CML League Cup Final 2016-2017

Venue - Impact arena Alfreton Town FC

Blidworth welfare 1 Hucknall Rolls Leisure 2

My first visit to the Alfreton Town ground and was pleasantly impressed. Met with friendly staff who welcomed me as a guest of the league. Blidworth were by far the better side in the first half  but they only had a tenth minute Harris goal to show for their domination at the break. It was a different game in the second half as 'Rolls' came out fighting. 'Rolls' sub Harry Allen should have been Red carded for a stupid challenge on the Blidworth keeper. A few minutes later Allen curled in a beauty of a shot to equalise.

Some of the challenges were getting a bit tasty and on 80 minutes Blidworth player Keenan Leeds was sent off for a head butt in front of the referee. Hucknall Rolls increased the pressure in an attempt to find a winner before the game went into extra time. With Two minutes remaining Rolls found the winning goal when Matthews raced through the Blidworth defence to shoot past the keeper. It was announced after the game that Hucknall Rolls Leisure FC would fold at the end of the season due to their landlords wanting the club to pay a large sum of money to use the facilities at the complex.

St Andrews 2-1 Radford

Radford hung on bravely with ten men but two minutes into time added on a defensive blunder gave St Andrews victory.

Radford started off well and were in command for the first twenty minutes. Kenny Reeves had a deflected shot go wide of the goal before scoring with a tap in  after good work by Joe Heggerty. Radford were winning many aerial challenges but it all turned pear shape when Phil Granville was shown a red card on 40 minutes after he made a challenge leaving a St Andrews player clutching his head. Several free kicks were awarded to the home side and from one of these Dan Henfrey headed in the equaliser for St Andrews just before half time.

At the start of the second half Dunning pulled off a brilliant one handed save to deny Shay Brennan. St Andrews missed a hatful of chances and the Radford defence were performing heroics. Radford created a breakaway chance but the ball fell to Carey Knight who hit the ball wide of the goal with his wrong foot. The game was looking like it would end in a draw but 2 minutes into time added on Dunning was caught in possession and the ball bundled into the net by Shay Brennan.

Gedling MW 1-2 Radford

The Radford keeper made an horrendous mistake on 14 minutes when he misjudged the bounce of the ball allowing Dalton Stephens the opportunity to put the ball into an empty net for the home side. After this calamity Radfords Joe Meakin had a volley that was directed straight at the keeper. Phil Hinton came close with a Radford effort on 28 minutes when Joe Heggerty crossed into the area. Radford found an equaliser when Phil Granville crossed for Hinton to tap in from close range on 37 minutes. Just before half time Phil Granville had a shot that rebounded off the crossbar after good work from Carey Knight.

Straight from the restart Radford went on the attack when Joe Meakin sent in a pinpoint cross for Granville whose flick-on was turned round the post by the keeper. A minute later Meakin saw a shot from outside of the area go a foot over the crossbar, Radford took the lead on 62 minutes through John King. Phil Granville played a delightful ball through the Gedling defence allowing King to run on and round the keeper before slotting the ball into an empty net. King again came close to adding to the score when he twisted and turned in the area before seeing his shot go just wide of the Gedling goal. Radford came close to adding to the score when Meakin had another effort just cleared the bar from a shot from just outside the area and Knight blasted over from close range after Jaylee Hodgson had set him up.

  

Anstey Nomads 1-0 Radford

Anstey Nomads 1-0 Radford
EMCL

Radford were a poor shadow of the side that took them to the top of the league on Bank Holiday Monday. Anstey were looking the team most likely to open the scoring. In a game of few chances Anstey did infact take the lead after Radford keeper 'El Loco', Stainsby was caught in possession. Simon Hore came close to equalising on 30 minutes when a low drive went wide of the post then on 40 minutes the same player had a goal bound header tipped over the bar to safety. Stainsby Pulled off a superb save to deny Joe Hartopp.

Radford had the better of possession but few efforts on goal in the second half. John King hit a fine shot that hit the stantion of the goal five minutes into the second half before being cleared. It looked like Radford had found an equaliser midway into the half but a good goal was wrongly ruled out for offside after Joe Hegarty had crossed into the box. 

Greenwood 2-5 Radford

It was a scrappy game on a bumpy pitch but Radford took the lead on 9 minutes from a low drive from the edge of the area by John King. Greenwood took advantage of the dual signing system as they used several Unity players in their side. Connor Scott ran clear with the goal at his mercy only for the ref to pull him back awarding a free kick for a foul on him moments earlier. On 25 minutes Phil Hinton was at the far post to tap the ball in for Radfords second goal. Three minutes from half time Dwayne Brown was played through and the Greenwood striker ran on to score.

Nine minutes into the second half the ref adjudged there to be a foul on Carey Knight in the Greenwood area. Up stepped John King who made no mistake from the spot. King got his hat trick on 74 minutes when he turned and shot in one movement eight yards out from the Greenwood goal. It was 5-1 to Radford when Fraser Campbell was played through to slot the ball past the advancing keeper. With a minute remaining Dwayne Brown played a one two and the Greenwood man got his second goal of the game.

Radford 1-1 Ashby Ivanhoe

Ashby's number 8 Rowell needed treatment to a head wound sustained in the early minutes of the game but was allowed to continue after lengthy treatment. Kenny Reeves had the first chance to open the scoring on 9 minutes but a poor attempt at chipping the Ashby keeper landed in the keepers hands. The visitors were beginning to get the better of possession and were awarded several free kicks around the Radford area which were all cleared to safety. Radford broke free through Kenny Reeves but his run was halted in the area when he was brought down for a penalty. Jahred Russell took the spot kick which was saved by Chris Hodge and Joe Meakins rebound was blocked for a corner. Ashby were awarded their tenth corner of the first half in time added on, only to see Callum Dunning pull of a superb save from Sam Johnsons bullet header.

Radford started the second half on the front foot and one minute in Hesham Ramadan had a header tipped over the bar for a corner. Simon Hore had a header fly just over the bar from the resulting corner. Five minutes later Radford worked another corner and this time Joe Meakin picked out Simon Hore who powered home a header to put Radford 1-0 up on 51 minutes. Minutes later Radford came close to adding to the score when a free kick was flicked on by Hore for Reeves but the keeper saved the strikers effort. Connor Scott came on for Russell and immediately caused problems for the big Ashby centre backs. It was Radford who were now having the better of possession and John King sent over a cross into the area which Scott nearly made contact with. With time running out Ashby were awarded a couple of corners and from the second of these they found a late equaliser. After being partially cleared the ball was played towards the Radford goal and from a goalmouth scramble Danny Quinn prodded the ball into the net.

Radford v Clipstone 1-2 Notts Senior Cup Semi Final

Radford came close but ultimately lost by a single goal to NCEL Premier division side Clipstone FC. Radford started off well with John King causing problems for the visitors along the right wing. King set up phil Hinton who saw his effort go just wide of the goal. At the other end Radford keeper Stainsby pulled off an important one handed save to keep the scores level.

On 29 minutes it was Clipstone who took the lead when prolific goalscorer Nicky Walker finished a well worked move. Five minutes later Radfords Dave Udoh flicked home an equaliser from a John King cross. Clipstone came back at Radford and it was Walker again who was on the spot to give Clipstone an half time lead.

Jahred Russell came on for Dave Udoh at the start of the second half for Radford. The home side went in search of an equaliser and John King raced across the length of the 18 yard area before unleashing a low drive that was just wide of the Clipstone goal. The game was becoming increasingly disjointed and developed into a midfield scrap.

The Clipstone keeper did well to block a John King shot on 75 minutes and Radford were thwarted by some resolute defending as the game was edging towards 90 minutes. With two minutes remaining Radfords Joe Meakin shot from just outside the area but saw the ball hit the post and rebound to safety. Full time Radford 1 Clipstone 2.