by Peter Scherer (Images: Steve Ingers)

It was a dominant win for Mickleover against a struggling Bourne Town team, with goals from Ali Mohiuddin and Paddy Webb in the first half to set up a 3-1 win.

Starting line-up: 1- Jack McDowell 2-Ali Mohiuddin 3-Louis Bonsor 4-George Wilkinson 5-Danny Benson 6-Ashton Offler 7-Will Atkinson 8-Michael Hollingsworth 9-Stuart Beavon 10-Andy Dales 11-Paddy Webb. Subs: Josh Carter, Fraser Corden, Steven Fikula, Johnson Gyamfi, Archie White.

Sports were straight on the attack from the kick off, with Webb earning a corner after four minutes. Six minutes later Beavon played a lovely ball though into the box to find Hollingsworth, but his shot was blocked.

It wasn’t long though before Mickleover opened the scoring when a Webb header fell nicely for Mohiuddin, who found himself with an empty net to tap the ball home after just 11 minutes,1-0.

Webb was proving particularly menacing to the visitors defence and had another half chance just before the half hour mark, but keeper Lakin was quick off his line to collect before Webb could get a shot in.

Lakin was kept busy when just a minute later he intercepted a header from Beavon which was well on target for Webb to connect again.

Bourne had their first real attack when O’Brien crossed into the box, only for Siddons to put it over the bar.

Penalty appeals from Mickleover were waved away when Webb went down in the 33rd minute, but Sports got their second with five minutes of the first half left. Webb was through again and caught the keeper off his line, he dribbled the ball around him and almost walked the ball into the empty net, 2-0.

The second half kicked off in a similar vain and just one minute into the half Lakin had to tip a Dales free kick over the bar.

But we only had to wait 10 minutes for goal number three. Dales split the defence to find Atkinson, he struck a first time shot giving Lakin little chance, 3-0.

Beavon found Webb with a great pass after 57 minutes, but the final effort went wide. It was Beavon parting shot though as he came off for Gyamfi to make his debut 15 minutes later.

Corden and White then came on for Dales and Bonser and in the final minutes Mohiuddin made room for Carter.

But in the final minute Marshall headed home a consolation goal for Bourne from a Allen corner and so it finished 3-1, with a vital three points confirmed.

 

by Peter Scherer

Home again this weekend, Mickleover face newly promoted Bourne Town, currently 18th in the table.

Sports will still be without Jake Bennett recovering from a calf injury, but hopefully Harry Wood’s bruised foot will have recovered, as we seek our third win of the season.

Our visitors were United Counties Division One Champions 23/24 and last year finished second in the Premier Division North, gaining promotion again via the play-offs.

Like Mickleover they went out of the FA Trophy 0-2 to Rushden & Diamonds last weekend and four days earlier lost 1-2 to Shepshed Dynamo in the FA Cup replay. In the league they have beaten Bedworth away 2-1 and took a point off Anstey Nomads at home.

Manager Michael Goode has been in charge since October 2023 and shares responsibilities with player/co manager Dan Flack.

Goode was previously manager at Deeping Rangers, where Flack played over 350 games before moving to Bourne in May 2023, as co-manager to Steve Wilson.

First choice goalkeeper is Will Lakin who arrived pre-season. A former Peterborough Utd youngster, he was loaned to Kettering Town before going to Dulwich Hamlet on his release. He started last season at Stamford, before moving to Wisbech.

Centre back Connor Peters is another pre-season arrival and another former Peterborough junior. After a loan at Yaxley, he went to St.Josephs in Gibraltar, before returning to the UK with Peterborough Sports. He then spent six months at Spalding, before returning to Gibraltar with Lions, where he spent most of last season.

Right back Eunis Lievins is dual registered with Royston Town, but spent last season at Bourne. He has played for Peterborough Sports and Melton Town too.

Richard Jones is another centre back signed in September 2023. After starting out at Peterborough Northern Star, he joined Corby Town, before a three-year spell with Stamford. He came to our visitors after seven years with Peterborough Sports.

Joshua Burrows is another former Peterborough Utd youngster. A defender, he came in pre-season from March Town.

Freddie Allen is a full back, currently on loan from Stamford. He was previously with Doncaster Rovers.

Defender Brad Marshall arrived at the start of last season from Corby Strip Mills. He was previously at Daventry Town.

Midfielder or striker Connor Furey is a pre-season signing from Shepshed Dynamo. He was previously at Loughborough Dynamo, Harborough Town, Corby Town and Stamford.

Henry Dunn is a midfielder in his second spell at the club. Another ex Peterborough Utd junior, he moved on to Peterborough Northern Star, before his first spell at Bourne. He also played for Melton Town and spent four years with manager Mike Goode at Deeping Rangers.

Midfielder Aaron Eyett came from Deeping Rangers last season. He’s also played at Boston Utd, Holbeach and Pinchbeck.

Jack Wilson is a midfielder too, signed from neighbours Blackstones in January 2024.

Striker Lewis Darlington is another pre-season arrival who started his career at Nottingham Forest. He moved on to Peterborough Utd, who loaned him to Corby Town, Cambridge City and Banbury, before going to Spalding following his release. He spent most of last season with Grantham Town.

Sidney Pereira is another striker, signed from Peterborough Sports in pre-season. He had previously been loaned to Grantham and St.Ives Town.

Striker Tom Siddons came to our visitors from Stamford at the start of last season. He has also played for Kings Lynn, Grantham and Sleaford Town.

Will Bird is another ex Deeping Rangers player. A striker he came to our visitors in June 2023.

Long serving strikers Robie Ellis and Zac Allen tend to share the captaincy. Ellis made his 100th appearance for the club at the end of last season.

Kick off as usual is 3pm, with full refreshment facilities.

by Peter Scherer (Image: Steve Ingers)

A late goal from Basford ended Mickleover’s hopes of progressing in the FA Trophy, after dominating much of the game.

Starting line-up: 1-Oliver Bosworth 2-Archie White 3-Louis Bonser 4-Danny Benson 5-Ashton Offler 6-George Wilkinson 7- Ali Mohiuddin 8-Will Atkinson 9-Stuart Beavon 10-Andy Dales 11-Paddy Webb. Subs: Fraser Corden, Steven Fikula, Michael Hollingsworth, Josh Carter, Pedro Nzau.

Right from the kick off Jordy Hallam tried his luck for the visitors, with a shot straight at Bosworth in the Mickleover goal.

Basford continued to dictate the early after their eighth minute corner was cleared by the home defence, but two minutes on and Kieran Cummings outpaced Bonser on Sports left, his cross seeming to catch the home defence flat footed and Jack Goodman was left unopposed to fire the ball home at close range, 0-1.
Mickleover were forced to try and break out and after 11 minutes Beavon had a shot blocked in the box, after a Bonser attack stemmed from Dales’ progress. Three more minutes and there was a long ball out of defence for Webb to chase, but it a bit too far.

It was back to an end-to-end game, with Cummings hitting the side netting for the visitors after a sustained period of pressure on the defence.
There was a corner for Mickleover after Webb’s 16th minute cross from the left was headed out, but Dales corner then found White, but his chip went out play.

Basford then earned a corner too, before a long shot was fell outside the box failed to test Bosworth.

It was hard work and good progress from Webb on the left again that provided the equaliser, with a neat flick from Beavon in the 22nd minute catching Matt Yates in the Basford goal off balance. 1-1.

Sports earned a free kick Ethan Stewart fouled White and received the first yellow card. But Dales’ free kick went straight into Yates’ waiting arms.
Cummings was then fouled on the edge of the box, but Bosworth was able to punch the free kick away, before the visitors fired another shot straight at the Mickleover keeper, just past the half hour mark.

Benson was then shoved off the pitch by Hynes to earn another free kick, but White’s effort was a comfortable collect for Yates again.

White got on the end of a Beavon cross after 38 minutes, but there was no forced behind the shot and Yates collected with ease again.

But with five minutes left in the first half, a Basford cross went past the face of the home goal, with no one there to connect. Dales earned another corner and in time added on Fin Armond had a shot well over the bar, as it remained 1-1 at half time.

Sports made one change for the restart with Fikula on for Offler, but it was bright start to the second half initially. Both sides had early corners which came to nought, before Dales sent Webb clear. He got his cross in from the left, but there was no one there.

50 minutes and Christie had to clear off the like when Atkinson found Benson. The defender’s flick had Yates beaten, but as on so many occasions for Sports the ball just wouldn’t go in.

Four minutes later Basford broke and earned a corner. Hallam, floated the ball into the middle and Stewart headed home, against the run of play 1-2. Three more minutes and we were level again when Benson sent in a powerful header from a Dales cross, 2-2.

Hollingsworth replaced White on the hour, but Mickleover were starting to dominate. Bonser’s cross from the left was met beautifully with Beavon’s head, but at full stretch Yates just tipped it over. Benson then sent another header just over from the following corner.

Goodman put an effort into the side netting for Basford, before Corden came on for Benson after 70 minutes. But a quick break from Sports almost broke the deadlock again after 73 minutes. It was another cross from Webb on the left that found Beavon and his toe poke once again tested Yates, who just held the shot low down.

Beavon had another shot blocked a couple of minutes later, before Webb, having changed sides, crossed from the right, just missing Beavon’s head.
Yates made yet another diving save to deny Webb with 12 minutes left on the clock. He earned a corner and Wilkinson managed to connect, but again just wide.

But the bitter blow came after 81 minutes, as Dimaio found Hallam on the edge of the box, and his curling shot was out of Bosworth’s reach 2-3.
Bosworth saved another effort a minute later, before Carter replaced Beavon. But with his first touch Carter was n a run until he was hacked down.
Sports were still leading the attacks and with two minutes later Corden carved his way through the visitors defence, with Yates pulling off yet another great save.

Fikula came up for the final corner and rose well to win the ball, but it was over the bar and time was up for Mickleover.

 

by Peter Scherer

It’s time for another break from our NPL Midlands Division campaign, as we host Basford Utd at the Don Amott Arena in the FA Trophy.

Basford, who were relegated from the NPL with Mickleover last season, currently lie fifth in the table, with a game in hand and are so far undefeated.

Following last weekends home draw against Lichfield, Sports manager Gareth Holmes will hopefully have a full squad to choose from.

Last Saturday our visitors were in FA Cup action, going down 1-3 at Hednesford. But on Wednesday eve they bounced back to beat Wellingborough 2-1.

Manager Willis Francis has been in charge at Greenwich Avenue since January. He managed Long Eaton a few years ago and started his playing career as a midfielder at Notts County. He played for the first team 12 times and finished his playing career at Basford in 2015.

First choice goalkeeper is Matt Yates arrived pre-season from Ilkeston. He spent last season at Ilkeston after joining them from Gainsborough, where he had spent the previous two years. He was a Derby County Junior and was loaned to Gloucester City, Hereford and Telford Utd prior to his release.

Yates’ understudy is the vastly experienced Saul Deeney. He started his career at Notts County, and after loan spells at Gresley Rovers, Ilkeston and Hull City, he made a permanent move to Burton Albion in 2005.

He then returned to Notts County, for a year, before a short stay at Hucknall Town preceded a return to Burton too. 4 ½ years at Derby County followed, before his first spell at Basford in 2015. Moving on to Coalville and Ilkeston, he joined Matlock in January 2023, before returning to Basford at the beginning of last season.

Louis Nicholson is a left sided defender signed from Grantham Town last season. He has also played US College football and was previously in Basford’s own academy.

Centre back Ethan Stewart was signed at the beginning of last season from Stafford Rangers. He started his career with Nottingham Forest, who loaned him to Billericay and Alfreton, before joining Nuneaton on his release. He then returned to Alfreton, before moving to Stafford Rangers in October 2021.

Left back or centre back captain Henri Wilder has just started his third season with the club, since signing from Ilkeston in November 2023.He played his youth football at Brighton and Mansfield and was loaned out to Lewes. Following his Stags release he went to Tamworth and played for Alfreton too, before a year at Ilkeston.

David Chapman was signed near the end of last season. Another defender he was at Shepshed Dynamo for most of last season and has played at Nottingham University, Kettering, Quorn and Clifton All Whites and is a former Nottingham Forest Junior.

Defender Cormac Maher is currently on loan from Mansfield Town.

Right back Osa Soloman came from Grantham in pre-season. He is an ex Nottingham Forest Junior, who was also loaned to Redditch. He joined Grantham following his release in summer 2023.

Lynden Joyce is another defender who returned to the club after starting off in their youth scheme. He started the season with Shepshed Dynamo and has also played for Sherwood Colliery and Eastwood.

Ryan Ebanks is a pre- season arrival. He plays on the right side of the defence and lists Grantham, Newark Flowserve, Newark & Sherwood Utd and Coalville on his CV after playing junior football at Notts County.

Eli Christie is a former Derby County Academy centre back. He joined Ilkeston following his release and played for Grantham to before joining our visitors from Gresley Rovers in pre-season.

Jordy Hallam is an attacking midfielder, who has spent most his career at Sheffield Utd. With 28 EFL appearances under his belt, he had loans at Southport, Viking Stavanger and Chesterfield, before joining Scunthorpe following is release. His next stop was Ilkeston after an initial loan, but after three months he moved to Basford in October 2023.

Lewis Reah spent the latter part of last season on loan from Chesterfield. A midfielder he is now back and dual registered with both clubs.

Fin Armond is another pre-season arrival after spending two years at Matlock. A midfielder, he started out at Boston Utd, before spending a year in the US with Queens College’s Queens Knights

Connor Dimaio is another experienced midfielder. He has League One and Two experience after starting at Sheffield Utd. Chesterfield was his next stop, followed by Stockport, Boston Utd, Curzon Ashton, Matlock and Bradford Park Avenue, from where joined our visitors in pre-season.

Callum Cocks came from Long Eaton in the summer. A right back or midfielder he was previously with Loughborough Dynamo and has played for the Army and Royal Artillery.

Striker Tyler Dacres is a young striker that came through the clubs own Academy and is now a regular in the first team squad.

Fellow striker Jack Goodman has spent most of his career with Doncaster Rovers. He made 14 league two appearances and was loaned to Stamford, Gainsborough, Matlock, Peterborough Sports and Bradford Park Avenue. He spent the latter part of last season on loan at Basford too, before the move became permanent re-season.

Tyreace Palmer is well known to Mickleover fans, as he was a Sports player until returning to Basford last March. A striker or attacking midfielder, he’s an ex Notts County youngster and has played for Melton Town and Loughborough Dynamo too.

Kieran Cummings is a striker signed pre-season from Newark & Sherwood where he was last seasons top scorer. He was a Notts County junior and has also played for Shepshed, Newark Town and Bourne Town.

Wayde Hines is another product of the Basford Academy. A debutant five years ago, he also spent some time with Nottingham Forest and has played for Clifton All Whites and Grantham too.

Dameer Rose and Taylor Ceviris both made their first team debuts last weekend in Basford’s FA Cup defeat, having come through the clubs youth scheme.

Kick of as usual is 3pm, be there!!