by Peter Scherer
Two first half goals from Josh Carter made sure Mickleover returned home with all three points from their visit to Bourne Town.
Starting line-up: 1-Aaron Chapman; 2- George Wilkinson; 3-Sam Sanders; 4-Will Atkinson; 5-Hamza Bencherif; 6-Charlie Hickingbottom; 7-Kane Richards; 8-Josh Ashman; 9-Harvey Smith 10-Andy Dales; 11-Josh Carter. Subs: Manni Norkett; Jude Taylor; Darryl Powell; Theo Rowe; Dwayne Wiley.
Only three minutes into the game Richards was hacked down on the right wing, initially the free kick was cleared, but the first corner soon followed.
Only a minute later Furey broke clear for Bourne, but his shot from the left crossed the face of the goal, just missing the right-hand post.
Despite the constant drizzle both teams were pushing forward, but it was the hosts that opened the scoring after 10 minutes, when Forbes sent in an opportunistic lob from the left which became an outstanding goal, with Chapman off his line, it was 0-1.
Smith then charged through for Mickleover, straight down the middle until he was crudely challenged on the edge of the box. Richards took the free kick which was saved by keeper Lakin, but it fell to Ashman who scored the equaliser from close range. 1-1.
Just three minutes later Dales led a tidy build-up on the left and his cross found Carter who slotted in number two after 15 minutes, 2-1.
Bourne had another half chance 19 minutes in, but that shot was wide from a tight angle, before Carter broke again on the left. He managed to get his cross in but it was just inches short of connecting with Richards.
Smith then put in a cross narrowly missing Dales and Carter, but with just 22 minutes gone, Sports were taking charge, with the evident pace of Richards, Dales and Carter and with Smith the target man.
Apart from the opening goal the Mickleover back four of Wilkinson, Bencherif, Hickingbottom and Sanders hadn’t been tested. But on the half hour there was a goal mouth scramble following a corner. A couple of efforts were blocked, but Bencherif conceded a penalty as he attempted to clear and skipper Zac Allen stepped up to score 2-2.
Dales tried an exploratory shot from outside the box after 33 minutes, but it was Sports pushing forward again to try and regain the lead before the half time whistle.
A confident build-up down the right almost paid dividends, with Carter shooting on the turn just wide, and then Smith put a header just wide too.
Forbes tried another lob but this time Chapman had it covered, but virtually on the half time whistle Dales split the home defence down the middle and Carter followed up for both his and Mickleover’s second 3-2.
It was a lively start from Bourne in the second half, with striker Darlington shooting just wide, five minutes into the restart, before Dales retaliated a minute later.
Smith then broke through to set up Carter, who shot just over the bar, before a total mix up in the home defence after 55 minutes. Lakin charged out of his goal but failed to get the ball, Smith had his shot blocked and Carter was close to connecting with the rebound before the danger was cleared.
On the hour Richards outpaced the defence on the right with Hickingbottom collecting the cross, before sending a volley over the bar.
Mickleover had been playing deeper, but were coping comfortably with Bourne’s breaks. Richards and Smith played a nice one two on the right, before Richards shot wide, he was then the first change when Taylor came on.
Hickingbottom was looking particularly strong in defence and headed away a couple of dangerous crosses, before Bourne earned a 74th minute free kick which failed to trouble Chapman.
Taylor had a shot saved by the keeper, before Rowe replaced Carter for the final eight minutes. Bourne then went close again with Forbes, just before Rowe went on a late solo run, shooting just over with the final whistle imminent.
A good solid team performance with some well taken goals, which now moves sports back into the top 10.
