The best efforts of Storm Gareth could not stop a rampant Flowserve
THERE was a circus top next to Rainworth Miners’ Welfare’s Kirklington Road venue, but it was Newark Flowserve who had the last laugh in the League Cup Semi-final against their fierce rivals Radford FC.
The best efforts of Storm Gareth disrupted any hopes of an entertaining evening, but the Newark side showed how to play with the wind advantage and their superior class on and off the field shone through in the end.
With the elements – and the refereeing decisions – against them in the first half, Flowserve found life difficult in the first period. But The Highwaymen – roared on once again by their magnificent travelling support – brought the curtain down on holders Radford’s hopes of retaining the cup with a command performance after the break.
Flowserve named just two substitutes, with a number of players cup-tied or injured, but there was another welcome appearance in an orange shirt of Bradley Wells, who is dual-signed with Spalding.
The game was under threat after an earlier deluge, but sunshine and the strong wind in the afternoon saw the game pass a tea-time inspection, and Rainworth’s billiard table venue was in fine fettle and provided a worthy venue.
With just two goals scored in their league meetings which had seen the two share slender 1-0 away victories, a glut of goals wasn’t expected. But Flowserve did well in the teeth of the gale to contain Radford to just one goal – scored in the 32nd minute by Ryan Smith.
The second half began with a trumpet blast as the men in orange roared into life, first levelling when Jammy Lloyd ghosted into the area to deflect a fine header into the net from Wells’ cross from the left on 52 minutes.
Then, three minutes later, provider turned scorer when Wells powered home a header from Blair Anderson’ corner from the right, and the whole team galloped over to celebrate in front of the boys from the banter bus.
Anderson, enjoying his best performance in an orange shirt, then thundered home a left foot effort with 12 minutes remaining to wrap up a 3-1 scoreline.
Rather than ‘send in the clowns’, they were sent home.
Newark Flowserve: 1 Nathan Burrows; 2 Sol Miller (Curtis Price 92mins); 3 Will Rawdon; 4 Tom Potts (captain); 5 Steve Kirkham; 6 Rhys Lewis; 7 Bradley Wells; 8 Jack Beckett (Ryan Broxholme 87mins); 9 Tyrell Shannon-Lewis; 10 Jammy Lloyd; 11 Blair Anderson.
Attendance: 164.