Club Match Reports

Thurnby Nirvana 5 Radcliffe Olympic 0

Radcliffe Olympic suffered a disappointing result in their first game of the season as they went down 5-0 to Thurnby Nirvana.

With just skipper Wes Spencer and Josh Royce remaining from last season’s First Team squad following a mass exodus of players during the close season, recently appointed manager Kevin Waddley is still in the process of building his squad. New signings Jack Smith, Ash Robinson and Nathan Hodges were included in the starting line up.

Radcliffe almost conceded after two minutes, but Joseph –Walker somehow managed to scoop the ball over an open goal from two yards out. Thurnby opened the scoring on twelve minutes when Pearson Nwango was allowed too much space on the edge of the area and fired the ball home. Within a minute Thurnby doubled their lead as the ball reached the unmarked Manget Baines to fire high into the net. Scott Bell was replaced by Matt Gamble as Radcliffe reorganised to try and tighten up in midfield.

Thurnby continued to pressure, Wes Spencer headed off the line before James Jackson in the home goal saved well from Nwango and Baines following up fired wide. Towards the end of the first half Radcliffe began to settle. Josh Royce and Ash Robinson combined to release Gamble whose shot was well saved by Scott Handley in the home goal. Robinson played the ball through to Jack Smith who slid the ball past the advancing Handley for it to narrowly pass the post. Robinson turned inside the box but his well struck was directed straight at Handley.

Half Time: 2-0

Within a minute of the restart Radcliffe suffered a setback as Jackson was slow off his line allowing Joseph Walker to steal in to lift the ball into an empty net. Thurnby continued to have the majority of the play and Jackson was called into action as he pulled off a superb save to turn a fiercely struck shot from Baines past the post before getting down well to save Joel Potters close range effort. Thurnby made it four on seventy minutes when Matt Melbourne cut inside from the right to fire home before Nwango completed the scoring on seventy six minutes as he sent his low drive into the corner of the net.

Adams and Hodges were replaced by Hegarty and Gartlan and made positive contributions before the final whistle.

Full Time: 5-0

Radcliffe’s next game will be next Saturday when they face Heanor Town in the Extra Preliminary Round of the FA Cup.

Report by John Watts

Radcliffe Olympic: J Jackson, S Adams (J Hegarty), A Waddley, E West, W Spencer, A Baker, A Robinson, S Bell, (M Gamble), J Royce, J Smith, N Hodges (M Gartlan).

Subs (not used): M Coaker, A Sinnott.

Thurnby Nirvana: S Handley, D Smith, L Day, R Walker, W Gibson, S Phillips (J Potter), P Nwanygo, R Amoo, R Joseph-Walker (J Miller), M Melbourne, M Bains (W Gonga).

Referee: I Raynor. Assistants: M Jarvis, I Khan.