by Peter Scherer (Images by Steve Ingers)
And so it goes on. Mickleover’s dominant start to the start to the season continued, with another 2-0 win at home to Royston Town last Saturday. They are now 11 points clear of Halesowen, with a plus 29 goal difference!
Starting line-up: 1-OlIver Bosworth 2-Jake Bennett 3-Ryan Wilson 4-Will Atkinson 5-Fin Delap 6-Ethan Mann 7-Ben Sault 8-Dan Bradley 9-Andre Wright 10-Stuart Beavon 1—Oli Greaves. Subs: Andy Dales, Rhys Dolan, Callum Chettle, Fin Ryder, Joe Bateman.
It was a cautious but positive start from Mickleover, with much of the play in midfield. 19 minutes in and Greaves forced the first save from the visitors keeper, after telling pass from Sault. Six minutes later Wright had a shot deflected out for a corner, after a free kick was delivered wide into the box.
Sports defence had to be on their toes too as Royston’s Matt Bateman had a header just wide after 29 minutes, and connected with a dangerous ball into the middle four minutes later, but couldn’t beat Bosworth in the Mickleover goal.
Royston were down to 10 men though after 41 minutes, when Wilson-Braithwaite was the last defender and brought down Wright who was in the clear. It was an immediate red card, but Wright had to go off injured too, replaced by Dales on his return from injury.
Greaves had an attempt well saved in time added on, but as the whistle went for half time it remained 0-0.
Bennett, Delap, Mann and Wilson had continued to look solid throughout the first half, but two minutes in to the second half, Delap had to block a close range shot from Murray.
While Bradley continued the more defensive midfield role, Atkinson and Sault began to push forward more, aiding the pace of Dales and Greaves. It was Greaves and Sault combining that brought Sports first shot of the second half, but Sault’s effort was high and wide.
Skipper Wilson went in the book after a mistimed tackle, but the pressure was beginning to build on the visitors defence. Greaves was clear after 56 minutes, but couldn’t make it count, but on the hour the deadlock was finally broken, when Atkinson headed home a Sault cross to make it 1-0 on his birthday.
Sault had a shot just over the bar after 75 minutes too and Greaves headed wide from a Dales cross. But with four minutes left Greaves latched on to another Dales cross and buried it in the bottom to seal a 2-0 victory.
