by Peter Scherer
A harsh red card for Charlie Hickingbottom left Mickleover on the back foot last night at Corby Town. Despite holding out for 70 minutes they finally succumbed to a 0-2 defeat.
Starting line-up: 1- Jack McDowell; 2-Darryl Powell; 3-Sam Sanders; 4-Will Atkinson; 5-Charlie Hickingbottom; 6-George Wilkinson; 7-Kane Richards; 8-Josh Ashman; 9-Manni Norkett; 10-Andy Dales; 11-Josh Carter. Subs: Luca Alonzi; Jude Taylor; Dwayne Wiley; Theo Rowe; Harvey Smith.
Kick off was delayed by 15 minutes at Steel Park due to power issues, which was very poorly communicated by the home officials. It was barely 30 minutes before kick off that the game was finally confirmed as on.
Straight from the kick off Mickleover were on the attack, with Carter charging down the left wing to win the first corner after two minutes. Dales then got through on the left a minute later, but his cross missed Norkett by a whisker.
Corby’s first attack earned a corner too after seven minutes, Wilkinson cleared, before a follow up shot was blocked. McDowell then had to punch away another effort before the rebound went wide.
Richards went down in the box after 14 minutes, he looked for a penalty, but the appeals were understandably waved away.
Corby continued to push forward and created chances, but lack of accuracy made sure the Mickleover goal remained unthreatened. They earned a 17th minute corner, but that came to nought too.
Mickleover then broke forward a minute later, Carter carved through the middle and let loose a stinging shot, well saved by the home keeper, for another corner.
As it continued fairly even with both sides looking for a break, Dales was pushing forward, when Corby skipper Hobbins committed a horrendously late tackle, which instead of giving a straight red card or at least a yellow, the referee and his assistant totally ignored it and didn’t even give a free kick, even though he had previously yellow carded Hickingbottom and Wilkinson for much lesser offences. While Dales received lengthy treatment Hobbins stood over the scene to, apparently finding it funny.
Corby had another shot wildly over the bar on the half hour, before Carter led another break only to be fouled again.
McDowell saved a close range shot 24 minutes in and then Manning tried a 36th minute lob, again well wide of the target. Mickleover then won a free kick, which came to nothing.
With half time approaching Richards floated in a cross from the left, it found Carter on the right and he returned the favour before it was cleared.
But with a minute left on the clock Hickingbottom was alleged to have handled the ball, when it actually struck his hand from behind as he retreated in defence. “I didn’t even see the ball,” said Hickingbottom. The referee consulted with his assistant, who had already been swayed by Corby players and the home crowd, issued a second yellow card, followed by a red and Sports were down to 10 men, as they went into the half time break still 0-0.
Mickleover won a free kick at the beginning of the second half, from which Ashman blasted a shot at the keeper. Although
Dales had reappeared he soon had to surrender to the injured ankle from the appalling tackle earlier in the game and was replaced by Wiley.
The referee then realised he was also able to book Corby players too, as Craig’s name was taken after 49 minutes. Norkett was then fouled on the right wing, from which Richards’ free kick was blocked.
Atkinson and Ashman were both having outstanding games playing back and forth, as Powell, Wiley, Wilkinson and Sanders repelled any threats from the Corby attacks.
It was Atkinson who then led a 56th break down the right, cutting in to the edge of the box. Richards then fired a shot which was well saved by the keeper to concede a corner.
Alonzi replaced Norkett just after the hour, but seven minutes later Corby got a break down the Mickleover right, the ball was squared into the box and tapped home from close range, 0-1.
74 minutes in and both Richards and Carter came off to be replaced by Smith and Taylor.
While Corby had played down the middle, Mickleover’s lack of numbers made little difference, but by stretching the width, they were able to maximise their advantage.
McDowell made a great save from a deflected shot, but Sports were pushing everything forward for an equaliser. Taylor charged into the box after 86 minutes, but went down before he could shoot, and with four minutes of added time McDowell pulled off a magnificent double save as the ball bounced around the box.
Powell found Smith in the closing minutes, but his header went wide and then Corby broke for a second goal in the fifth minute of the supposed four minute add on, 0-2.
Despite the defeat it had been a strong team performance from Mickleover, but 10 men against 11 finally told.
