The FA Cup road to Wembley starts here ...
Saturday 15th August 2009. FA Cup Extra Preliminary RoundSelhurst Street (off Radford Road), Hyson Green, Nottingham
Radford (0) 0
Rainworth Miners Welfare (2) 3 (Topliss 10, Baxter 44, McDonald 70)
Admission £4. Programme £1. Attendance 102.
Today marked Radford's first ever game in the FA Cup in their 45 year history and there was a real buzz about the place.It's a shame a few more people couldn't have turned out to watch them on this historic day, because this homely and friendly club really pull out all the stops to give all visitors a warm welcome ... the unstinting efforts and enthusiasm of their supporters are a great example to fans of all other non league clubs of what can be achieved if they actually get involved with their team instead of merely just turning up and being a spectator ... it's not everybody's cup of tea to be 'hands on' I know, but the rewards of such 'collective responsibility' are clearly visible for all to see at Radford.
Alas, Radford came up against some pretty formidable opposition today in Rainworth MW.Rudy Funk's side were smarting from a 0-4 defeat on the first day of the season and weren't about to be caught off guard again today.
On ten minutes (above) Julian Topliss was sent through on the left hand side of the area, waited for the keeper to come out and placed the ball neatly past him for the opening goal.
Meanwhile over in the stand, local football 'legend' "RainworthGord" (below) was typing all the details into his laptop to provide live updates on 'the Wrens' website.
You'd have to go a long way to meet anybody else as knowledgeable about non league football and as gentlemanly in conduct as Gordon Foster.
After the first goal, it looked as though the Wrens were going to stuff the Pheasants in this 'Nottinghamshire bird derby' and it was one way traffic for a while, but Radford found there feet and began to make a fist of their efforts to pull level as the half progressed.Apparently it had been quite galling for Rudy Funk that his team had conceded goals late in both halves of their previous game and he had demanded that they didn't switch off early today. He'd have been especially happy then and Radford completely gutted, that on 44 minutes, Matt Baxter got on the end of a cross on the edge of the six yard box to volley home the visitors second.
Radford kept plucking away (last bad bird pun I promise) in the second half, but Rainworth soaked up the pressure well and were biding their time.I'm sure Radford's stocky, but short, centre forward would have preferred passes to his feet rather than vaingloriously competing for aerial balls against Rainworth's tall centre back pairing all afternoon. But he never gave up trying.
On seventy minutes Massiah McDonald found himself on the edge of Radford's box, he turned left, then right, then unleashed an unstoppable shot past Mark Rollson to effectively finish the tie off.
This was my inaugral visit to Radford FC, to be honest I didn't realise their ground was tucked away where it is, just off Radford Road, when I've passed by numerous times before.The enthusiasm of the people there is quite infectious ... and I wouldn't hesitate to visit a game at Selhurst Street again when I'm in the locality.
I hasten to add, when I've been in Hyson Green before it had nothing to do with the 'working girls' who allegedly operate around certain streets in the nearby vicinity. It's easy for an area of any city to get a bad reputation, but Hyson Green is nothing like the run down no go area it's made out to be. I reckon it's all a propaganda ploy by the council to get people to use the by pass road ;-)
So Rainworth now entertain Gresley or Heather St. Johns at home in the preliminary round, their tie ended two apiece today (replay Tuesday).
The other game I'd pencilled in if I wasn't going to be near Radford this afternoon finished Stone Dominoes 7 v. Cadbury Athletic 0.
I have a lot of time and respect for people like Rudy Funk and Gordon Foster at Rainworth, so good luck to them for a decent cup run this season. I thought they were a bit unlucky when I saw Stourbridge knock them out in a replay last year.
