by Peter Scherer (Images: Steve Ingers)
MICKLEOVER extended their unbeaten run in the Northern Premier League Midlands to six, after Friday nights 1-0 win over Shepshed Dynamo.
Starting line-up: 1-Olover Bosworth 2-Jake Bennett 3-Archie White 4-Will Atkinson 5-Danny Benson 6-Ashton Offer 7-George Wilkinson 8-Ali Mohiuddin 9-Josiah Dyer 10-Andy Dales 11-Paddy Webb. Subs: Stuart Beavon, Harry Wood, Liam Carter, Stanley Holder, Thabang Dube.
It was Shepshed that managed the first shot of the game, when Jesse Friend picked up the ball from a long throw after two minutes, before sending a half volley over the bar.
Bennett then intercepted another Shepshed run a few minutes later, before Atkinson was fouled just outside the box in the seventh minute. White’s free kick was then cleared for a corner and as that started a goal mouth scramble, Dales went close for Sports.
Shepshed then broke again, putting their effort into the side netting, before Dyer started to tease the visiting defence, with some neat holding of the ball on the right wing.
Mickleover continued to push forward fairly regularly, while Bosworth and his defending back three of Benson, Offler and Wilkinson continued to show their strength.
Friend got a shot in for Shepshed after 13 minutes, but it was straight at Bosworth, and then Dales broke down the left, fired in a cross but straight into keeper Wallis’ hands.
Mohiuddin had earned a 16th minute corner, after Dyer did the hard work on the right. But that was taken short, and they soon lost possession again.
Shepshed had started to try a longer through ball, but it still hadn’t troubled the home defence. They had a chance after 21 minutes too, when Mohiuddin was cautioned for a foul, only for our visitors to waste their opportunity.
They attacked again a minute later, but Offler cut out any danger. With Atkinson marshalling midfield, Dyer managed to create another opportunity, when he held the ball for while, before squaring it to for a shot just wide again 30 minutes in.
Mohiuddin then lost possession on the left, the ball falling nicely for a Shepshed striker. Once again though the shot sailed over the bar, with neither goalkeeper having been seriously tested.
The pressure was beginning to build on the visitors defence and when Webb made a 35th minute interception. But Shepshed responded when Friend found Rogers, before a header from Collins fell nicely for Bosworth again.
Some continuous pressure from the home attack finally paid dividends after Benson beat the defence to cut inside on the right, Dyer had a shot blocked, but White buried the rebound into the back of the net 1-0 after 40 minutes and that’s how it stayed until half time.
With no immediate changes for the second half, Shepshed were first to try their luck again, when a Peart cross found Partridge. He got his head to the ball, but lack of direction sent it wide again.
Mickleover continued to look the sharper and when White intercepted a 49th minute Shepshed attack to send Dales on another run, his cross from the left was blocked to earn a corner, from which Dyer’s effort was blocked and cleared.
Our visitors were keen to push for an equaliser, with possession looking more even in the second half, without either side creating any clearcut chances. 56 minutes and Friend layed the ball off to Samples, but his shot from distance was wide of the right-hand post.
Sports first change was just before the hour when Beavon replaced Webb. It triggered a strong finale when Dales cut inside after 66 minutes, after picking up a White throw, forcing keeper Wallis into a good save.
Wood then replaced Mohiuddin a few minutes later, before another Dales run found Dyer in the middle. He couldn’t quite connect, before it fell to Wood, forcing another excellent save from Wallis.
Beavon kept Wallis on his toes again after a further two minutes, as Mickleover got closer and closer to a second goal.
With the home defence remaining rock solid, Shepshed were unable to make any real progress, but 79 minutes and Dyer was through one on one with Wallis, but the Shepshed keeper just got there first to intercept.
Dales was almost through again with eight minutes left on the clock, and the Mickleover skipper went close again, when his curling free kick curled a little too much and went wide.
Wallis again intercepted a combined Beavon Dyer effort almost on time, but it was another clean sheet for Mickleover and an excellent all-round team performance.
