by Peter Scherer
Two second half goals from loanee debutant Amarn Robinson made it a 4-1 win against Clay Cross Town in the Derbyshire Senior Cup, and secures Mickleover a place in the semi finals.
Starting line-up: 1-Yusuf Mersin 2-Jake Bennett 3-Brandon Ferron 4-Ryan Wilson 5-Stefan Galinski 6-Danny Benson 7-Andy Dales 8-Michael Hollingsworth 9-Dylan Edwards 10-Gabby Adebambo 11-Andrew Buah. Subs: Will Atkinson, Toby Smith, Josh Carter, Stuart Beavon, Amarn Robinson.
The opening five minutes were even, but showed Clay Cross’s intention to push forward, giving Mersin some routine action in the Mickleover goal.
Mickleover had their first shot after eight minutes, after Bennett had found Buah on the right, and his cross earned a corner, from which Wilson’s strike was comfortably saved by visiting keeper Charlie Dando.
But four minutes later a positive break from Clay Cross on the right, ended when the cross was just short of connecting with the chasing striker.
Over the next five minutes it was the visitors trying their luck again, firstly from just outside the box, which was an easy save for Mersin, followed by a wild effort both high and wide.
Possession wise it was the visitors on top, but Ferron made a run down the left after 17 minutes, before Adebambo’s cross fell just short of connecting with Edwards. Dales tried his luck too shooting over the bar after cutting in from the left.
Buah had the ball in the net 24 minutes in, but was flagged offside. Clay Cross’s response was immediate though, as they hit the bar from outside the box.
Ferron had another overlap on the left intercepted, but Galinski and Benson were kept busy by the Clay Cross attacks, with Mersin saving again after 28 minutes, earning the visitors a corner.
The tide finally turned just after the half hour mark, when a good build up on the left for Mickleover found Edwards in the box, who poked the ball home from close range, 1-0.
Buah almost connected with Edwards after 40 minutes, but his cross on the left was too high for the striker to connect and rolled out for a goal kick.
Ferron had a good shot saved a minute later, after creating his own space, but Clay Cross’s response was another shot just wide, followed by another attempt almost skimming the right-hand post.
But with a minute of normal time before half-time, the visitors made it 1-1and not undeserved. It was a clumsy foul just inside the box and the ref pointed straight to the penalty spot. Leading scorer Duggan stepped up and gave Mersin no chance.
Beavon replaced Hollingsworth for the second half and only two minutes in, Edwards should have made it two. But after doing the hard work to outpace the defence, his shot was wide of the right-hand post with the keeper committed.
Mickleover were starting to gain more possession, but the visitors continued to look threatening on the break. In the 53rd minute Dales cut inside from the left, but his effort to find Edwards just failed, before Ferron went through cutting in from the left too, and forced Dando into another save.
Duggan had another chance for Clay Cross but it was straight at Mersin, but Mickleover then made another change with loanee Robinson on for Edwards.
Sports earned two consecutive free kicks on the hour mark, before Ferron’s run earned a corner. There was a scramble in the crowded box, but Robinson had enough room to poke the ball home from close range and make it 2-1.
Dales then outpaced the defence on the left and found Robinson with his cross, but the young striker’s effort was well over the bar, as Clay Cross started to flag and tended to try random shots well off target.
Atkinson and Carter came on for Buah and Galinski and Carter was straight in the action. His long run down the right left him with an option to shoot, but he squared it for Robinson, but the pass was too long and Dales followed up with a shot just over.
It was all Mickleover into the final quarter and after a Beavon header had found Dales again, his shot was blocked and Adebambo earned a corner.
But after 79 minutes Mickleover struck again. Mersin’s long kick found Beavon on the halfway line, and he slotted the ball through to find Robinson having already outpaced the defence. With keeper Dando advancing, he placed the ball neatly into the right-hand corner, 3-1.
Only two minutes later Dales was free to take a fine solo run, taking it around the keeper to make it 4-1.
Smith then replaced Bennett for the final seven minutes, but Clay Cross were still on the attack when possible and forced Mersin into an 86th minute save with his feet.
After a couple of corners for Mickleover it was into time added on, but Smith went on a final run down the right and his strike hit the post, before Carter’s rebound was blocked.
In the end it was a comfortable win for Mickleover but it was easy to see why Clay Coss are dominating the United Counties League Division One in Step 6 of the football ladder.
