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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Radford Res 4-1 Calverton Res (CML Res Supreme Div)

Almost a complete change of team for Radford Reserves after their 0-5 defeat against Matlock Town Reserves last Saturday. Calverton Reserves were playing the better football in the early stages forcing West in the Radford goal to make a couple of decent saves. On 17 minutes Radfords Patrick Siba was played through and as he entered the penalty area he was brought down for a penalty. Siba took the spot kick, which he cooly despatched, 1-0 to Radford. Reece Campbell came close with a side foot flick as Radford became more confident on the ball.

Drama came on 32 minutes when the visitors Lewis Wheelhouse was Red carded for a verbal offence in the penalty area as Calverton were about to take a corner. As half time approached the Radford keeper pulled off a fine save to keep out a shot heading for the top right hand corner of his goal.

To be fair to Calverton it was hard to see Radfords one man advantage in the first 30 minutes of the second half. Danny Camara came on as a substitute for Radford around the 70 minute mark and immediately made an impact. A good Radford move along the right wing saw the ball played to the edge of the area, Camara beat his marker and from a tight angle slotted the ball past the Calverton keeper.

In a crazy three minutes of time added on three goals were scored. Radfords Michael Allen gave the home side a 3-0 advantage after Camara laid the ball off for him in the area then Calverton pulled one back through Luke Attenborough after he ran through Radfords defence. Patrick Siba finished the scoring by cutting inside his marker in the area and shooting past the Calverton keeper to give Radford Reserves a 4-1 victory.

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Lutterworth Ath 1-2 Radford EMCL

It was a scrappy start to the game but Lutterworth were first to have a serious strike at goal. On 10 minutes Laxwood ran free along the left wing and sent a shot across the face of the Radford goal. Lutterworths centre forward Ivens was played onside by Radfords Russell and Apenitis was forced into a fine save to keep out the goalbound effort. Krasniqi sent a 30 yard thunderbolt of a shot just over the bar and Campbell saw an effort go wide of the goal as Radford came more into the game.

On 25 minutes Kevin Lusamba had a low stinging shot saved by the Lutterworth keeper and straight after the home side had a Laxwood shot saved by Apenitis. Radford seized the initiative on 35 minutes when Kyle Crofts crossed for Gilmartin to score from 15 yards out.

Kevin Lusamba was causing the Lutterworth defence big problems on the left wing and on 51 minutes the home keeper had to tip over an 18 yard attempt. The game ebbed and flowed until 68 minutes when Lutterworth found an equaliser. With the Radford defence under pressure Krasniqi was robbed just outside the area and the ball was laid off for Callum Riley to score.

Radford Substitute Bernado Alves was looking lively upfront and he came close with a near post flick after Roberto Labbate had put over a pin point cross. As the game came to 90 minutes Lutterworth hit the post after a goalmouth scramble. The ball was cleared upfield then crossed into the Lutterworth area where Kevin Lusamba’s run was blocked by a defender and the referee pointed to the spot. Jarred Russell blasted the penalty kick into the net to give Radford their first win of the season.

West Bridgford 2-3 Netherfield Alb ( NSL 1)

This is only the second season of adult football for West Bridgford. Last season they were promoted from Division Two of the Notts Senior League into the First Division. For many years they have concentrated on youth football. The ground is situated on Regatta Way, on the outskirts of West Bridgford near Gamston. I got the NCT 11 bus from outside ‘The Bell’ pub in Market Square. I got off at the terminus and continued 500 yards before turning right into Regatta Way. It is then a 10 minute walk to the ground.

The football pitch is next to the Cricket pitch, so be careful where you stand because a ball landed only six feet from where a spectator was positioned. No programme was issued and it was free entry. There was food & drink available in the pavilion. The six floodlights looked impressive but there was no hard standing. The game kicked off late because there were no corner posts and the goal nets were not secured properly.

Netherfield in stripes started strongly and after only 4 minutes they took the lead. Brent Morton controlled a high ball played to the edge of the area, he turned and lofted the ball over the keeper and into the net. The visitors went further ahead on 13 minutes. A free-kick was awarded just outside the area, Chris Kemp took it and curled the ball into the top left hand corner. The home side had a period of pressure around the 20 minute mark and a series of corners threatened the Netherfield goal. On 30 minutes there looked like there might have been a sending off when the Netherfield keeper ran out of the area and handled the ball, but the referee let him off lightly with a caution. For the next 15 minutes up until half-time it was Netherfield who were creating the better chances and controlling the game.

 Netherfield were dominant in the first half but it was West Bridgford who were controlling the game in the second. After a West Bridgford shot from inside the area was deflected for a corner a minute later a West Bridgford striker was ankle tapped just inside the area resulting in a penalty. The spot kick was blasted straight at the keeper who could only finger tip the ball into the net. Twenty minutes into the half the home side pulled level. Good work on the right wing led to a low cross into the box and after a defender had slipped a forward nipped in to flick the ball past the keeper and into the goal. Netherfield’s first real attack of any meaning came thirty minutes into the half but Brent  Morton tried to take on One man too many when he should have laid the ball off for a team-mate in a better position. It was ten minutes more before Netherfield came close to re-taking the lead but a good save low down stopped a goal bound effort. The home side were heartbroken when Netherfield found the winning goal two minutes from full-time. The left back Aykut Barak was allowed to advance too far with the ball and he found Chris Kemp on the edge of the area, Kemp flighted a superb effort into the top left hand corner of the net. FT 2-3