by Peter Scherer (Images: Steve Ingers)
Mickleover’s home season came to an end with a 1-2 defeat against local play-off rivals Belper Town, despite a determined fightback in the second half.
Starting line-up: 1-Jack McDowell 2-Jake Bennett 3-Danny Gordon 4-Will Atkinson 5-Brad Gascoigne 6-Danny Benson 7-Paddy Webb 8-George Wilkinson 9-Stuart Beavon 11-Manni Norkett 14-Andy Dales. Subs: Josh Carter, Liam Carter, Jayden Samuels, Luke McCormick.
It wasn’t the best of starts when the home defence were beaten on the right. The cross then found Kevin Bastos who had a clear shot from just inside the box, giving McDowell no chance at all to make it 0-1 after just five minutes.
A minute later Webb was fouled on the edge of the Belper box, but Dales’ free kick went straight out of play.
Bastos continued to cause trouble for Mickleover, with a cross from the left, but the ball came across the face of the goal, with no one there to collect.
Gascoigne then set up a move with Norkett and Bennett on the right, the cross was precise but the defence had it covered.
As the game started to settle down it became fairly even, with neither really creating many opportunities.
16 minutes in and the ball fell to Beavon, but before he could get his shot way he was blocked and then Webb combined with Atkinson, who layed it off to Beavon again. His attempt was blocked, with a deflection taking the sting out of his shot.
The Mickleover strikers were struggling for service, but when Norkett started a 24th minute run, he was fouled, with Gordon’s following free kick wide of the left-hand post.
Dales shot wide three minutes later after a long build up through the middle and then Belper’s counter attack ended when Jacob Gratton’s cross from the left went well wide of his target.
Luke Shaw had a chance for the visitors after 34 minutes, he got through the defence but then fortunately shot wide.
But two minutes later Gratton took on Benson down the Mickleover left. He didn’t beat his rival, but pulled back to make a cross which was met by Diego De Girolamo, whose first time shot from the edge of the box almost burst the net as it hit the top corner, 0-2.
Mickleover were struggling to respond and with four minutes left of the first half, Jonathan Wafula had a double shot blocked to earn a corner, which was easily cleared and so it remained 0-2 at the break.
There were two changes for Sports and they came out for the second half, with McCormick and Josh Carter on for Beavon and Webb.
After a fairly quiet start to the half, Mickleover started to show more confidence, more determination and kept Belper pegged back, using more width with the changes made.
Benson just missed connecting with a header, after a free kick to the left of the box after 57 minutes. But the momentum continued when McCormick made a telling run before his path was blocked.
But on the hour mark a glancing header by Gordon from a Dales free kick pulled one back, so it was game on for the final 30 minutes. 1-2.
Five minutes later Dales shot from distance but was just off target and then a McCormick free kick was tipped away onto the bar by keeper Kieran Preston at full stretch.
Belper remained dangerous on the break and Bastos had another chance, but wanted too much time and the chance was gone.
Preston then made a poor clearance that fell to Josh Carter, a first time shot may have paid dividends, but the time taken allowed the defence to block.
Belper sub Liam Moran had a chance too, but he also took too long and allowed Bennett to clear for a corner. It was still Mickleover pressing though and an equaliser looked a strong possibility, when McCormick outpaced the defence again after 74 minutes, crossed for a Carter strike, which Preston saved with his feet.
Lewis Austin put another shot for Belper over the bar after a left wing cross, but time was running out for Sports with just two minutes of normal time left. McCormick took another free kick, collected by Gascoigne but his shot was blocked, followed by another shot just over the bar.
There were five minutes of added time during which time Samuels replaced Gascoigne, but the elusive equaliser failed to materialise and all three points headed back to Belper.
