A single Kurtis Bamford strike put Saturday’s horror show behind them on Easter Monday to end Rainworth’s first EMCL season on a single goal winning note at neighbours Clipstone.
Bamford’s 64th minute 20-yard free kick deflected off the defensive wall to finally beat Steve Smith in the Cobras’ goal.
Despite having debutant striker Danny Fletcher sent off for retaliation in only the 16th minute, the 10 men of Rainworth were still too good for a Clipstone side whose winless run extended to 30 games.
And only some wayward finishing, desperate defending, and excellent goalkeeping by Smith prevented Rainworth from winning by a bigger margin.
The home goal led a charmed life in the first half, with Ethan Wiestort’s lob tipped onto the bar by Smith in the 28th minute the closest to breaking the deadlock.
With the scoreboard untroubled in the first half, former Wren Rob Paling almost punished his old club’s wastefulness in the opening seconds after the interval with a rising shot from distance that rattled the bar.
But that was as close as the home side came to a goal, and after that Wiesztort was twice denied, first by Smith and then by sub Adam Spencer’s line clearance, before Bamford’s goal sealed the points for the visitors.
And Clipstone were fortunate to 10 against 10 when former Wren James Munson saw only yellow for a stamping offence 18 minutes from time.