by Peter Scherer (Images: Steve Ingers)
Two second half goals leave Sports pointless again.
Starting line-up: 1-Jack McDowell 2-Jake Bennett 3-Danny Gordon 4-Will Atkinson 5-Brad Gascoigne 6-Danny Benson 7-Josh Carter 8-George Wilkinson 9-Manni Norkett 10-Paddy Webb 11-Andy Dales. Subs: Stuart Beavon, Cieron Keane, Will Smith, Luke McCormick, Jayden Samuels.
With the hosts straight into attack mode, Gascoigne had to be quick off the mark just three minutes in to thwart Thompson-Mathews’ effort.
But Long Eaton continued to push and opened the scoring after 10 minutes, after Thompson-Matthews had attacked down the wing, before Taylor crossed and Garnett appeared to back heel into the net 0-1.
Just a minute later though it was level again after Norkett was brought down in the box by keeper King. The Mickleover striker stepped up to take the kick himself and it was 1-1.
The equaliser had sparked some fire into Sports attack and Norkett continued to cause trouble for the home defence. King then came out of his goal, failed to claim the ball and in the mix up Norkett fired in Mickleover’s second with 14 minutes gone. 2-1.
Sports had begun to dominate the attack with midfield pushing forward more too. Norkett put a long ball through for Carter to chase after 17 minutes, but despite his pace it proved too far for the young winger to collect.
Up to the completion of the first half hour the game had started to settle down and became more even again, after the frenetic opening period.
But 34 minutes in Dales tested keeper again, forcing a good save as he cut inside from the wing.
Wilkinson had a strike from the edge of the box, just wide of the left-hand corner and then Dales was found unmarked in the box, but his effort was wide of the left-hand post too, as the home defence had started to allow Sports more freedom.
With the half time whistle poised there was a collision in the Mickleover box. The referee pointed to the penalty spot and Garnett came forward to make it 2-2.
After an even start to the second half Sports brought on McCormick and Keane for Webb and Gordon after 53 minutes. Dales the had another shot saved by King on the hour, as it looked destined for the bottom left corner.
King was then caught nearer the halfway line than his goal and lost possession too in a bizarre defensive mix-up, but luck was on his side as nothing came from the confusion.
Garnett added a third for Long Eaton after 66 minutes, 2-3 and then had another shot just wide four minutes later.
Samuels replaced Carter for his Mickleover debut after 67 minutes, Smith for Gascoigne after 75 and finally Beavon for Norkett after 87.
Sports won a series of corners that came to nought, but in the 96th minute Walters tried his luck from the edge of the box and so it ended 2-4 to Long Eaton, dropping Mickleover to 14th in the table.
