Ellistown 3-1 Radford

As usual Radford started off on the backfoot and a cross/shot from Johnny Hamilton fizzed across the face of the Radford goal on three minutes. Four minutes later Radford didn't learn the lesson as
Hamilton shot and scored from the left edge of the area. Ellistown continued to pressure the visitors defence and added to their lead on 13 minutes when Darren Rushden drove the ball into the net from 18 yards out. Radford were struggling against their hard working opponents, the windy conditions and match officials who were making some strange decisions. Radford came close to pulling a goal back on 40 minutes when Jahred Russell had a shot from just inside the area headed off the line.

Radford came out more determined in the second half and Ryan Dawkins saw a shot saved by the Ellistown keeper before Paul Macmillans follow up was hit wide. On 58 minutes Radford forced a corner and Jahred Russell found Ryan Dawkins who headed Radford back into the game. Three minutes later Ellistown were awarded a freekick, and from wide out the ball hit the Radford crossbar before being cleared. From then onwards it was Radford who were the better side.

Dawkins beat the offside, crossing into the area for Jahred Russell but his volley flew a foot over the bar. Radford players and supporters were in uproar after Jahred Russell beat the offside and was hacked down by the last Ellistown defender just outside the area. The Referee amazingly only awarded a yellow card! Unfortunately for Radford the freekick was struck wide of the goal. Radford threw the kitchen sink at Ellistown in the final minutes but in time added on the home side scored with a breakaway goal through Leon Alkman.

Anstey Nomads 1-7 Radford

In the very first minute of the game the home side came close to opening the scoring when Levi Knight's close range shot was hit straight at Radfords keeper Sam Spencer.  The visitors began to take control of midfield and in the 9th minute Jahred Russell flicked the ball past the Anstey keeper to give Radford the lead. With Radford in full control Russell scored again on 31 minutes. A 20 yard Russell volley was saved by the keeper but Russell reacted quickest to follow up and slot the ball past the him. Just before halfime Lawrence Hall bundled the ball home from close range to put Radford three goals up at the break.

After the restart Radford continued to control the game and on the hour mark Jahred Russell was brought down for a penalty. He took the spot kick himself and made no mistake. Two minutes later Anstey pulled a goal back through Levi Knight after Radfords Coyle had missed a header and Joe Hartrop had ran on and crossed to the striker. Radford made it 5-1 in the 71st minute through Nasir Bockarie with a stunning 25 yard drive. Anstey were looking very poor and Radford sub Babatunde ran through unchallenged to get Radfords 6th goal on 83 minutes. Jahred Russell scored Radfords 7th and his 4th goal of the game on 85 minutes when he sold a dummy to a defender in the area before stroking the ball past the keeper.

Harworth CI Res v Radford Res (CML Res Cup Semi Final)

3-3 AFTER EXTRA TIME, RADFORD WIN ON PENALTIES.

RADFORD RESERVES MARCH ON TO THE PHOENIX TROPHIES RESERVES CUP FINAL AFTER A TENSE PHYSICAL STRUGGLE AGAINST A STRONG HARWORTH SIDE.

 

RADFORD TOOK THE LEAD THROUGH A FANTASTIC 25 YARD FREE KICK FROM MACAULEY BARBER. RADFORD WENT IN AT HALF TIME A GOAL UP BUT STRAIGHT FROM THE RESTART HARWORTH FOUND AN EQUALISER AND A FEW MINUTES LATER THE HOME SIDE WERE WINNING 2-1. RADFORD FOUGHT BACK WELL TO PULL BACK TO 2-2 MIDWAY INTO THE SECOND HALF. ON 80 MINUTES RADFORD WERE AWARDED A PENALTY BUT CALLUM CONWAY FAILED TO CONVERT THE SPOT KICK. IN THE REMAINING TIME NEITHER SIDE COULD ADD TO THE SCORE AND THE GAME WENT INTO EXTRA TIME.

IT WAS STALEMATE AT THE END OF THE FIRST 15 MINUTES, BUT FIVE MINUTES INTO THE SECOND PERIOD HARWORTH SCORED WHAT LOOKED LIKE BEING THE WINNING GOAL. WITH 30 SECONDS OF TIME REMAINING RADFORD WERE AWARDED A FREE KICK TWENTY YARDS OUT FROM THE HARWORTH GOAL. UP STEPPED MACAULEY BARBER TO SMASH HOME A RISING SHOT INTO THE ROOF OF THE HOME SIDES NET AND SEND THE GAME INTO A PENALTY SHOOTOUT.

BOTH SIDES MISSED TWO OF THEIR FIRST FIVE PENALTIES AND THE GAME WAS TO BE DECIDED ON SUDDEN DEATH PENALTIES. BOTH SIDES CONVERTED THEIR FIRST KICKS BUT HARWORTH MISSED THEIR SECOND AND IT WAS RICHARD JOHNSON'S CONVERTED SPOT KICK THAT PUT RADFORD THROUGH INTO THE FINAL.

 

Ibstock Utd 2-2 Radford (EMCL)

Radford were caught cold as early as the first minute when Will Price finished off Ibstocks first attack with a side foot shot into the corner of Radfords Net. On seven minutes Radfords first attack ended with Stuart Marshall hitting the side netting after a Jahred Russell shot was saved by Sam Taylor in the Ibstock goal. Radford were looking good in midfield where Joe Hopper and Ayodeje Ikusemori were winning the midfield battle. Ikusemori came close to equalising for Radford on 23 minutes when he came close to scoring with a header from a Jahred Russell corner. With Louis Ratcliffe always a threat wide right and Ryan Dawkins on the left and Richard Derby upfront the home sides defence came under constant pressure and were lucky to go in one goal up at half time.

Radford began the second half as they ended the first and were playing some good possession football. But ten minutes into the half Ibstock broke forward through Damien Irons but his shot was wide of goal with only the keeper to beat. Nasir Bockarie came on for Radford on the hour mark and one minute later set up Jahred Russell with a pin point cross, Russell rounded the keeper and slotted the ball home to give the visitors a deserved equaliser. Russell and Richard Derby should have given Radford the lead soon after but wasted their chances. Radford were playing all the good football and the home side were reduced to the long ball.  On 82 minutes one of the few Ibstock attacks saw the ball crossed high to the far post where a striker headed towards goal, despite a courageous effort Radfords Michael Coyle could only help the ball into his own net. With one minute of normal time remaining Radfords Joe Hopper found Jahred Russell with a pass that split the Ibstock defence and Russell ran on to shoot past the keeper for a 2-2 draw.

Greenwood Meadows 3-1 Radford (EMCL)

Virtually the same Radford side that battled for a 1-0 victory over Borrowash Victoria a couple of weeks ago showed the other side of their game, as they put in one of their most disapointing performance of the season.

There was little to entertain the few spectators who braved the cold weather until Jahred Russell forced the Greenwood keeper to fingertip a freekick around the post from 25 yards out. Greenwoods Tony Gregory sent a fierce drive into Radfords side neting on 22 minutes and a minute later Radfords Stuart Marshall saw a scuffed effort easily saved by the keeper. Greenwood had two long range shots go wide around the half hour mark and Radford saw two corners come to nothing just before halftime.

On 52 minutes Greenwoods full back Jack Caulton sent over a cross/shot from wide right that flew across the Radford penalty area before landing in the corner of the net. Three minutes later Greenwoods Tony Law turned and shot from twelve yards out but his effort flew a yard over the bar. Radford had only their second attempt at goal on 70 minutes but Ryan Dawkins long range shot went wide of the goal. As the game was in its final minutes Richard Derby laid the ball off to Alberto Salas who looped the ballover the Greenwood keeper to give the visitors an unlikely equaliser. Radfords joy was short lived as Greenwood went 2-1 up on 89 minutes when from a corner Tony Law headed home. Two minutes into time added on Tony Gregory finished off Radford with a well taken half volley from inside the area.