by Peter Scherer

Mickleover continued their climb up the table with a comfortable 4-1 over the visiting Bromsgrove Sporting, with two goals in each half.

Starting line-up: 1-Jonathan Hedge 2-Lucas Yeomans 3-Rhys Dolan 4/15-Ryan Wilson 5-James Butler 6-Ethan Mann 7-Andy Dales 8-Mitchell Rose 9-Elliott Reeves 10-Stuart Beavon 11-Oliver Greaves. Subs: Laken Osideko, George Nunn, Joe Bateman, Pablo Mills, Mason Warren.

After a brisk end to end start Mickleover earned their first corner after eight minutes, when a Reeves cross saw a Dales header deflected for another corner.

But as the game gained momentum in Mickleover’s favour, both Yeomans and Dolan began to push forward, both becoming threats on their respective wings.

After 15 minutes though Reeves had a shot, with Dales following up. Keeper Armstrong did well to keep Dales effort out, but the ball fell to Greaves who lofted it into the back of the net 1-0.

Dolan almost broke through the defence a few minutes later, before the danger was cleared and then Greaves found Beavon in the box, who had the ball taken off his toe as he was about to shoot.

But Bromsgrove then had the first real chance, when a good cross into the box, just failed to connect with Forsyth.

It was Mickleover continuing to push forward though, with Reeves going close. After cutting in from the left, his shot had the keeper beaten, but was inches wide of the far post too.

Reeves was through again after 23 minutes, one on one with the keeper. This time he tried to chip rather than take it around the keeper, but it was deflected away, just out of reach for anyone following up.

Bromsgrove attempted to push forward again, but seemed to hit a wall before they were in the box, with Butler and Mann outstanding in the middle of the Mickleover defence.

After earning a free kick, Edmunds put it straight out of play for Bromsgrove.

Dales had one of his customary long runs on the half hour, but was stopped in his tracks just before shooting.

Only five minutes later Rose picked up the ball well out, took his time, picked his spot and planted a  superb and powerful shot into the roof of the visitors net, giving Armstrong no chance whatsoever, 2-0.

There was increasing bickering among the Bromsgrove defence, particularly from player/manager McGrath, singling out the keeper on occasions and the female Refs assistant.

But it was Armstrong that came to the rescue again after 35 minutes, when Dales broke through, to see his fizzing shot well saved by the keeper.

Hedge had to make a rare save two minutes later, before Mickleover went close again. Reeves and Dales had combined, before Armstrong tipped the final effort over the bar.

Beavon had his shot blocked from the following corner, before Dolan charged back in his defensive role to cut off a Bromsgrove break.

The combination of Wilson with newcomers Greaves and Rose had seen Sports dominate midfield, but almost on half time Bromsgrove had their first real shot of the half, over the bar.

The visitors started the second half with a flourish though, which saw Hedge in action and the defence pegged back for a while.

Taylor had a shot after 49 minutes, but it was straight at Hedge and for a while they were back in the game.

Dales was soon on the break again though, and after a lovely one two with Beavon, his shot was fired over. 

Only six minutes later the same pair went close again. Greaves had been upended, but a corner was awarded, then Beavon layed it off for Dales, whose shot was deflected over again.

The pressure was beginning to build again in Mickleover’s favour and there was a succession of free kicks and corners, with Wilson repeatedly feeding the strike force with balls into the box.

61 minutes and it was another Wilson cross from the left, met by Beavon’s head, despite him going away from goal there was enough power to make it 3-0.

There was another short spell of pressure from Bromsgrove after they had begun to make changes, but Dales had another run to earn a corner, before Nunn came on for Reeves.

It was almost number four after 74 minutes, as Beavon beat a defender and cross for Dales, but it was deflected for yet another corner.

Bateman came on for Rose, but Mickleover were down to 10 men. McGrath had kicked Nunn in an off the ball incident, in clear view of the refs assistant. Nunn foolishly retaliated to the player/manager’s game long aggression and pushed him. 

The ref gave Nunn a straight red card, while the instigator failed to receive either card or warning!

Taylor pulled on back for Bromsgrove and had a couple more half chances which Hedge coped with.

Warren came on as a late sub, but deep into injury time and with the last kick of the match Dales made it four with a fine solo effort, final score 4-1.

No game this Saturday, it’s back to the Don Amott Arena next Tuesday, when we host Basford Utd.

by Peter Scherer

It’s another Tuesday evening matchday with Bromsgrove Sporting visiting the Don Amott Arena. With gaffer John McGrath getting the Mickleover squad up to ninth in the Southern Premier League Central, he is unlikely to make many changes, while his namesake Michael McGrath is trying to stop a run of four straight defeats, having only taken over last week, following the departure of Thomas Baillie.

Bromsgrove went down 1-3 at Ilkeston last Saturday, but the week prior took a 1-7 home hammering from the visiting Leiston. Their last win was on October 1^st 5-2 at Kings Langley.

With Michael McGrath becoming player/manager he has handed over his captaincy to Tom Taylor. Centre back McGrath arrived in March, having been without a club since leave Kettering in June 2021.

He has along list of former clubs from a long career, including Redditch, Kidderminster, Worcester, Sligo Rovers and Galway Utd, plus lengthier stays in the Midlands with Rushall, Stratford and Hereford. His first spell at Bromsgrove was 2018, for three months, before moving on again to Redditch, Stourbridge and Evesham.

Taylor is a former striker who became a defender. An ex Shrewsbury junior, he has played much of his football in Wales, with Porthmadog, Caernarfon Town, Pentraeth, Glantraeth, Holyhead Hotspur and Llangefni Town. 

He left Bromsgrove in April last year, but returned in December and as well as being the new skipper, he is ever present this season.

Liam Armstrong has recently taken over Ollie Taylor in goal. An ex Bristol Rovers Junior, Armstrong is currently on loan from Gloucester City.

Taylor was signed from Alvechurch last December and has also played for Redditch, while goalkeeping coach Ryan Pratt has also been on the bench.

Jack Byrne is a centre back on loan from Fylde, he has also had loan spells at Barnoldswick and Lancaster City.

Defensive midfielder George Forsyth arrived from Stourbridge pre-season. He started at Kidderminster before moving on to Halesowen, Gloucester, Worcester, Stourbridge and Hereford.

Jack Newell is a defensive midfielder too, a former Northampton Town Junior, he moved on to Barwell, before Bromsgrove signed him in July last year.

Central midfield is Joe Curtis’ favourite position. He started out at Southampton, before joining Brackley on his release. Daventry, Spalding, Rushden & Diamonds, Stratford and St Ives were his next stops, before 10 months at Corby prior to joining our visitors pre-season.

Charlie Shaw was a pre-season signing too and is another central midfielder. He started as a Mansfield Town Junior, before joining Tamworth. He returned to Tamworth after a spell at Walsall Wood and was at Lichfield before Bromsgrove picked him up.

Harvey Gregson is the second of the loanees from Fylde. He’s a midfielder and has been loaned out to Bamber Bridge and Prescot Cables too.

Callum King-Harmes is a former Wales Under 21 midfielder, who started off at Bolton Wanderers. He had a loan at Bamber Bridge before singing for Hednesford on his release and came to Bromsgrove from Sutton Coldfield in August.

Striker Matthew Barnes-Homer is an ex England C International striker, who came from Stourbridge in March. His 18 year career started at Aldershot and had his first spell at Bromsgrove in 2006. His other clubs include Rochdale, Luton Town, Ostersund in Sweden, Macclesfield and Cambridge Utd. He had seven months at Mickleover too back in 2018.

Mikey Taylor was another one of the pre-season signings, returning for a second spell at Bromsgrove. Having started at Worcester, he played for Tamworth, Leamington, Stratford, Stourbridge before his first stay in 2019. After 10 months he left for Tamworth, and after spells at Stratford and Halesowen he made his return.

Dan Sweeney is another striker with a long career behind him. Kidderminster, Halesowen, Stourport, Rushall, Solihull, Hednesford, Leamington, Bradford PA all featured on his journey, before joining Bromsgrove from Redditch in July.

Right back James Fry arrived in the summer too from Stratford. He was a Birmingham City Junior, before being loaned to Kidderminster. He moved onto Leamington, Stretford, Tamworth, before a two-year return to Stratford, prior to his Bromsgrove arrival.

Ryan Edmunds is a midfielder that arrived from Redditch, having joined them in January from Nuneaton, where he spent over four years, since signing from Coleshill Town.

Striker Zidan Sutherland was at Stratford last season and was previously on West Bromwich Albion’s books. He hails from St Vincent & Grenadines and is currently on loan from Colchester.

Defender Ammar Dyer is an ex Port Vale Junior who was released in July last year and is a regular in the Bromsgrove starting line-up.

Miro Pais is a young winger and has been at Bromsgrove for two years.

Kieron Dawes is a former Birmingham City defender. He was loaned to Sutton Coldfield and Hednesford, before joining Coleshill and had spells at Stafford and Redditch before joining Bromsgrove.

Fellow defender Lewis Wright also lists Redditch as a former club, along with Alvechurch and Halesowen.

Kick off as usual is 7.45 with the bar open too.

by Peter Scherer

Mickleover are up to ninth in the Southern Premier League Central Division, following their home win against Rushden & Diamonds.

Starting line-up: 1-Jonathan Hedge 2-Lucas Yeomans 3-Rhys Dolan 4-Ryan Wilson 5-Ethan Mann 6-Phil Watt 7-Andy Dales 8-Mason Warren 9-Stuart Beavon 10-Elliott Reeves 11-Oliver Greaves. Subs: Lekan Osideko, Pablo Mills, George Nunn, Mitchell Rose, James Butler.

Mickleover started the game strongly against a struggling Rushden side and had a free kick blocked after only three minutes, before a cross from the left was put just wide of the post.

It was almost the opening goal on eight minutes, when Dolan broke into the area, rounded visiting keeper Snedker, only for his shot to hit the post.

Beavon had an effort just wide after a good build up four minutes later and Snedker was in action again in the 23^rd minute when Dales created his own space, fired in from just outside the box, with his shot tipped over by the keeper.

From the corner Hicks had to clear off the line for the visitors, from a Watt header, before Rushden had their first real break when Cooper tried a lob over Hedge, but it was just wide of the post.

The Rushden defence continued to be under almost constant pressure, with Reeves sending a header just wide after meeting a cross from the left on the half hour.

Greaves then hit the post after 36 minutes, the rebound shot was then wide, but deemed offside too.

Beavon had a header on target a few minutes later and with the half time whistle poised, a cross from the right just missed connecting with Reeves on the far post, with Snedker left flat footed, so it remained 0-0 as the whistle blew.

With the second half starting in a similar attacking vain for Mickleover, a shot off the post for a third time, was followed up with a power shot from Wilson just inside the near post to finally break the deadlock, 1-0 after 52 minutes.

Three minutes later Reeves almost got through from a Beavon flick into the box, before Hughes blocked twice for the visitors,and Snedker finally saved from Greaves shot, after an intense period of bombardment from the Sports attack.

Hughes was on hand to block again for the visitors, before Snedker parried away after 66 minutes, then six minutes later Dales cut in from the left to force another save from the busy Snedker.

Finally the second goal arrived in the 74^th minute, when Dales attacked from the left, cut inside and clipped his shot past the keeper, with Greaves there to in case the ball needed a helping hand, 2-0.

Two subs had been made with Rose and Nunn on for Reeves and Warren, but with four minutes left it was third sub Osideko who got the ball into the box, but no one was on hand to receive it. It still could have been a third goal though when Snedker tipped a Dales free kick over the bar.

Rushden had a rare chance though in time added on, when Hedge parried a powerful shot from Agemoh-Davies, which was almost collected by Hicks. 

So 2-0 was probably flattering as Mickleover could easily have had more, but three points were secured and we now look forward to the visit of Bromsgrove on Tuesday night.