BATMAN WINS THE DAY AS RADFORD AND HOLBROOK ARE GOALLESS

RADFORD 0 V HOLBROOK SPORTS 0
EAST MIDLANDS COUNTIES FOOTBALL LEAGUE AT THE ON CALL ARENA
25 FEBRUARY 2017 --- 3PM

A MOODY ON CALL ARENA HOME OF RADFORD FC

Always a great little club to visit Radford and 0-0 affairs can be enthralling, this one was not. Forgotten by the time we exited onto Selhurst St outside the ground 30 seconds later.  The walk away from the game covered nothing of the proceeding 90 minutes football wise barring of course discussing the ground and the love of this superb little club.  The newly titled On Call Arena is nestled into the streets of Hyson Green just minutes away from the centre of Nottingham, close up to the action with a friendly welcome and a feel of a real non league ground its always a special visit.
It had been just short of a year since the blogs original visit, so I wont describe the set up again, and today following in the wake of a stormy week and with games falling to waterlogging the Rainbow 1 was picked up at Alfreton with the fall back options of 3g at Eastwood and Basford standing by.  But as ever the pitch here was well drained and ready for some sort of football action.

NEVER LET IT BE SAID THE BLOG CHERRY PICKS ITS GAMES

Taking a few steps back we arrived just short of the ground and decided to eat at a new big 'M's at Bobbers Mill this was a smart looking former pub fast food establishment, seats were at a premium and I ended up sharing a table with superhero Batman who had a feel of familiarity about him!

DADADADADADA MICKMAN KAPOW!

After a brief meander around Hyson Green and an observation of a few of the magnificent trams in action we were ready to pop along and see John on the gate at the ground, always good to see a friendly face and a warm welcome was guaranteed.

THE NEW EXTENSION IS VISABLE TO THE RIGHT OF THE CLUBHOUSE AT SELHURST ST

A brief catch up told us of the part built extension to the club house which swings out in front of the turnstiles and will offer a lovely development for Radford who are also hoping to extend the changing rooms to the other side of the clubhouse.  The home side will also have Notts County loanee Tamar Clayton-Naute making his debut today.
In the clubhouse it was good to catch up with Neil Allsop who was down to referee today but had been replaced by Mansfield Woodhouse based official Ian Jackson, good to see you today Neil hopefully catch you again soon.  Time moved on very fast and as the players came out it dawned on me this was of course a EMCL game not my favourite of league but at least it was at Radford and there was plenty of points of interest around the ground and how I was to need them on a dark afternoon that made action pictures difficult.

REFEREE IAN JACKSON WITH CAMERA CREW AND ASSESSOR KEEPING A CLOSE WATCH

The first half brought very little of note to the proceedings with Ashley Miles for the home side putting a high ball just wide in a one on one with visiting keeper and blond bombshell Daniel Graves.  At the other end just before half time Simeon Lawrence and Lobrada Domini fired across goal and just wide and that dear reader just about summed up the opening 45 minutes.

HOLBROOK KEEPER DANIEL GRAVES KEEPS THE COLOUR SCHEME INTERESTING

The second half saw the first action on 59 minutes when Matt Henley struck the post before Kenny Reeves side footed effort in the same move fell wide.  Holbrook were given the incentive to get back into the gme following this near miss and for a period of time looked the team likely to break the deadlock until the closing stages which probably produced the most exciting, if that's the right word, part of this game.  A superb left wing run from debutant Clayton-Naute which started deep in his own half fed Radford substitute James Forbes who just couldn't find the opening in a crowd box to find the back of the net on 83 minutes.  Just two minutes later the home side were awarded a free kick 25 yards out and Joe Meakin curled on towards goal only for Graves to push over for a corner.

SOME GREAT MOVEMENT

That about sums up the encounter it was one of those games you knew would end goalless after about 25 minutes a draw was a fair result although a few goals would have been nice I'm afraid some of the finishing was......well way of the mark.  Todays attendance was 39 but with only 15 paying spectators you have to applaud the crew at Radford, its so disappointing for me to see a lovely little club in need of some tender loving care from the Nottingham football loving public lets hope they will see an increase in interest soon.

ON CALL ACTION WITH RADFORD ON THE ATTACK

Game quickly forgotten a brief walk to the bus stop for the returning Rainbow 1 to Alfreton at just short of 5.20pm saw us finally board a bus heading towards Heanor at 5.45pm after our intended services non arrival.  Having seen the service to Alfreton now behind us at Giltbrook we got off our service and ran to the back off the bus to flag down the delayed Alfreton service which unbelievably picked up enough time to allow us to board the Comet to return back to base at 7pm, the joys of public transport.  It may be time to apply to do an Open University degree course in the operations of public transport from a customer perspective.
Shame about the game but Radford is always worth a visit and today supported that theory again.

A FIRST HALF INJURY FOR CALLUM GREEN SAW AN EARLY SUBSTITUTION