Football: Sweet solo by Radford

Bridlington Town. . 1

Tiverton Town. . . .0

A SECOND-HALF solo goal by Alan Radford, a 30-year-old who was made redundant from his mining job earlier this year, won the FA Vase for Bridlington Town here yesterday.

It was a happy return to the twin towers for the east-coast club, who lost to Yeading in the final of the 1990 Vase - and for their manager, Colin Richardson, a canny Geordie who won the same tournament with Whickham 12 years ago.

These are two successful sides: Bridlington are the champions of the HFS Loans League First Division while Tiverton came second in the Great Mills League. Both teams - if only in flashes - displayed their class, but on a day when defences held the upper hand it always looked as though one goal would be decisive.

Graeme Jones thought he had scored the vital opener in the 44th minute, when he found the net after a Radford shot had come back off the post. An offside flag curtailed his celebrations, however. The one that did count arrived in the 64th minute, when Radford bustled down the right flank, shrugged off the challenge of Mark Saunders and beat Ian Nott at his near post.

Despite the best efforts of the impressive Phil Everett, Steve Daly and Hedley Steele, their 39-year- old captain, there was no way back for the men from Devon. At least they can try again next term in the Vase. The promoted Bridlington now move up to the FA Trophy, in which Wycombe Wanderers meet Runcorn in today's final.

Bridlington Town: I Taylor; S Brentano, I McKenzie, L Harvey, P Bottomley, D Woodcock, C Grocock, A Roberts, G Jones, A Radford (A Tyrell, 83 min), G Parkinson. Substitute not used: C Swailes. Manager: C Richardson.

Tiverton Town: I Nott; J Smith, N Saunders, M Saunders, M Short (M Scott, 80 min), H Steele, L Annunziata, K Smith, P Everett, S Daly, S Hynds (P Rogers, 73 min). Player-Manager: M Rogers.

Referee: R Hart (Darlington).

Goal: Radford (1-0, 64 min).