by Peter Scherer

It’s another tough game this weekend, when we visit third in the table Belper Town.

Our hosts were without a game last weekend due the neighbouring river bursting its banks, but hopefully the weather will be kind to us this weekend. It was disappointing game at the Don Amott Arena though, where Sports lost out 2-3 to Carlton Town.

Mickleover were without Will Atkinson, Louis Bonser and Jake Bennett last week too, but hopefully all three are on the mend.

Lee Attenborough has been in charge at our hosts since January 2023 and lost out on promotion in the play-off’s last year.

Goalkeeper Kieran Preston is a former Scotland Under 19 international, having started his career at Bristol Rovers. He joined Grantham Town following his release and then spent six years at Basford before joining Belper in September last year. He has also played cricket for Mickleover.

Ben Rhodes is an attacking right wing back, who came from Worksop in the summer of 2020. He played for Stocksbridge Steels too and was dual registered with Penistone Church.

Left back Louis Keenan came back to Belper in November last year from Hanley Town, having spent the previous five years with Leek Town. He started his youth career with our hosts, graduating into the first team and has played for Hednesford and Loughborough Dynamo too.

Henry Frost is a wing back and locally produced talent from Belper’s own youth scheme. He joined the first team squad at the start of this season.

Skipper Jack Broadhead can play centre back or defensive midfield. His career started at Chesterfield, but after loans at Buxton, Matlock and Frickley he came to Mickleover in July 2015 following his release. After two seasons at the Don Amott Arena he joined Boston Utd and has played for AFC Mansfield, Grantham and Pontefract, before a four year stay at Worksop preceded his arrival at Belper in July 2024.

Fellow centre back Ioan Evans is capped by Wales at Under 17 and 19. He played his early football at Sheffield Utd, who loaned him out to Boston Utd, before joining Gainsborough on his release. He played for Tadcaster and Stalybridge too, before joining Matlock in July 2024, and came to our hosts in pre-season.

Centre back Phil Watt needs no introduction to Mickleover fans, having captained the side a couple of years ago. An ex Rotherham and Lincoln City youngster, he played for Corby, Grantham, Boston Utd and Coalville before joining Belper in October 2013.

He stayed with our hosts for five years before a move to Frickley preceded his three years at Mickleover. He then returned to Belper but spent last season at Eastwood, but is now back for his third spell.

Jonathan Wafula is a midfielder signed from Ilkeston last February. His career started with Chesterfield, before two years each at Worksop and Shaw Lane. Gainsborough, Boston Utd, Guiseley and Matlock followed, before moving to Grantham. Basford was next before a year at Ilkeston.

Midfielder Lewis Austin is a product of the Nailers own youth scheme and made his NPL first team debut in March 2024.

Curtis Burrows is another midfielder and former Burton Albion junior. He then joined Ilkeston and broke through into their first team, before a loan spell at Grantham preceded a permanent move to Coalville. Further spells at Loughborough Dynamo and Corby Town followed, before joining Belper in February 2023.

Fellow midfielder Andrew Tsolakis was previously at Dunkirk and Newark Town, before joining the Nailers in the summer of ’24.

Central midfielder Brad Munns joined our hosts at the end of last season. Ex Grantham and Stamford, he is yet to make a start this season.

Jordan Fankwe was a junior at Nottingham Forest. The midfielder came to Mickleover after his release, and then had a short spell at Watford. His next move was Salford, but quickly moved on to Basford, Anstey Nomads, Barwell and Shepshed Dynamo and joined our hosts in pre-season.

Former Derby County and Mansfield midfielder James Tague joined Matlock when his academy career ended. He’s also played for Gainsborough, Basford, Corby, Loughborough Dynamo and Sutton Coldfield, before spending last season with Anstey Nomads. He joined the Nailers in pre-season.

Right winger Jacob Gratton came from Cleethorpes in August. He started out at Rotherham and was loaned to Guiseley before a permanent move to Farsley. He first came to Belper in October 2022, stayed nine months and then had a year at Worksop before returning. Worksop and Basford were his next stops again, before starting this season with a short stay at Basford.

Kevin Bastos is a left winger and ex Nottingham Forest youngster. He has had a number of clubs in his career, including Grantham, Staveley MW, Ilkeston, Spalding, Loughborough, Tamworth and Basford, before first coming to Belper in July 2023. After a year he went to Kosovo with KF Istogu, before joining Basford on his UK return. He came back to Belper for a second spell in January.

Striker Liam Moran is a recent signing from Carlton Town. He’s played for Gedling MW, Boston Utd, Newark & Sherwood and Southwell City too.

Fellow striker Diego Edwards is a St.Kitts and Nevis international. He has spent most of his career at Notts County, but left for a spell at Mansfield Town after being loaned to Basford. He returned to Meadow Lane three years later and had further loans at Ossett, Nuneaton, Leek Town and Carlton, before joining our hosts pre-season, following his release.

Jacob Fenton is a striker too, signed from Anstey Nomads at the start of this season, He started his career at Lincoln City and has played for Bourne Town, Spalding, Bottesford and Sleaford too.

Kick off at the Raygar Stadium is 3pm, there is no parking at the ground.

by Peter Scherer (Images: Steve Ingers)

Hopes of returning to winning ways were dashed for Mickleover, as they went down 2-3 to Carlton Town in an ill-tempered affair.

Starting line-up: 1-Oliver Bosworth 2-Stanley Holder 3-Archie White 4-George Wilkinson 5-Brad Gascoigne 6-Ashton Offler 7-Dan Benson 8-Harry Wood 9-Josiah Dyer 10-Andy Dales 11-Thabang Dube. Subs: Fraser Corden, Stuart Beavon, Paddy Webb, Dorian Sulkowski, Liam Carter.

Table topping Carlton started the opening minutes looking fairly sharp and slick, which led to the opening goal after just three minutes. In a goal very reminiscent to the one in the Racing Club Warwick defeat, the home defence were beaten on the right, finding Ash Chambers who made no mistake in firing in the opener just inside the far post 0-1.
Mickleover soon got over the early blow and when Dales broke through the middle seven minutes later, he found Benson following up, firmly striking the equaliser passed the advancing Annan in the Carlton goal.

From thereon it became more even, and Carlton had another chance when Offler headed away a Thompson-Harrison free kick after 12 minutes.
A few minutes later Dyer got on the end of a break, winning a corner after his shot was blocked, from which Wilkinson went close too.
Dube almost put Dyer through after 18 minutes, just before visiting skipper Davie had a shot well wide, as both sides were started to look for breaks.
After Carlton’s 25th minute corner was cleared, Dales got a break and managed to charge into box, before losing his footing as the danger was cleared.
There was already the murmurings of verbal aggression from the visitors, both on an off the pitch. Carlton were awarded another free kick after 35 minutes, initially cleared, before falling to Manneh who struck his shot well over the bar.

Manneh had another shot wide five minutes later after being closed down by Offler, but it was Dean Freeman’s scything thigh high challenge on Dales that brought the verbal and physical aggression to its peak. It could easily have merited a red card, but the referee awarded yellow, with both Freeman and Nat Watson continuing to argue his innocence.
The situation worsened when Chambers and Carlton scored their second goal. Chambers was already stationery ahead of the defence, when the ball was chipped over the Mickleover backline. It appeared to be clear offside, even to Carlton fans behind the goal surprised that the goal stood, with the assistant failing raise his flag.
The whistle soon followed to end a less than memorable first half, when having expected a skilful game of football from our table topping visitors, we had been treated to much the opposite.
Hopes of improvement in the second half were soon dashed after Dyer had chased a long ball in the 55th minute. Annan charged out of his goal, there was slight contact, but the keeper went down as if he had been tasered.

Mickleover continued to try and play football and were quite creative in midfield, but continued to be met with excessive aggression on and off the ball, with Freeman and Watson the main perpetrators again.

Just before the hour mark Holder fired in a cross from the right, Dyer met it with a header that struck the post and then back to the keeper, before Dales had another run blocked.
Carter came on for Holder after 62 minutes, but two minutes later a ball in from the right found Dyer, but he couldn’t get the ball under sufficient control to hit the target. Carter then tried his luck and earned another corner.

Beavon then replaced Dyer and having only been on the pitch a couple of minutes, Beavon sent a curling shot just beyond the left hand upright, from Dube’s cross.
Corden then replaced Dube and concentrated on pushing for an equaliser, only for Carlton to get a break against the run of play, for Jason Law to make it 1-3.
Sulkowski was the next Mickleover sub on for his debut as Wood made way, followed by Webb for the last eight minutes, replacing Benson.
With one minute of normal time left Webb had a shot, but failed to test the keeper, before his second attempt struck home in time added on, after a perfect through ball from Beavon. 2-3.
Four players from each side were shown yellow cards, but an offside goal and the lack of censorship on the excessive aggression were the lasting memories of a disappointing game.

 

by Peter Scherer

While Mickleover’s hopes of going eight unbeaten were dashed in last Saturday’s 0-1 defeat at Racing Club Warwick, our table topping visitors this Saturday suffered similarly.

Carlton lost 0-1 at Coleshill last Saturday, having gone eight unbeaten since they lost 0-4 at Racing Club Warwick too.

Mark Harvey and Andy Clerke have been joint managers since the start of this season, having finished seventh in the NPL East last season.

Goalkeeper Felix Annan joined our visitors in August 2023, after a season in the US with Maryland Bobcats. Ghanaian born, he started his career in his homeland, with Asanate Kotoko SC and spent time at the West African Football Academy.

Dean Freeman is a central defender, who joined our visitors at the start of the 22/23 season after a spell at Newark. He also made over 100 appearances for Coalville and has played for Sherwood Colliery, Belper Town, Loughborough Dynamo and Rainworth MW after starting his youth career at Barnsley.

Left back Lewis Durow is in his fourth season at Carlton. He’s played for Ilkeston Town, Holbrook Sports and Mickleover RBL too.

Right back Liam Bateman is another defender who started his career at Aston Villa, before three years at

Kettering following his release. He’s also played for Basford, St. Ives, Tamworth and Worksop and joined Carlton in 2023.

Defender Shea Thompson-Harris joined our visitors following his release from Notts County in 2023.

Alex Howes is a central midfielder and another former Notts County junior. After a loan spell at Coalville and Tamworth, he joined Basford on his release. He initially came to Carlton on loan, before his move became permanent in February 2022.

Attacking midfielder Jason Law arrived last month from Stamford. A graduate of Carlton’s own Academy after spells with Derby and Burton, Law went to Mansfield Town as a 16 year old. After loans at Sutton Coldfield, Gresley Rovers, Hednesford, Leek Town and Kettering, he moved to Scunthorpe last March after 10 years with the Stags. He was also loaned to Spalding Utd, before starting this season at Stamford.

Niall Davie is the club captain and can play midfield or striker. A home grown player who came through the clubs own academy.

Niall Hylton is another midfielder, who joined our visitors from local club Gedling MW. He has played for Basford too.

Khyle Sargent is a midfielder who returned to the club in 21/22.

Ollie Taylor is a young midfielder, recently arrived on loan from Mansfield Town, where he has been a regular in the Stags Under 19’s.

Ewan Robson is another midfielder signed in pre-season from Sherwood Colliery.

Midfielder or striker Lamin Manneh came from Dunkirk in 2022.,

Ollie Clark left Carlton in January 2021 to join Basford, but came back in October 2024 initially on loan from Stamford. He is also a midfielder.

Former Notts County midfielder Neo Saunders joined the squad in March 2024 too.

Striker Ash Chambers was a pre-season signing from Barwell. He played over 140 games in League Two, scoring 17 goals, having started out at Leicester City. After loans at Wycombe and Grimsby Town, he joined York City, moving on to Cambridge Utd three years later. He’s also played for Dagenham & Redbridge, Nuneaton, Kidderminster, Brackley, Buxton, Coalville and Basford.

Fellow striker or midfielder Alex Troke returned to Carlton for his third spell in pre-season. A former Notts County youngster, he had spells at Eastwood and Grantham before joining our visitors in Match 2013, staying just over two years before moving to Coalville.

Bedworth and Ilkeston were his next stops before returning to Carlton again in March 2023. He then joined Belper Town, before spending a year back at Eastwood and had been at Retford since November 2024 until returning to the Millers again.

Kieran Watson is another striker and another returnee, having play for our visitors for a short time in 2023. He’s also played for Matlock Town, Shirebrook, Staveley MW, AFC Mansfield, Sheffield and Hallam.

Striker Nat Watson is a long serving player. He returned to the club in 21/22 from Basford and has also played for Coalville,

Harry Goddard is another young striker signed from Basford in September 2024.

Most recently midfielder Huw Dawson has arrived from Rushden & Diamonds and yet to make his debut due to recovering from concussion. He started out at St.Albans City, before joining Kettering. He’s also played for Shepshed Dynamo and Bedford Town.

Kick off at the Don Amott Arena is 3pm, come and let us get back to winning ways!

by Peter Scherer

Hopes of extending the unbeaten run to eight games came to an end as Mickleover visited Racing Warwick last Saturday.

Starting line-up: 1-Oliver Bosworth 2-Ali Mohiuddin 3-Archie White 4-George Wilkinson 5-Danny Benson 6-Brad Gascoigne 7-Michael Hollingsworth 8-Harry Wood 9-Josiah Dyer 10-Andy Dales 11-Thabang Dube. Subs: Stuart Beavon, Paddy Webb, Fraser Corden, Will Atkinson, Stanley Holder.

It was a reasonably strong start from Mickleover, with both Wood and Dube testing keeper in the first 15 minutes. But for the rest of the first half it was fairly even, with both defences holding firm, despite chances at both ends failing to reach the target.

Dyer had a couple of shots saved by the keeper, after crosses from White on the left, and Bosworth had to tip a Warwick shot over the bar.

There were no immediate changes for the second half and although Mickleover had more of the possession and some chances, the final ball to break the deadlock was missing.

Sports made a double substitution after 67 minutes when Beavon and Holder came on for Mohiuddin and Dyer, but four minutes later a mistake in the Mickleover defence allowed Ebbutt to open the scoring for our hosts 0-1. Beaten on the right, the ball passed four defenders before beating Bosworth on the far post

Corden then replaced Wood after 77 minutes, but Mickleover’s push for an equaliser continued to draw a blank, and with Webb on for Dube for the last nine minutes. Warwick had gone close just before the goal and had another shot shortly afterwards, well saved by Bosworth, as the back line seemed to have lost it’s way.

The final push came to nought and we suffered a first defeat in eight games, as we now face table toppers Carlton and Belper Town in our next two games.

by Peter Scherer

Despite having to settle for a draw last Tuesday, Mickleover are still sixth in the table and unbeaten in seven as we travel to Racing Club Warwick on Saturday.

Both Jake Bennett and Ashton Offler were on the sidelines last Tuesday and Josh Carter is on the injured list too after his lean at Belper Utd. Otherwise its expected to be a full squad for manager Gareth Holmes to select from.

Our hosts are currently 17th in the table having lost 1-3 at Wellingborough last Saturday, after a run of three games unbeaten.

Manager Scott Eatserlow has been in charge since 2017, gaining the club two promotions and is assisted by Callum Ingram.

Goalkeeper Sam Lomax came from Bedworth in December 2023. Having started at Nuneaton, he spent time in both Barnsley and Aston Villa Under 23’s, before joining Stratford Town on his release.

Ryan Moore is a right back and ex Birmingham City youngster. He joined Redditch after his release, before spending two years at Sutton Coldfield. He joined our hosts pre-season after four years at Bedworth.

Archie Hamp is in his fourth season with our hosts. A right back he previously played for Easington.

Lathaniel Rowe-Turner is a centre back signed from Barwell in September. A former Leicester City youngster, he has experience in Leagues One and Two. He was loaned to Cheltenham, Redditch and Kings Lynn before going to Torquay on his release.

He’s played for Luton Town, Alfreton, Kidderminster, Chester, Kettering, Tamworth and Stourbridge too, but spent the whole of last season at Barwell.

Centre back and captain Kyle Barnett was signed from Bedworth in June 2023. He was previously with Daventry Town.

Alex Worley is a centre back too, on a dual registration with Banbury, who he joined in September from Stafford. He started off with Walsall and was loaned to Haverfordwest, before permanent moves to Stourbridge and Stratford

Dylan Barkers a central midfielder, who started his career with Solihull Moors. His next stops were Guiseley, Alvechurch and Cheltenham, where he stayed for two years and was loaned to Alvechurch, Leamington, Gloucester and Maidstone. He then moved to Hereford and Stratford, before starting last season at Stafford. He joined our hosts pre-season after brief stops at Rushall and another return to Alvechurch.

Jack Edwards is a central midfielder too who came from Leamington in pre-season. He started out at Studley and played for Coventry Sphinx and Barwell before a three-year spell at Leamington. He had a brief stay at Solihull, but had spent the last eight years back at Leamington.

Right sided midfielder Will Bapaga started this season at Rugby Borough, having joined them from Stratford Town. An ex Coventry City junior, he was loaned to Grimsby Town before joining Buxton on his release. He spent three months on loan at Mickleover back in early 2024 and came to our hosts at the end of September.

Callum Coyle is right sided midfielder too and has spent most of his career at Solihull Moors. He had loan spells at Sutton Coldfield, Romulus, Nuneaton, Halesowen and Grantham, before joining Stafford Rangers in a permanent move. He’s played for Rushall, Stratford and Stourbridge, before returning to Stafford in November 2024, moving to Warwick a month later.

Left sided midfielder James Hancock came from Rugby Town in July 2022. He started out at Walsall, before moving onto Daventry Town, Cheltenham, Halesowen, Kidderminster and Stratford. He initially went to Rugby on loan before making his move permanent in July 2020.

Josh Willis is a midfielder who arrived in December 2023 from Coleshill Town. He has played for Romulus, Rushall and Bedworth.

Striker Connor Taylor started out at Walsall too. He joined Nuneaton on his release and played for Tamworth, Leamington and Bromsgrove, before joining our hosts at the start of last season.

James Harding is another striker, signed in pre-season from Swindon Supermarine. He started at Hungerford and has played for Yate Town, and Bishops Cleeve too.

Aaron Opoku is a pre-season signing too, a striker from Eastwood. He’s also played for Stafford Rangers and Leek Town.

Former Birmingham City and Bournemouth youngster Tyrell Skeen-Hamilton is a another pre-season signing, and another striker. He ended last season at Redditch, having also played for Barwell and Stratford Town. He was previously with Rushall, Banbury, Alvechurch, Telford and Gosport Borough.

Fellow striker Cameron Ebbutt started at Birmingham City before moving to Bristol Rovers. He was loaned to Dorchester, Evesham and Yate Town before joining Hereford following his release. He then moved to Gloucester, Bromsgrove and Hednesford, before joining Warwick in October 2022 from Worcester.

Our hosts have also included three homegrown talents in their quad this season, with defender Charlie Pye, Midfielder Ben Flynn and striker Josh Flynn.

Kick off at Townsend Meadow is 3pm.

by Peter Scherer

The weather did its best to put a dampener on the proceedings last night, as Mickleover were robbed of another three points, with a last-minute equaliser from Sutton Coldfield Town.

Starting line-up: 1-Oliver Bosworth 2-Ali Mohiuddin 3-Archie White 4-George Wilkinson 5-Danny Benson 6-Brad Gascoigne 7-Will Atkinson 8-Harry Wood 9-Josiah Dyer 10-Andy Dales 11-Paddy Webb. Subs: Michael Hollingsworth, Fraser Corden, Stanley Holder, Thabang Dube, Liam Carter.

Sutton Coldfield earned an early corner which came to nought, before Mickleover went for an early push. White began to torment the defence on the left wing, before Dyer tested keeper Wren after nine minutes, picking up a loose ball on the edge of the box, but unable to get any real power into his strike.

It was a scrappy start with passes not surprisingly going astray in the ever wet conditions. But 12 minutes in after a Sutton attack had broken down, another run by White got him into the box. His path was blocked but he found Dyer, who made no mistake from close range 1-0.

Mickleover won a free kick on the left three minutes, but White’s kick was soon cleared, while the visitors attempts to breach the home defence, was comfortably dealt with by Wilkinson, Benson and Gascoigne at the back.

Mohiuddin found Dales on the right as we reached the half hour mark, his effort was blocked as was Dyer’s follow up.

Dyer was almost through again a few minutes later but the visitors defence recovered, as they continued to try and play out of their own half more and more.

Atkinson and Wood were keeping midfield fairly tight, which prompted a shot from our visitors from well outside the box after 35 minutes, only to be blocked again.

Just as it began to look as Mickleover would reach half time a goal up, Wilkinson was penalised for a push on Burke in the box. A soft penalty but nevertheless McGrady’s shot proved decisive, with Bosworth choosing the right way, but beyond the full stretch to his right, 1-1 after 41 minutes and remaining level pegging at half time.

Sutton started the second half with more determination and tested Bosworth again to earn a corner four minutes into the half. Webb then picked up the ball as it ran loose, but his path was soon cut off too.

Unlike the first half, Sports seemed to sitting back more and letting their opponents come at them. They were lucky when a 54th minute free kick broke down, prompting a mix up in the defence. The final shot was blocked and the danger cleared.

A minute later Dales managed to create enough space to try a long shot, which went just wide of the left-hand post.

On the hour Sutton had a corner headed over, before Mickleover made their first change with Hollingsworth on for Atkinson.

The visitors had started to get the upperhand, but that all changed in the 62nd minute. Dales floated in a corner and Webb connected to send a glancing header to keeper Wren’s left and it was 2-1.

10 minutes later Webb made way for Dube, but Sutton had another chance to equalise, missing a header at the far post.

78 minutes and Holder replaced Wood, but the visitors continued to look dangerous, with both Wilkinson and Gascoigne having to make hefty clearances.

Sutton missed another chance in the 80th minute with a comfortable header missing its target, before Mickleover went close again after Dales’ build up saw Holder’s shot saved by Wren.

With just over five minutes left Dube sent a powerful strike in from the right. It struck the bar and ricocheted out of play.

Sutton threw everything into the final minutes with keeper Wren even attacking down the left wing. They had a shot over the bar after 88 minutes, but with three minutes added on, there was a painful blow with Wilkinson initially clearing another goal mouth scramble, but it fell nicely for McGrady who poked the ball home to make it 2-2, with just seconds on the clock.