by Peter Scherer
A goal in each half for Sports made it three successive victories, as we beat Boston Town 2-0 at the Vibrant Doors Arena last night.
Starting line-up: 1-Aaron Chapman; 2-George Wilkinson; 3-Sam Sanders; 4-Will Atkiknson; 5-Jayden Cotterill; 6-Dwayne Wiley; 7-Andy Dales; 8-Josh Ashman; 9-Harvey Smith; 10-Kane Richards; 11-Josh Carter. Subs: Jude Taylor; Cieron Keane; Joe Stacey; Manni Norkett; Stuart Beavon.
Mickleover were forced to make a late change when skipper Hamza Bencherif pulled up in training. Cotterill came into the starting line-up and played at right back with Wilkinson moving to the heart of the defence alongside Wiley.
It was another lively start for Mickleover winning the first corner after just two minutes. Keeper West managed to clear the ball, but it was a weak punch that fell to Wiley. Despite not making an ideal connection, his shot was deflected just wide of the right-hand post for another corner.
Two minutes later Richards charged through the middle to set up Carter, his shot was deflected too and it was another corner.
Play began to even out for the next 10 minutes, before Dales went on a run in the 16th minute, cutting in from the left West had to make another save to deny him at the near post. The following corner was taken short, but the final ball into the box was just wide of the target.
Four minutes later Dales went close again. Cotterill overlapped on the right, outpacing the Boston defence to send in a perfect cross. Dales met it with his head but it was just over the bar.
Boston countered with a break 22 minutes in, a cross came in from the right but Chapman got his hands to it at full stretch and it was a corner to the visitors which came to nought.
For a few minutes it was Boston threatening. A scramble in the box with shots blocked, before Wilkinson cleared the danger.
Mickleover came back fighting and soon took charge again, with Cotterill putting Richards through the middle before he was tripped. The free kick was played to the left and Richards’ deflected shot was saved by the keeper again.
Richards hadn’t looked comfortable playing in the middle and so he was switched to his familiar right wing, with Carter switching to the left
Dales had another effort saved in he 35th minute but the deadlock was finally broken after a tremendous run from midfield by Ashman, saw him almost take on the entire Boston defence. His shot was blocked but Richards was clear to his right and tapped home the rebound, 1-0 after 38 minutes.
Richards came in from the right again with three minutes left in the first half, outran the defence and crossed for Dales. His shot was saved again but a corner conceded as Sports went into the break a goal up.
Mickleover made their first change four minutes into the second half, when Stacey replaced Carter.
Boston had their first real shot of the game after 54 minutes when Tate shot over the bar, but Mickleover continued to dominate possession.
Smith was preparing to shoot from the edge of the box when he was fouled after 66 minutes, Dales stepped up to take the free kick but it was over the bar.
Two minutes later Munton earned a corner for Boston, but the final shot was just wide of Chapman’s far post.
The Mickleover back four of Cotterill, Wilkinson, Wiley and Sanders continued solid, with Wiley the standout figure. Atkinson and Ashman had the control of central midfield and the addition of Stacey helped the push for a second goal.
Stacey put in a 76th minute cross but that was too close to the keeper, but a couple of minutes later Norkett came on for Smith.
The long clearances from the defence gave Norkett something to chase and with the just minutes left he got his reward. Chasing to the right of goal he went on a solo run, turned the defender inside out and cut inside to fire past keeper West, 2-0 with one of the best goals of the season so far.
Keane was a late swap for Dales, but it was a solid and comfortable win for Sports, lifting them into the top six in the table.
