RADFORD FC (Selhurst Street)

UNITED COUNTIES LEAGUE DIVISION ONE, RADFORD 2-1 BLACKSTONES, ATTENDANCE: 90

I was originally heading to Selhurst Street prior to the Nottingham Forest vs Everton game back in December but a frozen pitch put paid to that plan, so today was the perfect opportunity to try again.

Radford is part of Nottingham and is a couple of miles north of the centre city. The football club was Founded in 1964 as Manlove & Alliots FC, who were an Engineering firm situated in Radford. After the firm transferred to Scotland in 1970/71, the club changed its name to Radford Olympic before moving to Saturday football for season 1979/80, joining the Central Alliance League. The club were one of the first amateur teams to carry a shirt sponsor, a local pub, the Pheasant Inn, hence the nickname of The Pheasants.

Radford then joined the East Midlands Regional League the following season and then moved into their own home at Selhurst Street for season 1981-82. In season 1982/83 Olympic finished Champions of Division One and moved over to the Central Midlands League. The club remained in this league until 2008 when they became founder members of the East Midlands Counties League. Now known as Radford, after dropping the Olympic in 1987, the club remained in the East Midlands Counties League until it was disbanded in 2021, when the club became members of the United Counties League.

Stamford based Blackstones were the visitors to Radford this afternoon in this United Counties League Division One encounter and the question 'who'd be a goalkeeper?' was definitely asked today!

There wasn't a lot between the teams (8th vs 7th at start of play) but the unfortunate Simon Dalton certainly helped Radford this afternoon. The Blackstones no1 misjudged a cross from Mitchell Tait (after 3 minutes) and the ball sailed into the back of the net. 

The worst was yet to come. A tame effort, from outside the box, from Josh Gardner (25) appeared to be comfortably gathered by Dalton but somehow the ball squirmed underneath his body and trickled over the line.

Inbetween the goals Radford's Conor Moore made a tremendous clearance off the line when it looked like certain goal.

To be fair to Dalton he kept his side in the game in the second half as Radford countered as Blackstones pushed forward. The visitors finally got their goal through Ed Thorpe (84) and at that point it seemed the equaliser would soon follow but Radford held on.

SELSTON FC (Parish Hall Ground)

FA VASE 1st QUALIFYING ROUND, SELSTON 2-1 BARROW TOWN, ATT: 122

After my initial plan of York City vs Hereford fell victim to an outbreak of Covid-19 in the away camp, the finger of fate led me to Nottinghamshire for an all United Counties League FA Vase tie between Selston and Barrow Town.

Selston is a former mining village 13  miles north of Nottingham. Selston Football Club was formed in 1968 as a Sunday league club before moving into the senior game in 1986 when they joined the Central Midlands League. They moved to the Midlands Regional Alliance in 1992 but rejoined the Central Midlands in 1997. They won promotion to the Supreme Division in 1999 but were relegated back to the Premier in 2002.

The first team went into abeyance for three seasons, as the club concentrated on its youth set-up, but returned in 2006 to re-join the Midland Regional Alliance, winning the Division Two title in 2008 before moving to the Nottinghamshire Senior League in 2011. In 2015 they rejoined the Central Midlands League, winning the South Division title in 2016 and again 2017, and they were then promoted to the East Midlands Counties League.

After the restructuring of the non-league pyramid in 2021 they were transferred across to the Premier Division North of the United Counties League.

Selston play their home games at the Parish Hall Ground in the centre of the village. The ground is three sided, as it is shared with the local cricket team.

This Vase tie was an entertaining game to watch. Barrow will probably be wondering how this game got away, but it proved the old adage that it's not how you start it's how you finish. 

The Riversiders were much the better team in the first half and, after taking an early lead when Nick Reeves (8) headed home from a corner, they failed to capitalise on their advantage. 

Selston equalised somewhat against the run of play after 19 minutes, when Lucas Brough broke clear but his effort was saved by Randall but the rebound fell to George Layton who fired home, despite the Randall recovering to get a hand on the ball. Even at 1-1 the visitors still looked the more likely as their two wingers were causing all sorts of problems for the Selston defence.

In the second period Selston nullified these threats and, after taking the lead on 65 minutes, when Layton drilled home his second of the afternoon, they were quite comfortable in seeing the game out as Barrow simply ran out of ideas.

An enjoyable game to watch on a pleasant afternoon in Nottinghamshire.