Gordon and he sent over a superb low cross into the box and Savage finished from close range. Radford fought back and a Adam Mahl header was just wide of an upright. A Kevin Lusamba cross found Michael Allen free in the visitors box but his header was saved by Scott Miles.The game continued at a fast pace in the second half and after a period of Radford pressure Long Eaton broke forward and nearly got a second goal but a shot from 20 yards hit the Radford post. The visitors went close to scoring on 72 minutes when Savage was on the end of a cross but he shot well over from close range. Good work between Radford strikers Alves and Derby led to Richard Derby running free into the Long Eaton area but the striker put in a weak shot that was easily saved.

Eight minutes from full time Long Eaton went 2-0 up after a free kick was floated over and Shaun Rickford raced in to score from close range. Radford fought to pull a goal back in the remaining minutes but it was not to be and Long Eaton United progress into the First Round proper of the FA Vase.

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Radford 0-2 St Andrews (EMCL)

Not a lot happened in the early part of the game. Kevin Lusamba sent in a 25 yard rocket of a shot that went a yard over the St Andrews goal on 6 minutes and a dithering Radford defence were nearly caught out a couple of minutes later but were saved by an offside flag. St Andrews went 1-0 up on 19 minutes from the penalty spot. A ball over the Radford defence found Kieran Linnett in the penalty area where he was adjudged to have been fouled by Danny Beardsley. Beardsley was shown the red card as he was the last defender, Linnett stepped up and converted the spot kick. Linnett was to score St Andrews second goal 6 minutes later. Again the visitors went route one, Linnett beat Jahred Russell and the onrushing keeper to the ball before slotting the ball into the goal.

St Andrews were using their numerical advantage well spreading the ball around the pitch and they nearly went three up on 35 minutes as a cross found Linnett unmarked at the far post but his header was wide of the goal. Radford had a golden opportunity to equalise as half time approached. Bernado Alves beat the offside and raced free, from just inside the area he beat the keeper but his shot rebounded off the post to safety.

Radford attacked straight from the restart with Krasniqi dribbling into the area but his shot went straight at the keeper. Krasniqi went close again a minute later when Lusamba played him through but the keeper saved his goalbound effort. The Radford goal came under pressure midway into the second half, Apenitis was forced to make several important saves. The first being a great reaction save after a cross found a striker free in the box. St Andrews were shooting from all angles but Radfords defence held firm for the rest of the game to keep the score at 0-2.

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Glapwell 0-1 Radford (FA Vase 1st Qlfy Rnd)

The visitors began brightly with an 18 yard effort from Krasniqi flying a foot over the goal after Lusamba had set him up. Although Radford were having better possession it was a scrappy game with both teams making too many errors. Alves had two half chances for Radford. The first when Kevin Lusamba put him through but he shot wide of goal, and the second when Danny Beardsley played him in, and he scuffed his shot.

Beardsley himself came close on two occasions. The first chance came after a good interchange on the wing between Lusamba and Alves. the ball was crossed into the area but Beardsley was challenged before he could get his shot away. And secondly from a Lusamba corner he shot wide of the upright.

Danny Beardsley was excellent in centre midfield and Kevin Lusamba was a constant threat along the left wing. Glapwell were reduced to long range efforts as Richard Dean and Adam Mahl were winning everything at the back.Ten minutes into the second half Radford were awarded a penalty. Kevin Lusamba went on one of his mazy runs, dribbled into the penalty area and crashed to the ground while surrounded by Glapwell defenders. Jarrod Russell chipped the ball over the diving keeper. Substitute Michael Allen flicked on a Russell free kick a minute later that the keeper did well to save.

Glapwell had their first real goalscoring opportunity on 80 minutes when a free kick was headed a foot over the bar. With just four minutes of normal time remaining the Radford keeper misjudged the bounce of the ball on a return pass resulting in a corner. The corner was sent over and a shot was cleared off the line, the ball was played back into the area where it struck a Radford player and the referee awarded a hotly disputed penalty. Gareth Vardy took the penaly for Glapwell, but Apenitis pulled off a great save to give Radford only their second ever win in the FA Vase and a home tie against Long Eaton United in the next round.

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