UP NEXT, we have our biggest game of the season so far as we welcome Radford FC to the Stag Ground in the derby of the groundsman. Mark “Garth” Silvers very carefully looks after the pitches of both clubs and keeps them in a great condition throughout every football season. With a place in the final at stake, the difference in divisions and form goes right out of the window in what will be a hotly contested match.

Kimberley go into the match with a slight dip in form having lost their last three matches albeit to two teams in the top six and a Clay Cross side who have dramatically recruited in recent weeks. Goals have not been a problem over the last five weeks, with their last blank drawn against Skegness in a 2-0 defeat in mid-February. The miners will want to tighten up at the back, having conceded twelve goals in their last three matches.

Radford will come to the Stag Ground in hope of a cup upset, being a division below their hosts and will have an eye on Kimberley’s recent form as they look towards this evenings’ fixture. However, their own form hasn’t been what they would have wanted, with one victory in their last fourteen matches in all competitions. With four goals scored and six conceded in their last three matches, they two will hope to tighten things up at the back for tonight's encounter.

Kimberley’s last match was last Tuesday night under the lights (most of them) for the first time at The Stag Ground this season. With the discovery of two faulty lights upon switch on, the Stag Pub end of the pitch was a little darker than we would have liked but still playable. Clay Cross took the lead just five minutes in as the miners defence was caught napping when a poor cross found itself at the feet of a totally unmarked Alex Marshall, who had an eternity to pick his spot and open the scoring from eight yards. Things were made worse on the half hour mark as Max Thornberry found himself in the referee’s notebook twice to be given his marching orders. First came a clumsy tackle on the edge of the box, followed by a very harsh second yellow card for what looked like a fair challenge on half way. This seemed to wake up a previously poor Kimberley side, who went into half time the better side despite being down to ten men. The miners continued to turn the screw throughout the second half and were rewarded when the returning Josh Mundell equalised on his debut. Despite pushing for the win, Kimberley were sucker punched in injury time as an unmarked Eden Homer bagged the winner, following up a good save from Tom Smith in the Kimberley goal as his marker switched off.
Final Score - Kimberley Miners Welfare 1-2 Clay Cross Town

Radford’s last match was a Saturday trip to face Clipstone. Radford opened the scoring on twelve minutes through Nashiem Isman where the score stayed the same until half time. Two goals in six minutes midway through the second half through Luke Bacon and ex-Kimberley Reserves player Lewis Deavin coming off the bench gave Clipstone the lead. Will Southern sealed the win for the home side with two minutes to go to send Radford home with a defeat which sees them just three points above the drop zone.
Final Score - Clipstone 3-1 Radford

A LITTLE ABOUT THE OPPOSITION

Founded in 1964 as Manlove & Alliots FC and playing in the Nottinghamshire Sunday league. Manlove & Alliots were an engineering firm situated in Radford. After the firm transferred to Scotland in 1970/71, the club carried on first of all under the name of Fountain FC, sponsored by a Nottingham pub of the same name until sponsorship by the local Pheasant Inn and then changing name to Radford Olympic for the 1975/6 season. In 1977 we became the first amateur side in Britain to be allowed to wear advertising on our shirts and the BBC Television came along to our home ground on Melbourne Park and filmed one of our matches and interviewed officials for the evening programme “Nationwide”. In 1978 we formed a ground development committee and decided to seek out a piece of ground preferably in the Radford area for development of our own ground. Radford Olympic transferred to Saturday Football in 1980 and made progress up the leagues and in 1982/83 finished Champions of the East Midlands Regional League Division 1, then joining the newly formed Central Midlands League.

In 1983/84, we won the Central Midlands League Senior Cup and then in 1987 Radford Olympic were renamed Radford F.C, the name we have carried ever since. At the end of 2002/03 we were promoted to the Supreme Division of the Central Midlands League and in our first season in the top flight we finished 11th. After holding our own during the seasons 2003/04 & 2004/05 in the top league of the Central Midlands League, the club delivered silverware in the season 2005/06 under the guidance of Julian Garmston and assistant Pete Kelley, winning the C.M.L Phoenix Trophies floodlight Cup and equally impressive was the equal fifth place finish in the C.M.L Supreme Division which in an extremely tough league. New floodlighting and 1st phase significant ground improvements were actioned. During season 2005/6 a seated stand was completed. Season 2008/09, was a big challenge for Radford F.C. as we moved up a level to the new Step 6 East Midlands Counties Football League. The following season we competed in the FA Cup for the first time. Several moderate seasons followed until 2014-2015 when the club finished third. A league runners-up place followed in 2015 – 2016. Silverware came to the club in 2017-2018 by way of winning the League Cup

A new era for the club began at the start of the 2021-2022 season with a sideways move to the United Counties League. Following an exciting season, the club qualified for the end of season play offs by finishing fourth. In the semi finals a slim defeat to Belper United meant we remained in Division One for a second season and here we have remained since.

FINALLY

Both sides will welcome the break from the league as they go into battle to reach the county cup final. While the miners would be touted as favourites based on league positions, this will be far from the truth as these cup matches really are levellers.

We hope for a large crowd to cheer us onto the final

The bar will be open from 6pm

Kick off is at 19:45

See you then