Mardy Bum

Kirton Brickworks  0  Bestwood Colliery  5

Nottinghamshire Senior League – First Division

Admission / Programme – No / No

It was 2pm on New Years Eve, I was sat on the sofa, all my plans had gone down the toilet and I was set for an afternoon watching the telly, and at that stage it was too early the crack open the session lager.

Mrs H had gone to East Midlands Designer Outlet, and I was a grumpy bunny. Plan A was Wirksworth Ivanhoe, that was off due to warthogs, I did look at Plan B down at East Leake but when I finally found out Wirksworth was off and I’d got my dilatory arse into gear, it was too late to make the 1pm kick off.

With the face on, I was scrolling through Twitter when it jumped out at me, Kirton Brickworks v Bestwood Colliery, but being played at the Radford Hymas Academy in Mansfield, with a 3pm kick off! Have it, we were back on, it was a new ground, and it was less than half an hour away, like wasps in a jar, we were buzzing!

The RH Academy (as is it’s abbreviated title) is a relatively new facility that was built on the Western edges of Mansfield as a football academy / training ground for Mansfield Town Football Club. Club owner John Radford and fellow director of the Stags, Steve Hymas, were the driving forces / funders of the project and having never visited before, I have to say I was very impressed with what I found upon arrival.

Located beyond a primary school down a narrow lane, a car park opens up on your right hand side with a smart two story building complete with branding and signage directly in front. It looks like this building contains dressing rooms, offices, classrooms and a large canteen area. To the left of the building are further buildings containing dressing rooms and gym facilities, while the centre piece is a floodlit 4G playing surface complete with small seated stand.

Adjacent to the 4G are superbly manicured grass pitches complete with dugouts and filming gantries, and respectfully, for a club of MTFC’s stature, this is a really impressive and professional base that would without doubt impress any new recruit or promising young scholar.

My arrival was a bit later than I normally rock up for games, largely due to the late decision to go, but when I did arrive I did spot a few familiar faces. The Groundhop UK duo were in attendance complete with a fellow traveller from Milton Keynes, while also in attendance was ‘royalty’ in the shape of Lord Tony Incenzo, the self-styled Minister for Non-League Football (if he reads this I fully expect him to block me on Twitter – as is his modus operandi!)

It was raining, quite a bit, but that wasn’t to put the hardy souls off who had pitched up for the game, and I have to say, despite the score line, it was a very entertaining and engaging game of football.   

The 5-0 away win came courtesy of goals from Kasey Fisher, Carey Knight, Courtney Samuels, Macauley Tinsley and Jake Fisher, but to be fair on the balance of play, I did think Kirton played some good football and had some decent spells in the game.

The difference I would say was down to the fact that Bestwood were stronger physically and to my mind they were a little bit more streetwise and clinical when it mattered. Taking your chances is critical at any level of football, and Bestwood certainly did that.

So with the rain pouring, and the final whistle looming I made for the exits, it was dark, and it was time to go home. 2022 was over from a footballing point of view, and what a memorable year it has been, but for now, it was time for lager, cheese and biscuits.

2023, Happy New Year everyone, may all your plastic pitches be evenly crumbed......!