HOLBROOK SPORTS 0-6 RADFORD: FULL MATCH REPORT...

Radford Stretch Away, As Russell Hurts Holbrook 

Holbrook Sports 0-6 Radford

The score looks like a hammering for Holbrook but Radford only really stretched away after the hosts were unable to equalise Reece ‘Rico’ Fyfe’s first-half strike for the guests, as Sports spurned three early opportunities after the break and then home left-back Sam Spencer’s headed own-goal, more of a Frank Spencer situation really, led to the combative and effective Radford midfielder Jahred Russell squeezing the life out of Holbrook. He had already assisted with the opener, then set up goals three and five, scoring goal four with a free-kick himself. And yet, there was a nasty incident in the opening period when home midfielder Ash Hayes fouled Russell, who responded by kicking out at his aggressor. The referee chose to caution both players and on reflection, maybe they will consider themselves slightly fortunate. Russell would go on to affect the result considerably but in truth, Radford performed better on the night, netting five times up the Holbrook slope. It was only a pity that we didn’t see Radford’s Marvelous Entiriwaa enter the fray, a fine name on a par with ex-Birmingham Bullets basketball player Fabulous Flournoy, now a coach, I believe…   

THE TOSS...

Radford mangled Holbrook’s start and really should have been ahead early but neither striker Errol Campbell, nor skipper Carey Knight could capitalise upon decent chances. Errol Campbell’s first effort, a volley, was more akin to a punt, he scooped another effort over the crossbar, one-on-one with Holbrook ‘keeper Chris Whiteley and after Knight had missed two opportunities, Errol fastened onto a hooked, if fortunate pass by tall forward Ken Reeves but Whiteley saved at his feet. Knight had benefited from a Reeves flick and from 6 yards, lifted his angled effort too high at the right post and he then drove an effort across the face of goal, but all Holbrook could muster was a long shot by number 9 Labrada Domini, which rolled well wide. 

RUSSELL, RIGHT, CONDUCTED EVENTS...

The flashpoint between Russell and Hayes was quickly over but rather spectacular anyway, yet the most angry player seemed to be Knight, who was pleading that Hayes had kind of stamped at Russell. Calming things down with a pair of yellow cards, the referee breathed a relief sigh and Russell then set about gripping the game. Nick Labbatte had replaced George Morgan for the home team I believe, for Spencer had moved inside and suddenly I had noticed a chap wearing 15… Such is the darkness of non-league and the lack of an announcer… Both fours had gone by half-time in fact, for Radford’s Reuben Desrosiers had been injured in an offensive situation and didn’t really recover, being replaced by Simon Hore, who was given the skipper’s armband by Knight, by night…

THE RECRIMINATIONS...

KNIGHT RIDER...

DESROSIERS CAN'T CONTINUE...

The opening goal, not too far from the interval, stemmed from a fine cross-field pass by Russell, right to left and the speedy Fyfe took on a home defender, his angled drive from inside the penalty-box deflecting off a Holbrook boot over the helpless Whiteley. A deserved lead but how Errol Campbell must have hoped for a little more luck like that, for he had foraged in attack for Radford but with no real reward. Despite the strength of home defender Sylvanus Bockarie, Holbrook had rarely threatened Adrian Hawes and his fellow Radford defenders but after Reeves was substituted by Kev Mushabi at the break, leaving the visitors bereft of an aerial threat on offense, the hosts would test their guests as the second period began.

0-1: FYFE DRUMS ONE IN...

A shot on the run by the eager Paul Fisher rapped against the outside of the right upright from 25 yards and a couple of efforts from the left-flank came to nought too. Labbatte drove into the side-netting and a right-footer, maybe from Kristian Gilbert or Jamie Turner, flashed across the goalmouth. Incredibly, a long boot forward by Radford ‘keeper Kavel Patel (an assist for him?) led to a farce in the home defence; Spencer attempted to nod the bouncing ball back to Whiteley but he had advanced and the ball rolled into the vacant net. I did that once too, and it’s so frustrating to watch the ball bounce apologetically into goal and be unable to anything about it… Spencer pulled his shirt up over his face to cover his expression and really, Radford didn’t look back.

WHITELEY, AFTER THE OWN-GOAL...

Matt Hopewell, the Radford left-back was replaced by Joe Evans, Errol Campbell was nudged clear again but Whiteley saved well at his feet, at the expense of a corner and a decent 23 yard effort by the ever more influential Russell flew past the left post. The third goal was well constructed by Russell: a pass for Fyfe to run onto at inside-right and beat the ‘keeper with a low shot into the left corner of the net from 15 yards.

0-3 & FYFE HAS SCORED AGAIN.
RUSSELL (6) GETS THE ASSIST...

Radford’s Hawes, taller than anyone in the Holbrook penalty-area for a subsequent free-kick situation, saw the ball fall onto his boot but, unbalanced, was unable to get in a shot, then Errol Campbell was floored and Russell drove a 20 yard free-kick into the right side of the net, a shot which took a touch off the Sports defensive-wall, I reckon. 

0-4: RUSSELL...

...& RADFORD ARE FLYING...

Radford were running the game by this time and Holbrook were simply doing what they could to limit the damage but soon, a long, low pass was just flicked slightly by Russell and Errol Campbell, onside, benefited from the break and this time, although Whiteley advanced and got something on the striker’s low shot, the ball went into the net. 0-5 and still another goal to come. A 25 yard free-kick by the hard-working Radford man Frazer Campbell flew too high, Domini was cautioned for Sports, for a foul on the more deep-lying but still effective Fyfe, then Radford completed their half-dozen.

FINALLY, ERROL CAMPBELL HAS SCORED...

0-5...

Right-back Ash Miles had featured well for his team during the encounter, had lately moved further forward into midfield and he was involved in the build-up to his goal. He then made for the penalty-box as Errol Campbell fed Fyfe and he passed to I believe Evans, whose right-side delivery was headed home by Miles, a 10 yarder, just inside the near stick. Russell, playing as Errol Campbell’s strike partner during this half of course, saw a shot go straight to Whiteley and another seared past the right angle of bar and post from 25 yards, as the game waned to a sad home defeat for Holbrook but to a fine away victory for the claret and blues.

0-6: MILES AHEAD NOW...

What was a scrappy first-half became a decent second period, for Radford moved the ball around with more aplomb. Holbrook looked a beaten team right after the own-goal but they continued to battle nevertheless, despite the later goals being conceded. Bockarie continued to drive forward at every opportunity but the Radford defence offered little scope, bar Fisher’s decent strike. Russell might have scored more than one goal, Knight might be disappointed with his pair of misses but he always provided the width for his team, especially when Fyfe dropped back after the interval and became more of a creator than a run-at-defenders winger. Reeves wasn’t missed as it turned out and Patel wouldn’t have experienced a much easier evening at this level between the posts for Radford. Sam Spencer did OK but will recall his own-goal in bad dreams for a few nights, maybe…

LOVELY FIRST VIEW OF THE GROUND...

TEAMS:

HOLBROOK SPORTS:

CHRIS WHITELEY, GARY DRAKE (CAPT), SAM SPENCER, GEORGE MORGAN, SYLVANUS BOCKARIE, GRAHAM O’REILLY, JAMIE TURNER, ASH HAYES, LABRADA DOMINI, PAUL FISHER, KRISTIAN GILBERT.

SUBS:

ASH WILLIS, CALLUM GREEN, NICK LABBATTE, VAUGHN HALLSWORTH.

RADFORD:

KAVEL PATEL, ASH MILES, MATT HOPEWELL, REUBEN DESROSIERS, ADRIAN HAWES, JAHRED RUSSELL, CAREY KNIGHT (CAPT), FRAZER CAMPBELL, ERROL CAMPBELL, KEN REEVES, REECE FYFE.

SUBS:

SIMON HORE, PHIL HINTON, MARVELOUS ENTIRIWAA, KEV MUSHABI, JOE EVANS.