by Peter Scherer (Image: Steve Ingers)
It’s been a tough few weeks for both the Mickleover players and supporters. But after a suffering a defeat at Kettering back in November, it was the Poppies on the receiving end this weekend, with an Oli Greaves hattrick securing a 4-1 victory.
Starting line-up: 1-Lewis Ridd 2-Jake Bennett 3-Ryan Wilson 4-Will Atkinson 5-Will Tamen 6-Ethan Mann 7-Andy Dales 8-Will Trueman 9-Tyrell Waite 10-Ben Sault 11-Oli Greaves. Subs: Stuart Beavon, Dan Bradley, Kyle Rowley, Rhys Dolan, Ethan Fitzhugh.
Sports were fired up from the start and this time there was no sign of the casual defending that gave way to early goals.
Kettering keeper Dan Jezeph had to save a seventh minute effort from Greaves, after he collected on the edge of the box, earning an early corner.
Five minutes later Bennet charged down the right wing, his cross found Greaves again, who couldn’t quite get purchase on the ball and fired just wide of the of the post from fairly close range.
Ridd was then called into action to save a shot from Kobe Chong. It earned the visitors a corner, before Rhys Sharpe’s effort went out of play. Only two minutes later Ridd was forced to make a diving save, with a ball destined for the top corner and suddenly it was Mickleover’s defence under pressure.
27 minutes in and it was Kettering that opened the scoring, catching Sports on the back foot, 0-1.
It prompted Mickleover to push forward again to seek an equaliser and just after the half hour mark, Dales cut inside from the wing, fired in his cross as Sault collected and shot just wide.
Atkinson then had a shot well saved by Jezeph, but it was in time added on as the half time whistle approached, that Greaves hit the back of the net, with the whistle finally blowing at 1-1.
Barely had the second half started and Waite almost got a second for Mickleover. He collected the cross and fired the ball goalwards, only to hit the bar. Dales had another shot saved a minute later, with Sault’s effort from the rebound blocked.
But Kettering got a break after 55 minutes and after good decisive build up, Ridd made another good save from Jarvis’ shot.
It was all about to change in Sports favour though, with Greaves making it 2-1 after 59 minutes. The attacks continued to flow, with the defence looking far more solid. 72 minutes gone and it was 3-1, after Dales cut in from the left wing again, firing home into far right hand corner.
Only three minutes further on and Sports were then awarded a penalty. Greaves strode forward to make it 4-1 and to secure his hattrick too.
Fitzhugh came for Sault after 77 minutes and Beavon for Waite after 80. But the score remained the same and keeps Mickleover in a solid third place and still in the play-off positions, as we now look forward to long visit to Leiston on Tuesday night.
