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.

























Newark Town Res 1-1 Radford Res (L Cup) 2-3 pens

With the first team game being called off at Ibstock I went to see the reserves play at Devon Park, in the second round of the Central Midland League Reserves League Cup. The pitch was in good condition considering all the snow we have had recently. It was an evenly contested encounter throughout the Two hours of play. Radford had a chance to open the scoring on 23 minutes when a ball was crossed to the Newark far post but Michael Allen could not reach the ball. On the half hour full back Macauley Barber came close to scoring but the the keeper finger tipped his shot to safety. A minute later Marcus Hayes had a firmly hit 25 yard drive saved by the keeper.

Matt Wheat came on for Richard Johnson at the start of the second half and immediately linked up well with Marcus Hayes to create several attacking moves. Ten minutes into the second half Radford took the lead through a superb angled drive from Richard Derby. The lead wasn't to last long though as Newark found an equaliser a minute later when Ben Hawker was played through to slide the ball past Martins Apenitis. The game ebbed and flowed to the end of 90 minutes and through extra-time. After Newark had missed 3 of their 5 penalties and Radford 2 of their 4 Radfords Matt Wheat converted his spot kick to put Radford Reserves into the third round and an away fixture at Rainworth Reserves.



Holwell Sports 3-0 Radford (EMCL)

RADFORD BATTLE BUT DROP TO BOTTOM OF THE LEAGUE

Radford faced a confident Holwell outfit who are unbeaten in 2013. Manager Alf Stacey stressed the importance of not conceding early and to keep it tight. Radford took the game to the home side and were playing well for most of the first half. Radfords Dom Leivers set Bernado Alves free on the left wing and the striker put over a fine cross for Adam Mahl who laid the ball off to Stuart Marshall but the Holwell keeper saved his goalbound effort. The home side came forward on twelve minutes and a cross to the far post found a striker who headed just over. The game ebbed and flowed with Radford giving as good as they got against their higher placed rivals.

Radford were unlucky to go a goal down midway into the first half. Holwells centre half Kieron Foster put his side 1-0 up on 22 minutes. He got on the end of a corner in the six yard box, and at the same time he charged into the Radford keeper forcing the ball into the net. It was an obvious free kick to Radford but everyone was surprised when the referee allowed the goal to stand. Radford fought back well and worried the home keeper with two long range efforts that went wide of the goal. But Two minutes before halftime Radford conceded a second goal and again it came from a header by Foster, this time at the far post.

The home side dominated the second half but due to some stout defending and excellent goalkeeping from Ryan Swift Radford were coping well. Jahred Russell and Ryan Dawkins saw shots from outside the area go wide. On 80 minutes Holwell sub Ben Smedley shot over from close range, but as 90 minutes approached an attempted clearance from a Radford defender was collected by Ryan Swift. Amazingly the referee awarded a freekick for a passback. The freekick was awarded 12 yards from the Radford goal. The kick was taken by Jay Kirkby, it took a deflection off a defender in the Radford wall before landing in the back of the Radford net.