Manager so frustrated as Clipstone crash again

The Cobras tuned up for their big local derby against Rainworth Miners Welfare on Bank Holiday Monday with a 5-1 reverse at the hands of Radford, leaving them still searching for their first point of the new campaign.

And yet they started the game so well, with Billy Whitehead hitting a post and both the same player and also man-of-the-match Marcus Beddoe spurning good one-on-one chances.

Hoole said: “I am very disappointed after dominating the first half and not capitalising on those one-on-ones. We could, and should, have put the game to bed.

“Then one lapse in concentration at the back gifted them the first goal just before half-time. In the second half, we created a couple of chances, but there was more bad defending for all four of Radford’s goals.”

Big striker Scott Litchfield gave the hosts their lead, turning in the area to fire past ‘keeper Sam Ogden. Ray Jackson doubled the advantage seven minutes into the second period before Litchfield completed his hat-trick with close-range strikes on 70 and 75.

Substitute Jordan Pick made it five before Jason Foster converted a free-kick from 20 yards for Clipstone’s late consolation goal.

CLIPSTONE LINE-UP --Ogden/ Fields, Carrington, Mullins, Harcourt, Smith, Beddoe (McDonald 60), Birchall, Whitehead (Nowaczyk 76), Foster, Pickering (Marchetta 60).