by Peter Scherer

After the hard fought point was earned at Hyde, it was a disappointing result when Ilkeston visited on Tuesday night. The 1-3 defeat leaves Mickleover on the back foot, but determined to get back to winning ways this Saturday as newly promoted Hebburn Town visit.

It’s important for us to move on now, we’re still a new team and we are still learning

said manager Gareth Holmes.

After a mixed pre-season our visitors made the best possible start to their first season in the Northern Premier League, after being promoted as Champions of the East Division and currently top the table.

They faced Warrington Rylands at home and came away 1-0 winners, before travelling to Blyth Spartans on Tuesday evening to take another 1-0 win.

It’s player/manager Daniel Moore’s third season in charge of the Hornets, having previously led Shildon to the Eastern Division play-offs. 

A former Mansfield Junior, he captained the Spennymoor side that won the FA Vase, despite missing the Wembley final, before returning to Shildon as captain again too. He is still registered as a player.

Goalkeeper Kieran Hunter came from the Sunderland Academy. He had three years at Gateshead and spent time at Chester Le Street on a dual registration too, after arriving at Hebburn.

Centre back Matty Elsdon was a junior at both Sunderland and Middlesbrough. After a loan at Inverness he joined Barrow following his release and was then loaned to Whitby and FC Utd, before a permanent move to Blyth Spartans. 

He then returned to Scotland with Clyde, before returning to Blyth in July 22, where he spent one year before joining the Hornets.

Tom Devitt is another centre back, who started at Lionsbridge in the United States. He came back to England with Gateshead, before moving to Blyth Spartans, he then headed for Scotland too with Stranraer, from where he joined Hebburn in July 2021.

Jack Donaghy is a homegrown talent, who came through the clubs youth set up to make his first team debut in 2017. Another centre back primarily, he has been a mainstay at the club for the last seven years.

Liam Noble is a central midfielder with over 250 league appearances under his belt, since Sunderland picked up from Cramlington Boys Club. After a couple of loans at Carlisle he moved permanently and then signed for Notts County in July 2014. His next stop was Forest Green, before returning to Notts County, from where he moved on to Hartlepool. He then 4 ½ years with Morpeth, but came to Hebburn in pre-season after ending last season on loan.

Defender Aidan Heywood was manager Moore’s first signing for the club, having played under his managership at Shildon. He also played for Easington Colliery and Team Northumbria and is also Hebburn Juniors coach.

Dan Groves is a right back who started at Darlington Academy and made 17 appearances in league two. He joined Blyth Spartans on his release in 2010, before joining Spennymoor and moved onto Shildon in 2015. He came to Hebburn back in 2018.

Dean Briggs is a central midfielder too, who started of at Ashington, before joining Gateshead. He then headed over seas with Holland Park Hawks and Peninsula Power in Australia, returning to the UK in July 2020 with Ashington again. He signed for Hebburn at the beginning of last season.

Aaron Thompson plays central or defensive midfield. A former South Shields player, he came to Hebburn from West Auckland in September 2022.

Robbie Spence is a midfielder who became a Hornet back in 2018. A former Scunthorpe junior, he also played for Team Northumbria in the Northern League.

Striker Olly Martin scored the winner in the win over Warrington Rylands on the opening day of the season. A Junior at both Newcastle and Sunderland, he moved on to Gateshead, Jarrow Roofing and Whitley Bay. He signed for Hebburn in June 2019 and scored the winner for them in the 2020 FA Vase Final at Wembley.

Amar Purewal is a striker who arrived from West Auckland in June 2020. A Punjab International, he started out at Newcastle Utd, before moving on to Newcastle Benfield and Bishop Aukland. He was then Durham City’s leading scorer before joining Darlington, before joining West Auckland in 2016.

Winger Joe Walton was manager Moore’s second signing for the club, after the pair played together at Spenymoor. He started at Sunderland RCA and has played at Washington and Morpeth too.

Bailey Adamson is one of the clubs first new signings. A striker, he has come from Lincoln Cit’s Academy.

Midfielder Leo Robinson was on loan from Hartlepool at the end of last season and has now made his move permanent. He also had a spell at Redcar and scored the winner for the Hornets at Blyth on Tuesday night.

Defender Michael Turner is another new arrival from Morpeth, while Joe Posthill is a striker who arrived pre-season, after being Shildon’s top scorer last term. Posthill started out at Hartlepool and played for Stockton before his move to Shildon.

Callum Dobson is the reserve keeper, signed after leaving South Shields Academy, while Hebburn have a host of their own Academy players registered for the first tea, Gildo Da Silva, Tyler Brownsword, Max Campbell, Alfa Djalo, Cam Inglis, Aidan Maher and Harry Urwin.

Kick off at the Don Amott Arena is 3pm, get along and help support Sports as they go for their first league win of the season.

by Peter Scherer

Mickleover started their home league campaign with a 1-3 defeat against local rivals Ilkeston Town, in a  scrappy game.

Starting line-up: 1-Yusuf Mersin 2-Jake Bennett 3-Brandon Webster 4-Curtis Weston 5-Luke Cox 6-Charlie Hickingbottom 7-Dylan Edwards 8-Ryan Wilson 9-Stuart Beavon 10-Andy Dales 11-Brandon Ferron. Subs: Will Atkinson, Dan Bradley, Leojo Davidson, Fin Ryder, George Taft.

Sports won an early free kick which Wilson sent just wide of the post after two minutes and as they continued to push forward, a sequence of corners followed, with the final one headed over.

Walker had Ilkeston’s first real chance after 12 minutes, following up from a free kick which was  easily gathered by Mersin in the Mickleover goal.

There were a couple more corners for the visitors but the game had already begun to fall into a scrappy affair, with big kicks upfield and niggly tackles, stifling Mickleover’s attempts to play football.

21 minutes in and Marshall went in the book for Ilkeston, after hacking down Dales on his first real run of the game. Wilson’s free kick was close again, before Edwards was then fouled, and so another free kick from Wilson failed to test the keeper.

Ilkeston got a break a couple of minutes later, but Bennett won the race back and covered the danger competently, But the action moved to the other end as Beavon put Ferron through, only to have his shot blocked, before any danger was cleared again.

On the half hour a dubious free kick was given for an alleged handball, after shouts from the Ilkeston players. But it was the first real sign of the dramatics from Ilkeston, that fooled the referee for much of the game.

As the ball came into the box Cursons found Minkley who fired home at close range, with the defence somewhat flat footed and Mersin still on his line, 0-1.

There was then a long hold up with three Ilkeston players prone on the pitch in different places, one receiving treatment but unclear what the other two were doing.

Words were exchanged around the bench area and Sports manager Gareth Holmes was sent to the changing rooms.

By the time the referee had regained control it was almost half time, but not before Sports pulled it back to 1-1, with Beavon setting up Ferron, who fed Dales for a run in from the left. A beautifully placed ball had Yates beaten on his far post and it was all square.

Only a minute later Ilkeston won a corner, which Walker floated into the box to find Parker. The defence failed to make the challenge and Parker headed home to make it 1-2 as the half time whistle finally went.

Ilkeston had made one change for the start of the second half, but Mickleover initially stayed unchanged. 

Dales was again the victim as he tried to run at the defence via the left wing. But Ilkeston’s game plan seemed to be just to frustrate the Mickleover play, stopping the normal flow and passing game and forcing them to follow the kick and run style of the visitors, which continued to fail for them.

The referee was proving even more unpredictable, ignoring sequences of fouls, yet giving free kicks for the more dramatized dives, of which Ilkeston’s Connor Brown seemed to be going for an OSCAR.

After another scramble in the Mickleover box after 55 minutes, Walker eventually shot wide, but once again the home defence looked vulnerable and struggled to clear their lines.

Dales had more charges at the visitors, before he was inevitably hacked down again on the half way line. 

But Sports did manage to get a shot in after 63 minutes, when Weston picked his spot but the keeper had it covered.

Mickleover made a double substitution a minute later, with Bradley and Davidson on for Cox and Beavon.

Despite Dales and Edwards working hard up front, Mickleover’s natural game continued to be stifled and after 71 minutes Ilkeston went close again, with Mersin tipping an effort from Wafula over the bar, after another chaotic session in the box.

But Edwards determination almost set up the equaliser, when after 72 minutes he was just inches goal, with the Ilkeston defence in disarray, he just failed to make the final shot.

Daniel then got a break for the visitors, but Hickingbottom intercepted, then with another corner awarded, the whole Mickleover team were back to defend.

But as Walker’s corner came in again, it was the inevitable, as the defence once again lost out to a dead ball, and Cursons made it 1-3.

Sports still tried to go forward and Dales managed a run on the left without being fouled, but as Ferron attempted to collect, he was held back by a defender and the keeper was left with an easy catch.

Davidson’s pace then made him a similar target to Dales, and his 80^th run ended with him being chopped down in full flight. Davidson had a shot wide after 84 minutes and was fouled again three minutes later, but that was ignored as Ilkeston won an immediate free kick after another dramatic dive.

On the 90 minute mark Hickingbottom let fly from outside the box, but that was over and the referee insisted on adding another six minutes as the drizzle ended a disappointing night.

“We have to learn and move on, as it’s our first defeat as a new team and we need to adapt to how others play. We need to focus on what we’re good at and stay true to ourselves. It takes time to gel as a team, but we know we can grow,” said Sports manager Gareth Holmes.

 

by Peter Scherer

Hot on the heels of our 1-1 draw at Hyde last Saturday, Mickleover welcome Ilkeston Town to the Don Amott Arena on Tuesday night.

The Robins suffered a surprise defeat in their final re-season game of the season, losing 1-3 to Harborough Town, before started their NPL campaign with a 2-2 draw at home to Gainsborough Trinity.

Manager Ian Deakin has mainly retained his squad from last season, which finished 11^th in the NPL, having moved from spending 22/23 in the South with Mickleover.

Matt Yates and Mitchell Leivers are both experienced goalkeepers. Yates, currently first choice,  came from Gainsborough at the beginning of last season, after a two year spell in Lincolnshire.

He was a Derby County Junior and was loaned to Gloucester City, Hereford and Telford Utd prior to his release.

Leivers came through Long Eaton Utd’s Academy, making his first team debut in October 2022. After spells at Hucknall and Heanor Town, he joined Ilkeston last November and also had a short loan spell at Kimberley MW last season.

Centre back James Perch is an ex Nottingham Forest Junior, with over 500 league games under his belt, plus appearances in the Europa League. After leaving Forest he had three years with Newcastle Utd, two at Wigan Athletic and three at QPR before moving to Scunthorpe in 2018.

He then spent three years with Mansfield Town, before joining the Robins in September last year and is now club captain.

Fellow centre back Callum Minkley is another former Rams Academy player. He went to Gainsborough too on his release and after two years there made the made to Ilkeston last September.

Former captain Tom Marshall came back to the club last November, having left in October 2020. He started his career at Hednesford, moving onto Eastwood, Chasetown, Tamworth, Kidderminster, Stafford, Altrincham and Kettering. 

Mitchell Robinson is a centre back and came to the club in May from Loughborough Dynamo. He was previously captain at Long Eaton.

Dec Eratt-Thompson is a right back who came from Sheffield Wednesday’s Academy. He had left in 2016 to join Stocksbridge, but returned after a two year absence. He was then released again in August 2022 and came to Ilkeston.

Dec’s brother Koby is a left back and was in Chesterfield’s Academy before coming to Ilkeston and spent part of last year on a dual registration with Maltby Main.

Sam Parker came from Long Eaton last September, where he captained their promotion side. He started at the Derby County Academy.

Midfielder Connor Dixon is another former Rams graduate. He spent a month on loan at Ilkeston early last year and after another loan at Farsley Celtic, he returned to the New Manor Ground permanently at the beginning of last season.

Jamie Walker is another midfielder who came from Alfreton for the start of last season. He had previously spent three years at Long Eaton Utd, after joining them from Basford Utd.

Joining Dixon and Walker in midfield is Jonathan Wafula. After his release from Chesterfield’s Academy, he joined Worksop Town, staying for four years before a move to Shaw Lane. Next stop was Gainsborough, followed by Boston Utd, Guiseley, Matlock Town, Grantham and Basford. He was also loaned back to Grantham, and moved to Ilkeston in February.

Striker L’Varn Brandy arrived from Long Eaton last September, having previously been in Sheffield Wednesday’s Academy. 

Striker Tom Cursons came from Long Eaton in August 202t. He began with the Metropolitan Police and was loaned to Badshot Lea. He moved to Hartley Whitney in December 2021 and to Gainsborough only a month later. A further move to Long Eaton in December 2022 preceded his arrival at Long Eaton.

Fellow striker Alex Marshall came through the Ilkeston Academy, but returned to the club last October from Loughborough Dynamo. He has had a couple of spells at Long Eaton and  he also spent part of last season away with Heanor Town on a dual registration.

Striker Ben Hutchinson is probably one of the clubs most experienced player. His football league career started at Middlesbrough, after he joined them from Arnold Town. He then joined Celtic and was sent out on loan to Swindon Town, Dundee and Lincoln City before a permanent move to Kilmarnock.

He came back to the Midlands in 2012 with Mansfield, moving on to Nuneaton, Basford, Belper Town, Carlton, Newark and Eastwood, before joining our hosts at the start of last season and has played in the English and Scottish Premiership and the Champions League.

Sacha Markelic was Heanor Town’s top scorer last season and moved to Ilkeston in March. He was previously at Loghborough Dynamo and Kimberley MW.

Connor Brown is one of the few new signings. A right back, he has made over 150 EFL appearances since starting out as a Sheffield Utd Junior. 

He was loaned to Hinckley before joining Oldham Athletic on his release. He spent four years at Boundary Park, including a loan at Carlisle Utd, before moving to Guiseley in 2016. After spells at York City and Barrow, je joined Buxton in early 2023, and has come to Ilkeston pre-season.

Central midfielder Lindon Meikle is a former England C International and another new signing. From starting out at Eastwood Town. He had three years at Mansfield, before moving to York City. Stops at Macclesfield,  Alfreton, Barrow followed, before e three year spell at Kettering followed. 

He then joined Tamworth, before going to Buxton a year later and being loaned back to Tamworth before rejoining them permanently at the beginning of last season. He first came to Ilkeston on loan in January and recently made his stay permanent.

Last week Ilkeston added Harry Kirby-Moore and Colin Daniel to their squad too. Kirby-Moore is a young striker, who had been on trial pre-season, having been released by Shrewsbury Town.

Daniel is an experienced defender, with almost 30 appearances under his belt in Leagues One and Two. Having started at Eastwood he joined Crewe Alexandra and was loaned out to Leek Town, Grays Athletic and Macclesfield, before a permanent move to the latter.

He was then loaned back to Crewe before a move to Mansfield. He has played for Port Vale, Blackpool, Peterborough, Burton Albion, Exeter City and Aldershot too and started 22/23 at Scunthorpe, before starting last season with Worksop.

Kick off as usual is 7.45 at the Don Amott Arena.

by Peter Scherer (Photos: Steve Ingers)

Mickleover came away from Hyde Utd with a hard-fought point on their return to the Northern Premier League.

Starting line-up: 1-Yusuf Mersin 2-Jake Bennett 3-Ryan Wilson 4-Curtis Weston 5-George Taft 6-Charlie Hickingbottom 7-Dylan Edwards 8-Will Atkinson 9-Fin Ryder 10-Stuart Beavon 11-Brandon Webster. Subs: Andy Dales, Brandon Ferron, Luke Cox, Callum Moore, Dylan Scott.

Our hosts had finished sixth in the league last season and soon started to put the Mickleover defence under pressure. A long throw from Ditchfield after 10 minutes, was flicked on by Hall, before Redshaw had a header well saved by Mersin in the Mickleover goal.

Only a minute later Mersin was the hero again, with a magnificent save from Quadri’s distance shot, as the pressure continued, with Quadri’s 15^th minute effort just wide.

Beavon was yellow carded for a foul 20 minutes in, but Sports defence was then breached a minute later, when a Redshaw shot was cleared initially, but headed back to him. At the second attempt he buried it in the bottom corner with a precise volley and it was 0-1.

Webster joined Beavon in the book for a late challenge after 25 minutes, but Sports then tested keeper Hiddleston with a Hickingbottom header after a corner.

But the home side continued to have the upperhand with Mersin saving a touch from Redshaw after a Scanlon free kick.

Taft became Mickleover’s third yellow card. But Heath’s following free kick was well off target and it was Sports that ended the opening half with a flurry, ending with an Atkinson shot just wide, so it remained 0-1 as the whistle went.

“We were a bit too open and some communication let us down. But we made a tactical change after 30 minutes, which restricted their passing ability more,” said Sports manager Gareth Holmes.

Mickleover made one change for the second half, with Dales on for Ryder, before Cox replaced Taft six minutes into the second half.

Hyde went close again after 52 minutes, when Heath just missed a Quadri cross.

But it was a more positive second half for Mickleover, with Dales making an immediate impact, bursting in from the wing after 52 minutes, his shot just wide.

Hickingbottom had another header just wide from a Wilson corner after 58 minutes, before Bennett went in the ref’s book too for a late tackle.

But another Sports attack finally paid dividends after 68 minutes, when Edwards was brought down in the box. He stepped up to take the penalty, which Hiddleston initially saved, before his quick response hit the rebound home for the equalise, 1-1 with 69 minutes gone.

Wilson went close too, hitting the bar with a free kick, with the keeper caught out, but the final 20 minutes it was Mickleover pressing and Dales tested Hiddleston again after 81 minutes, following a telling one two with Beavon,  forcing a diving save from the home keeper. 

Ferron had come n for Webster too, but Bunn then shot wide for Hyde, before he set up Ditchfield, who also fired over, just before the ref indicated four minutes add on.

As the final whistle approached Mickleover almost snatched all three points, when Beavon managed to round the keeper, only for Hiddleston to make a remarkable recovery and so it stayed 1-1 with a valuable point claimed.

“It was a positive point away from home, against a team that nearly made the play-offs last season. I was really pleased how the players reacted to our half-time talk, after a disappointing first half, so lots of positive’s to take into Tuesday visit from Ilkeston,” Holmes concluded.

by Peter Scherer

After a two year absence, Mickleover head back to the Northern Premier League this weekend, with their opening league match of the season at Hyde Utd.

For Sports manager Gareth Holmes it’s a first league game in charge and debuts for a number of our pre-season signings.

I am planning to have two more players signed before the end of the week, who should be available for the game. We have had a positive pre-season and really looking forward to the start of the season, but it’s still work in progress

he said.

“I will only be really happy with a win, but we need to continue to be a better version of ourselves. There will be ups and downs as we know, but it’s exciting and positive from what we have seen so far,” he added.

Our hosts were sixth last season, just missing out on the play-off’s. Manager Nicky Spooner has been charge since February 2022, having previously coached at Halifax and Bolton Wanderers. 

Unbeaten in their six pre-season games, their last 1-1 with Marine last Saturday, former Sheffield Utd junior Callum Hiddleston is first choice goalkeeper. He finished last season at Ossett Utd.

Centre back Harry Ditchfield s about to start his fourth season at the club, since his release from Salford City. 

He will be joined in the centre by new signing Drew Baker. A former Manchester City, Crewe and Oldham youngster, Baker joined FC United on his release, but soon moved onto Fleetwood Town and has been loaned to Bohemians and Waterford in the Republic of Ireland. 

He has played in League One and the League of Ireland, and following his release from Fleetwood, he finished last season at Macclesfield.

Will Hall is another centre back and another new arrival. He started out at Salford too, then joined Altrincham on his release. Loans at Whitchurch, Ramsbottom and Ashton Utd followed, before joining Ramsbottom permanently at the start of 22/23. He moved on again to start last season at Trafford, before finishing off at Clitheroe.

Right back Ethan Vaughan is another new arrival. He started at Norwich City before moving to Burnley, who then loaned him to Farsley Celtic, before a permanent move to Guiseley.

He was soon on the move again to Marske Utd, before joining Bootle. Loans at Bradford Park Avenue and Stalybridge followed, before joining Hyde a few weeks ago.

Midfielder Jordan Scanlon recently arrived from Atherton Collieries. He started at Rochdale, but after loans at Ashton Utd and Ramsbottom, he started last season at Atherton following his release.

English born midfielder Matt Fearnley has spent most of his recent past in the USA, where he played for Flint City Bucks and Georgia State Panthers. He joined our hosts in January last year on his return to the UK.

Sonny Whittingham is a midfielder and a product of the Huddersfield Town Academy, after they picked him up from Bradford City. He had already been loaned to Bury, when he first came to Hyde as a loanee in October 2022. He returned permanently at the start of last season.

Former Bolton Wanderers junior midfielder Ryan White is one of the few retained players from last season. He came to Hyde in August 2022 after four years at Bamber Bridge.

Winger, striker or midfielder Harry Bunn is vastly experienced with over 200 league games under his belt, through the Championship, leagues one and two and the Scottish Premiership.

He started off with Manchester City and was loaned out to Rochdale, Preston, Oldham, Crewe, Sheffield Utd and Huddersfield, before being sold to Bury in 2017. After a loan at Southend he was released and headed  to Scotland with Kilmarnock, before moving on via York City, Scunthorpe, Buxton and Ashton Utd, moving to Hyde at the start of last season. 

Striker Jack Redshaw is another long server, having come from Ashton Utd in July 2022. He is another ex Manchester City youngster, who made a successful career through leagues one and two. His first move was Rochdale, followed by stays at Salford, Altrincham and Morecambe, and then Blackpool, who loaned him back to Rochdale.

Salford, Halifax and Tork City followed, before he arrived at Ashton Utd. He was then loaned to Chester before joining our hosts.

Akeel Francis is a new arrival, a striker who played his junior football at Rotherham. He was loaned to North Ferriby before going to Accrington on his release. He was soon on the move again to Wrexham, Rochdale, Guiseley, Farsley and Grantham, before heading to Scotland with Falkirk. After a year he returned to England, firstly with Braford Park Avenue, and then Warrington Rylands, before heading north again with Stirling Albion.

He had a number of further spells at Grantham and a loan at Sleaford, before joining Hyde last month.

Fellow striker Connor Heath has recently arrived from Southport. After starting at Crewe, he had loans at Witton Albion and Colwyn Bay, before joining Nantwich on his release. After a  loan at Farsley he joined Southport in October 2022 and was loaned back to Nantwich and Stafford Rangers too, where he ended last season.

Joe Amado is a defender who came from Atherton at the start of last season. He played for Warrington, Trafford and Irlam too.

Midfielder Jake Maltby is a new arrival too, having spent last season at Silsden. He was previously at Bradford Park Avenue.

Ben Kershaw is a midfielder too and former Stoke City Junior, who started out in Rochdale’s Academy.

Midfielder Ayo Quadri was at Hyde on a dual registration with Halifax at the end of last season and has now made the move permanent.

Fellow midfielder Shakeel Jones-Griffiths was on a dual registration too last season with Prestwich Heys. An ex Bolton Junior, he has played for Glossop North, Congleton and Bury.

Reece Mellor has broken into the first team squad in the last season or two, a midfielder out of our hosts own Academy.

Finally defender Joe Hillary is currently on loan from Stockport County.

Kick off at Walker Lane is 3pm