by Peter Scherer

After the disappointing defeat at Needham Market last Saturday, Mickleover will be hoping to bounce straight back for the visit of top of the table Tamworth on Tuesday evening.

Our visitors have won five of their eight games, including an 8-1 victory at Bedford. Their only defeat was 1-4 at home to Coalville Town and last Saturday they beat Kings Langley at home 3-0.

Elliot Reeves’ fire power will be back to Sports squad too for this match, after serving his two-match suspension.

Tamworth Manager Andy Peaks has been in charge since February, having moved from Rusden & Diamonds. He started as a player at Northampton, before playing for Rushden, Raunds, Wealdstone and Stamford. After being assistant manager at Long Buckby and Daventry, his took charge at Northampton Spencer before moving back to Rushden.

Goalkeeper Jas Singh is one of six ever present players this season. He arrived from Telford in July 2018, having started his career at Shrewsbury Town. He has also played for Kidderminster, Solihull Moors and Gloucester City.

Matt Curley is a right back who came from Buxton in July. His career kicked off at Romulus, before moves to Chasetown, Sutton Coldfield, Tamworth and Hednesford preceded 2 ½ years at Buxton.

Midfielder Gift Mussa has spent his whole career in the West Midlands, after starting out at Coventry Utd. After a short spell at Leamington, he spent almost two years at Bromsgrove, before a further year at Nuneaton prior to his arrival at Tamworth in February.

Alex Collard is a centre back and club captain, having arrived from Rushden during the summer. He’s also played for Aylesbury, Chichester City and Kempton Rovers.

Fellow centre back Liam Dolman came through the ranks at Northampton Town, making over 50 appearances for the Cobblers. He was loaned out to Aylesbury Utd and Kettering, before joining Kidderminster on his release. Corby, Banbury and Daventry then preceded eight years at Rushden & Diamonds, signing for Tamworth pre-season.

Striker Dan Creaney is the last of the ever-present players this season, and has been at Tamworth since signing from Coalville in July 2019.  He’s also played for Bedworth, and during his time Coalville was loaned to Basford and Stratford.

Left sided midfielder Kyle Finn came from Halesowen in July. The former Coventry City Junior had previously be loaned to Tamworth, along with Hereford and Rushall, before joining Halesowen on his release in July 2019.

Left back Callum Cockerill-Mollet is a former Republic of Ireland Under 18 and 19 International. He was a Walsall Junior loaned out to Telford and Chasetown, arriving at Tamworth in late 2019 following his release.

Luke Fairlamb is a midfielder signed from St Ives pre-season. After starting out at Corby he had five years in the US with St Peter’s University Peacocks. On his return to the UK he joined Rushden & Diamonds, moving on via Bedford, Sileby, Brackley and Banbury.

Central midfielder Jordan Clement started out at Wolves, joining Romulus after his release in 2016. After a spell at Coleshill he had his first stop at Tamworth in 2018 and was also loaned to Stratford, before moving to Alvechurch and finally Redditch, from where he was signed in August 2021.

Eoin McKeown is a well-travelled striker, who started off at Colchester Utd. After a loan at Maldon & Tiptree he was released and joined Kings Langley. Further moves have taken him to Wingate, Walton Casuals, Loughborough University and latterly Braintree, from where he was signed in February this years. He has made three starts and scored one goal so far this season.

Ty Deacon is a striker signed from Kettering in July. He has made two starts and has also played for Rushden & Diamonds.

Former West Bromwich Albion Junior midfielder George Cater has only started once this season. After joining Kidderminster, he went to Stafford, Hednesford and Chasetown, joining our visitors in July after a return trip to Hednesford.

Centre back James Hurst has had a long and varied career. Capped by England at Under 16, 17, 19 and 20 he reached as high as league one, having started as another West Brom Junior, being loaned to Portsmouth, IBV Vestmannaeyjar in Iceland, Blackpool, Shrewsbury, Chesterfield and Birmingham, before returning to Iceland with Valur Reykjavik in 2013.

He joined Crawley Town after returning to the UK where his changes in clubs took him the length and breadth of the country. After two years at Buxton he arrived at Tamworth in January.

Yet another ex West Brom Junior, midfielder Alex Bradley came from Yeovil in pre-season. He’s an ex Finnish Under 16,17 and 19 International. He left West Brom in 2019 after loans at Havant & Waterloovile, Burton Albion and Lincoln City. His stop at Lincoln became permanent, before he moved to Yeovil in January last year and he made seven appearances in League One.

Striker Alex Jones was signed last November and is another ex West Brom Junior. After a move to Birmingham City he was loaned to Grimsby and Port Vale, before a permanent move to Bradford City. After a loan at Cambridge Utd he joined Patrick Thistle and was at Northampton before joining our visitors. He made his seasonal debut last Saturday.

Ben Hart, Cameron Howkins, AJ George and Keelan Fallows have all been on the bench so far, yet to make a start.

Hart is a right back who came from Burton in July last year, having previously played at Tamworth during one of his loan spells from the Brewers.

Centre back Cameron Howkins was signed from Brocton in December 2019, having started at Kidderminster. He has since had two loan spells at Khalsa, but returned to Tamworth in March.

Midfielder AJ George is an Antigua & Barbuda International who was signed from Rushden in July. A former Oxford Utd Junior, he moved on to Mansfield during which time he had a short loan spell at Mickleover in 2017.

After further loans he joined Chippenham and Oxford City, before joining Rushden October last year.

Fallows is currently second choice goalkeeper recently loaned to Quorn. He was a Junior at Coventry and has also been loan to Daventry.

Kick off is at the Don Amott Arena 7.45.

by Peter Scherer (Images: Needham Market FC)

Mickleover’s hopes of a fourth successive Southern Premier League Central win came to end over the weekend, going down 0-2 on their visit to Needham Market.

Sports were unchanged from their win at Rushall last time out, 1-Jonathan Hedge 2-Jake Bennett 3-RhysDolan 4-Joe Bateman 5-James Butler 6-Phil Watt 7-Ryan Wilson 8-Mason Warren 9-Jahvan Davidson-Miller 10-Stuart Beavon 11-Andy Dales, Subs: George Milner, Kai Moore, Ethan Mann, Jordan Fankwe.

The hosts opened the scoring after 21 minutes, when Daniel Morphew flicked on a corner, which was collected by Jacob Lay who scored from close range. 0-1.

Six minutes later Needham could have had a second, but having almost sent his initial touch goalwards, Butler cleared the danger, after Lay had sent Jake Dye on the overlap, firing in a low and dangerous cross.

But our hosts were down to 10 men after 34 minutes, when defender Kyle Hammond was sent off after two yellow cards in close succession.

There was little chance of Mickleover taking advantage, as only seven minutes Bateman followed  after a straight red for a dangerous tackle on Noah Collard.

With the half time whistle poised, Mickleover hit the bar, but fortunately for Needham, the rebound was straight into keeper Shorten’s waiting arms and it remained 0-1.

Early into the second half, Patrick Brothers had a shot wide for our hosts and on the hour he went close again with a curling shot just wide again.

But 76 minutes in and Lay scored his second, after Brothers found him in the box. Having beaten the defence he slotted it past the advancing Hedge and it was 0-2.

Despite Sports efforts to fight back, they were not able to add to the score sheet and returned home pointless and for the first time this season goalless too.

by Peter Scherer

It’s off to East Anglia again this weekend, when we visit Bloomfields, the home of Needham Market FC.

Mickleover will be looking for their fourth consecutive win to continue the climb up the table. Elliott Reeves is still unavailable following his red card, but otherwise gaffer John McGrath should have a full squad to choose from.

Currently 12^th in the Southern Premier League Central Division, one point behind Mickleover, our hosts have played five of their seven league games at home.

After a 0-0 draw at Rushden & Diamonds on the opening day of the season, they had their first defeat at home to Bromsgrove, before wins against St Ives and Stourbridge. 

After a 2-0 defeat to Rushall, they played their second away game at Hitchin, losing 0-1, but hit five without reply against Royston at home in their last match.

They are still in the FA Cup too, having knocked out Leiston and Sheringham at home and are at home again in the next round to Brightlingsea.

Former Northern Ireland International midfielder Kevin Horlock has been in charge for two years, having stepped up from a coaching role. He previously managed Chatham, Colchester Under 21’s and the Northern Ireland Under 21’s, having finished his playing career at Needham. He also played for West Ham, Swindon, Manchester City, Ipswich, Doncaster, and Scunthorpe.

Nathan Munson and Tom Rothery are both assistant managers. Former goalkeeper Munson has been at Needham for nine years in various roles, having played league football for Colchester, while Rothery came back to the club in 2019 from Brightlingsea.

First choice keeper Marcus Garnham is in his fourth season at Bloomfields, having signed from Leiston, but his whole career has been spent in East Anglia, having played for Leiston, AFC Sudbury, Lowestoft and Bury Town.

His deputy Finley Shorten is a product of their own Academy and is looking to get his break having been on the bench so far this season.

Right back Kyle Hammond came from Leiston in July last year, after starting out as an Ipswich Town Junior, during which time he was loaned to Maldon & Tiptree.

Dan and Keiran Morphew are twins and both play at centre back. Dan was at Haverhill Rovers and Thetford Town, before joining our hosts from Dereham in 2018. Keiran was the first graduate from their own Academy and made the first of his 250 plus appearances in 2013.

Christian Frimpong is another centre back. He joined Bristol City Academy from Chippenham Town, before moving on to Reading and Swindon. Following his release he played for Braintree, Lewes, Sudbury, and Chelmsford City, from where he joined Needham in August.

Teenager Hugh Cullum is another defender to come from the clubs Academy, he debuted last season and has had two starts this year and is an England Under 18 Schoolboy International.

Right back Jake Dye has come through the home Academy too. He debuted back in 2015 and expects to make his 200^th appearance for the club this season.

Winger Jacob Lay was a summer signing from Ipswich Wanderers in the Eastern Counties League, having scored 13 goals for them last season as they won the Division One title. He started out at Ipswich Town and has played for Brantham Athletic, Sudbury Town, Braintree, Whitton Utd, Felixstowe & Walton and Dereham, as well as a short spell at Preston North End.

Jamie McGrath is another summer signing too. He was on a dual registration last year with Brantham Athletic and East Bergholt, with a reputation as a prolific scorer, with 56 goals in 34 games last season. He scored his first for Needham in the home win against St Ives.

Midfielder Patrick Brothers came from Leiston in February, after 12 years at their Suffolk neighbours. He was previously at Brantham Athletic and is Needham’s top scorer this season with three goals.

Left winger Ross Crane came from Ipswich Town in August, where he was part of their Under 21’s. He started out at Colchester and Sudbury before joining Ipswich in July 2020 and was also loaned to Concord Rangers and Bury Town. 

Midfielder Evan Collard is a former Needham Market player currently on loan from Stowmarket. He played Academy football at both Ipswich Town and Needham and has also played for Witham Town, before joining Stowmarket in September 2020.

Evan isn’t the only Collard in the squad, as brother Noah is another to come from the club’s own youth scheme. Another midfielder who has worked his way into the first team squad over the last couple of seasons.

Seth Chambers made his first team debut in February having come through the clubs Academy. In his first full season he has already scored two goals in the win over Stourbridge.

Midfielders Tom Fitzgerald and George Exworth are yet to make a start this season, having worked their way through the Academy and reserve teams.

Taylor Clark is another young midfielder who was on trial with Aston Villa at the beginning of the year, before returning to our hosts Academy.

Finally, Ryan Viggars, a striker on loan from Charlton Athletic. He was previously at Sheffield Utd and is a Wales Under 17,18 & 19 International.

by Peter Scherer

Mickleover made it three successive Southern League Premier wins, after a 3-1 victory on their trip to Rushall Olympic last night.

Starting line-up: 1-Jonathan Hedge 2-Jake Bennett 3-Rhys Dolan 4-Joe Bateman 5-James Butler 6-Phil Watt 7-Ryan Wilson 8-Mason Warren 9-Jahvan Davidson Miller 10-Stuart Beavon 11-Andy Dales. Subs: George Milner, Elliott Walker, Marcus Marshall, Ethan Mann, Jordan Fankwe.

From the starting whistle Mickleover were on the attack and earned their first corner after four minutes, after Dales’ initial cross was put out.

Only a minute later Davidson-Miller had his first shot of the night blocked after another Dales cross.

Not surprisingly it was Dales causing problems for the home defence that brought the opening goal. As the winger cut in from the left he let fly with a cracking shot from a tightening angle beating keeper Weaver on his far post, even though he got a hand to it. 1-0.

Dolan put a dangerous cross in from the left a few minutes later, but the keeper held it, before Rushall had their first real attack 14 minutes in, following a corner.

Dales broke through again and was tripped on the edge of the box, but no foul given, while only a couple of minutes later it was 2-0 to Mickleover when Davidson-Miller battled through to find Warren, who fired it home after 16 minutes.

Rushall earned a free kick but Bateman easily cleared the danger, just before Rushall had their first real shot after 18 minutes.

There were a couple of free kicks given but our hosts failed to threaten from any and after 25 minutes Warren went close again, just wide of the right-hand post from long range, with another powerful drive.

As Dales had before, Dolan had a long run and was tripped on the edge of the box, but no foul, but Mickleover continued to threaten the home defence, with the occasional break their only respite.

Dales and Warren were playing their usual roaming roles, as Wilson and Bateman played more defensive midfield, and after 33 minutes Dales put a long ball through just out of Davidson-Miller’s reach.

Beavon had a cracking shot just over the bar after 35 minutes, before Rushall managed to break out of the own half and finish the first half strongly.

The hosts had a few more random and wide shots and Wilson cleared a more telling cross, before Hedge had to make his first save of the night with two minutes left.

Milner came on as sub to replace Wilson who had a heavy cold, but in time added on a nice interaction between Davidson-Miller and Beavon, saw the former’s final shot of the half blocked again.

Just as in the first half Mickleover came out with all guns blazing again, but after 49 minutes Hedge had to punch away a good Rushall effort on his right.

There was a whole series of corners for our hosts before it was finally cleared, but after another tremendous run down the left from Dolan, he squared the ball for Beavon, a quick turn and shot and it was 3-0.

For the next 15 minutes it was fairly even, before a more sustained period of attacking was triggered from a long throw, but ended with a blocked shot.

Rushall made a triple substitution, but a mistake by Whittall at the other end almost sent Davidson-Miller clear, before he fouled the Mickleover striker and then appealed for his own free kick, neither of which were given.

After a fairly quiet but solid comeback game, Bennett was replaced by Mann for the last 14 minutes, as Butler and Watt had to earn their crust with more home attacking.

A Mantom effort was cleared off the line, but after 80 minutes Whittall pulled one back for Rushall 3-1.

Mickleover were on the retreat but holding firm, Dales made way for Marshall into the last five minutes and Beavon had a shot blocked from a Warren corner.

Although Rushall hadn’t played badly, the game was won and lost in midfield, where Mickleover’s strength seemed to lie.

We are now up to ninth in the table and only a point outside the play-offs, but it’s now over a week until the next game, when we visit 11^th place Needham Market on the 24^th.