by Peter Scherer
The third game in Mickleover’s pre-season build-up took them to NPL Division One Midlands side Shepshed Dynamo.
Manager Gareth Holmes went for a mixture of signed players and trialists again, including Academy Graduates Toby Smith and Brandon Ferron.
Starting line-up: 1-Trialist 2-Trialist 3-Trilaist 16-Trialist 5-George Taft 6-Trialist 7-Leojo Davidson 8-Toby Smith 9-Fin Ryder 10-Stuart Beavon 11-Brandon Ferron. Subs Dylan Edwards + four trialists.
The game had barely got underway when Davidson picked up a loose ball on the right, crossing for Beavon in the box, who made no mistake from close range, 1-0 after three minutes.
Mickleover continued to put early pressure on the home defence and two minutes later Beavon sent Ryder on a run, before his charge down the left was cut off.
Davidson outpaced the defence again down the right, with his cross met by Ferron’s head, sending his effort just over the bar.
10 minutes in and Sports were still pushing for a second, with Davidson, Ryder and Beavon all looking dangerous after a good feed from Ferron on the left.
The Sports defence was Taft and a trio of trialists, who had looked fairly solid in the early minutes. But trialist 6 was lucky not to see yellow card, when he took the legs of his Shepshed counterpart. But the following free kick was easily cleared.
Both trialist wing backs began to push forward more and number two sent a nice cross into the box after 18 minutes, just missing Beavon’s head.
A minute later Davidson had another strong run and this time cut in to shoot himself. His effort was saved and from the following corner, Taft’s header was cleared.
There was some confusion in the Mickleover defence when the trialist keeper failed to respond to a back pass from number two. Fortunately it wasn’t heading goalwards, but did roll out for a corner.
It was 20 minutes before our hosts really broke from their own half, putting a good effort just outside the right-hand post.
Trialist three and Ferron then combined on the left and despite making good progress, the ball ran out before a cross was made.
Shepshed continued to show more confidence on the ball and were pushing forward, with another effort blocked by Trialist two, before a 26th minute long shot sailed well over the bar.
Mickleover were quick on the break though and after Beavon and Ryder had battled in the box, the ball fell to Smith, who sent a cracking shot just inches over the bar.
Later into the first half it had become more end to end, and after 33 minutes Ferron picked up a loose ball after Beavon was felled, but Ryder’s challenge was intercepted and the ball went out of play.
Sports were so close after 41 minutes though, when Smith sent Ferron on another run down the left. He cut in tight towards the left-hand post and saw his shot parried by the keeper. The youngster then picked up the rebound and shot again, but was robbed by a combination of the keeper and the post.
Beavon kept the keeper busy again with a shot saved after 43 minutes and so it remained 1-0 as the half-time whistle went.
Mickleover brought on a second trialist keeper to start the second half, but otherwise recommenced unchanged, with Davidson having a shot blocked just minutes into the restart.
Mickleover were pressing hard and some mistakes in the home defence were keeping them pegged down. Ryder tried his luck in the 50th minute, but three mutes later Davidson went clear again on the right, finding Beavon who slotted home his and Mickleover’s second after 53 minutes. 2-0.
Sports made a couple of changes before kicking off again, but we only had to wait six minutes for goal number three. Trialist 15 and Ferron had worked through and found Beavon almost unmarked, securing his hattrick 3-0.
Shepshed started to have some random shots when able to, but were failing to trouble the keeper. Sports made more changes and after 70 minutes Edwards came on for Ryder.
Neither poacher Beavon nor Mickleover were done yet and after 73 minutes Beavon hit his fourth after another Davidson feed, 4-0.
Shepshed weren’t giving up and went a little closer to reaching the target in the final 15 minutes, but ended the game without troubling the keeper.
It could have been a fifth for Beavon when the home keeper made a risky clearance and the ball was swiftly returned just over the bar.
The fifth goal came with four minutes on the clock though, as Davidson ran through the defence, placing a lovely shot past the home keeper and into the bottom corner, 5-0.
Now we look forward to the visit of Burton Albion on Friday evening.
