by Peter Scherer

Following last weekend’s disappointing defeat to neighbours Mickleover British Legion, Mickleover Reserves hit back in the best possible way, with a 6-1 win over Bakewell Town at the Don Amott Arena.

Starting line-up: 1-Josh Bull 2-Mason Hoult 3-Chris Palmer 4-Jared Cholerton 5-Silas Donkor 6-Harry Atwal 7-Liam Carter 8-Mo Shweikh 9-Mikey Mandimutsira 10-Bernard Nsiah 11-Josh Powell. Subs: Arnold Marimbe, Marats Sudans, Steve Powell.

It was a fairly even opening 10minutes, with Sports defence almost caught out after four minutes, when Cholerton misjudged a long clearance by the visitors, before Donkor came to the rescue.

Mickleover then won the first corner a minute later, but that came to nought, as the Bakewell defence cleared.

Carter had his first run down the right after nine minutes, as Sports started to build on more frequent attacks. On this occasion the keeper intercepted, but five minutes later he picked up on a long ball out of defence, cut inside again to fire home the opening goal 1-0.

From the restart Bakewell broke clear though, and tested Bull in the Mickleover goal for the first time, making a diving save to his right.

But only two minutes after the opening goal, Mickleover hit their second. Mandimutsira started the move on the left, before a crossfield ball to Atwal was struck firmly from outside the box, comfortably beating the keeper to make it 2-0.

The Mickleover defence were looking sold with Cholerton and Donkor in the middle, allowing Hoult and Palmer to use the wings. After 18 minutes a Bakewell corner briefly threatened, before Bull punched clear. The rebound was then cleared and sent Hoult on a break.

A few minutes later Carter beat the defence again on the right, he tried a shot but the keeper snatched it as Nsiah tried to follow up.

Carter had another shot blocked 23 minutes in, but Mickleover continued to dominate possession. Bakewell did get a shot in with seven minutes of the first half left, but after that was blocked, Mandimutsira tried his luck, shooting just wide of the right-hand post.

It was close to a third for Sports as the half time whistle was poised, when Atwal’s shot was blocked, and Carter followed up with a strike just over the bar.

Straight from the kick off of the second half Nsiah just lost out to the Bakewell keeper in a one-on-one chase, but 50 minutes and in and the home defence was breached, when they failed to clear a corner and it was suddenly 2-1.

Carter put a shot straight into the keepers hands a minute later, before some rash tackles started to come from the Bakewell defence. Powell was brought down the edge of the box and Mandimutsira connected after Palmer’s free kick to make it 3-1.

Mickleover were on a charge and just a minute later Nsiah almost broke through after another lengthy run, but just after the hour mark Sports made it count again. Powell’s shot on the left came back off a defender and fell nicely to Palmer, who sent his curling shot into the far corner, 4-1.

After a Bakewell effort went over the bar from the left, Carter left the defence in his wake again on the right wing, he out a perfect ball into the box where Nsiah just got to the ball first, flicking over the advancing keeper and it was 5-1 with 68 minutes gone.

Mickleover continued to press and Nsiah almost made it through again with a long run after 75 minutes, soon followed by another Carter shot, but well over the bar.

Carter was almost through again with 10 minutes left, but he was hacked down and ignored by the referee, who briefly left everyone in doubt over his intentions.

Powell was fouled again on the edge of the box and Palmer’s free kick found Atwal, whose cross was just a whisker from connecting with Nsiah’s head.

Sports made two late substitutions with Shweikh and Carter making way for Dembele and Sudans, but after Bakewell gave Bull a last catch from a tame shot, Hoult charged down the right on the 90 minute mark, crossed to find Nsiah who struck his second goal of the night, to make it a solid 6-1 victory.

by Peter Scherer

Two goals in the second half made sure that Mickleover Reserves secured a 3-1 victory over Arnold Town in their Central Midlands Alliance Leage clash.

Starting line-up: 1-Josh Maher 2-Brad Brittan 3-Brandon Ferron 4-Harry Atwal 5-Silas Donker 6-Ted Stevenson 7-Mo Shweikh 8-Chris Palmer 9-Arnold Marimbe 10-Bernard Nsiah 11-Luke Thompson. Subs: Mason Hoult, Jared Cholerton, Marats Sudans.

Barely had the game kicked off and Shweikh made a break down the right wing to earn a corner. Palmer’s kick then met a scramble in the box, but Atwal’s head got the final touch to make it 1-0, despite protests that the ball hadn’t crossed the line.

Just two minutes later Ferron and Thompson combined, totally outpaced the visitors defence and earned another corner, which went straight into the side netting.

It took a while for Arnold to settle into the game, but they earned their first corner after seven minutes, which came to nought.

Ferron once again tore passed the visitors defence and sent a cross in a few minutes later. But Nsiah couldn’t get control and any chance had gone.

Nsiah then had another shot saved after cutting inside from the left, Stevenson’s shot on the rebound was saved too, before Shweikh fired his effort over the bar.

13 minutes in and another Ferron and Thompson move found Palmer in the middle, but he struck his shot wide.

But the visitors were back on equal terms a minute later, when a gap opened through the middle of the Mickleover defence, making it 1-1 with their first shot on target.

Mickleover were quickly back on the attack and after cutting inside again from the left, Thompson fired over the bar, before a perfect cross from Ferron forced a goal mouth scramble, before it went for a goal kick.

Arnold put a weak shot wide of Maher’s left- hand post after 17 minutes, but it was Ferron leading the Mickleover breaks and after 23 minutes, another long run and some accurate interpassing came to nought again.

The visitors won a 27th minute free kick which sailed over the bar, but they started to win more possession, when Sports started to give the ball away in midfield.

33 minutes in and a casual mis-pass set up another Arnold break, but they failed to maximise the opportunity with a shot wide of the left-hand post, followed two minutes late with another weak shot wide of the goal.

After Thompson was fouled, Palmer’s free kick found Shweikh, he took the ball to the line to cross, but there was no one in the middle.

With seven minutes of the first half left Shweikh broke again, but his chase ended when the advancing keeper managed to intercept.

Arnold had another chance when Sports lost possession again, but the visitors striker tried a spectacular acrobatic shot, missed the goal and injured himself in the process.

But there was more drama almost on the whistle, when Sports keeper Maher was alleged to have punched the ball outside his box. He was yellow carded and a free kick awarded, which went sailing over the bar again.

Mickleover started the second half with tremendous pace, and just five minutes into the restart Shweikh’s cross almost connected with Nsiah, but the visitors keeper just got there in time.

It was almost a repeat a minute later, with the same two players, but this time Nsiah struck to make it 2-1.

Thompson had continued to cause chaos on the left with two more breaks approaching the hour mark. After being hacked down to earn a free kick, Palmer sent a curling shot just shy of the top corner.

Palmer almost connected with Nsiah a few minutes later, before Shweikh found himself clear. He had time but rushed his shot, sending it well wide of the goal.

The visitors had begun to look jaded and the youthful Mickleover side soon took advantage again. Marimbe was through with just the keeper to beat, his shot was blocked, but Thompson followed up to make it 3-1 after 72 minutes.

Nsiah had another good shot well saved after a cross from Shweikh, before Stevenson limped off to be replaced by Surats.

Maher was also injured and so Palmer went into goal for the final minutes, with Cholerton on as sub.

In time added on there could have been two more goals, firstly Ferron’s long run ended with him hitting the post and then Thompson was blocked with a last minute tackle, so it remained a fairly comfortable 3-1 win for Sports.