by Peter Scherer

Mickleover Reds, the second year Academy team, arrived at Stafford Rangers, undefeated without having conceded a goal.

In this table topping encounter the opening 15 minutes gave an indication of the task ahead.

There had been no early attempts on goal from either side, but after 14 minutes Stafford won a free kick, which was fired well over the bar.

Only a minute later there was another attack from Stafford, after they collected a poor kick from Mickleover goalkeeper Tom Smith.

Mickleover’s first real attack soon followed, when Josh Satchwell, playing at the back, combined well with Brodie Carter to win a corner.

Stafford’s leading scorer Jayden Hunter had already been a tough opponent and kept Satchwell and Cameron Anthony on their toes in the centre of the Mickleover defence, earning a corner which went to waste, after 19 minutes.

Much of Mickleover’s play seemed to stem from Satchwell, but after Stafford made a break on goal, Smith came hurtling out and fouled the home striker, earning himself a yellow card.

Ben Lewin and Will Robinson both worked hard on the overlap, but the final ball continued to fall short of the Mickleover strikers, amidst a flurry of hard tackling from both sides.

Hunter had a shot across the face of the goal after 34 minutes, before Carter responded with a shot just wide, earning a corner, but the closest yet for Mickleover.

It could easily have been 1-0 for Mickleover three minutes later, when George Atwal crossed and Kai Moore just failed to connect.

Although Louis Pennington and Ted Stevenson continued to push forward, Stafford were threatening still too. 

Hunter collected the ball off the back of Satchwell’s head, before Smith safely collected it.

In the closing minutes of the first half, Pennington was fouled , but Atwal’s shot cannoned into the wall and away. Stevenson then had a good clean shot, forcing the Stafford keeper into a diving save.

There had been few clear cut chances for either side in the first 45 minutes, but unusually there was a lack of precision and ideas from the Mickleover side, earning them a stern talking too from coach Pablo Mills.

The second half started with promise, when after 49 minutes Robinson shot down the wing, whipped passed the approaching Stafford keeper and put a challenging ball into the box at Moore’s feet. But unfortunately he failed to connect.

Jacob Edge-Lucas came into the game more and some of his creativity seemed to help Mickleover push forward. He led a break after a Stafford free kick, which gave Carter a half chance.

Five minutes later Mickleover rued their missed chances, when after holding off Pennington’s challenge, Hunter fired a missile of a shot into Smith’s top left hand corner 0-1.

Hunter was set on goal again on the hour, but his weak shot was easily blocked by Smith. There seemed far too many free kicks given by the Mickleover team, but after Kyran Ward had come on, he combined with Edge-Lucas with a sniff of an equaliser.

Any hopes of pulling the game back were dashed however, when in the 75^th minute Hunter rounded Anthony to turn the ball into the area, before a fellow Stafford striker hit the ball home from close range, 0-2.

Fin Barker came on for Mickleover, just before Ward had a clash of heads with a home defender. Both players required treatment before the game continued.

Barker pushed hard to create space, but was fouled three times in one run. Edge-Lucas then had a shot blocked by the keepers feet and then in the closing minutes, Pennington layed the ball back just falling short of Brodie’s run.

With the whistle already being raised, Edge-Lucas was fouled on the edge of the box, but Pennington’s free kick sailed high and wide and it was game over.

by Peter Scherer

The Mickleover First Year Academy took their second win in four days, when they visited Belper Town yesterday.

Having beaten Belper in the first game of the season, hopes were high for a repeat.

The home side previously failed  to pick up a point in their previous six games, so it was no real surprise that Mickleover’s fire power overcame the Nailers Academy, returning home as 5-1 victors.

They are now level on points with the Second Year Red squad, having played three games more.

Both of Mickleover’s sides are due to play each other at Borrowash next Monday, the first of two meetings for the sides during April.

by Peter Scherer

Having their match switched from home to away, Mickleover Academy first years came away from title challenging Rushall Olympic as 3-2 winners.

The opening goal came after six minutes, when Devon Smith put the ball in from the left for Emilio De Abreu to slot it home 1-0.

Only a minute later there was another chance from a free kick, but although Smith connected there was no power in his effort.

Mickleover began threaten more and more, with De Abreu having another shot saved after 11 minutes and five minutes later he was on the end of a break but his shot was saved.

Shots were reigning in thick and fast and after 18 minutes if was 2-0. A lovely through ball from central midfield split the Rushall defence and Smith was there to put t home.

After Smith had another effort land on top for the net, Rushall had their first real attempt on goal after 24 minutes, only to shoot straight at Fin Bowen in the Mickleover goal.

Just before the half hour De Abreu earned a corner after going close again, but from the break Bowen was called into action again, diving at a Rushall strikers feet.

Rushall started to open up in the last third of the first half, but after De Abreu went close once more, Lennon Higgins tried his luck, but shot straight at the keeper.

With one minute left on the clock, Rushall pulled one back after Bowen had come out to narrow the angle, so they went in it half time with a 2-1 scoreline.

They had barely kicked off the second half and it was 2-2, after Haider Amin unfortunately had the last touch, before the ball found itself in Bowen’s net.

Mickleover’s first half domination had gone, and it was Rushall piling the pressure on.

After 53 minutes Bowen was forced into another save, before Smith was on the attack again, with de Abreu just failing to connect.

Smith continued to threaten and had a couple of attempts on goal.

But after 56 minutes Rushall had a chance straight in front of goal, but failed to capitalise.

Rushall’s strong start to the second half then began to fade and with Joe Nzeyimana beginning to threaten more, he was able to provide telling through balls on a couple of occasions.

After 71 minutes Rushall hit the post with Bowen beaten, before Smith had a crack from outside the box.

Both Higgins and Tom Griffiths began to overlap more as the scent of a possible victory returned.

De Abreu had a shot tipped over in the 84^th minute, before Bowen had another attempt to save.

But two minutes later De Abreu pulled out a shot in scrambled goal mouth and it was 3-2.

Rushall had one last chance with a direct free kick just outside the box in the final minute, but with the shot well off target, it was Mickleover returning home with three points.

They are back in action again on Thursday away to Belper Town.

by Peter Scherer

Mickleover FC Academy first year students travelled to league leaders Stafford Rangers for their final ESPFA Midlands Division game of the year.

Stafford had only dropped one point so far and had previously been 3-1 winners at the Don Amott Arena.

Once again it was Stafford with the upperhand throughout, taking a 2-0 victory.

by Peter Scherer

It’s a round of applause for Mickleover Reds Academy centre back Patrick Pugh, after he has made the latest ESPFA team of the week.

His strong performance to keep the nil goals against record against Belper Town going, when the Reds took their fourth successive win 4-0, earned his nomination.

Not making the final 11 but also nominated was Black Academy groups Ethan Mann, despite being on the losing side at Carlton.

This Thursday the Reds are away at Carlton, while the Blacks have a tough match away to Stafford Rangers.

by Peter Scherer

Mickleover FC Academy first years suffered their third successive defeat, after going down 1-0 at Carlton in the ESPFA Midlands Division.

The Black squad have struggled since their win against Belper in the first game of the season, but had held Carlton to 0-0 at half time.

The starting line-up was 1-Fin Bowen 2-Bernhard Koecher 3-Lewis Hughes 4-Ethan Mann 5-Amin 6-Sam Allsopp 7-Tom Griffiths 8-Jay Wilkinson 9-Devon Smith 10-Reece Perry 11-Emilio De Abreu. Subs: Dylan Sanghera, Lennon Higgins, Josh Woolley, Joe Nzeyimana, Dylan James, Chipigo Hamanga. 

In the second half Kyle Fawsitt opened the scoring for Carlton and with the Mickleover side unable to respond, the Nottinghamshire side sealed their first points of the season.

by Peter Scherer

The Mickleover FC Academy Red squad continued their dominant start to the season with another 4-0 win against Belper Town in the ESPFA Midlands Division.

Coach Pablo Mills’ starting line-up was 1-Tom Smith 2-Ben Lewin 3-Wiliam Robinson 4-Louis Pennington 5-Cameron Anthony 6-Pat Pugh 7-George Atwal 8-Jacob Edge-Lucas 9-Kai Moore 10-Bobby Battisson 11-Josh Satchwell. Subs: Kyran Ward, Ted Stevenson, Niall Cole, Brodie Carter, Fin Barker, Sam Pipes.

Having beaten Belper 9-0 way a few weeks back, another high scoring game was anticipated.

The Mickleover team soon started to take charge, with Battisson the first to threaten after Belper lost possession in the fourth minute, his shot earning the first corner.

A minute later he was through again, firing his shot just wide of the right hand post.

Once the team had begun to settle, wing backs Robinson and Lewin began to enjoy plenty of freedom for long runs, and in the eighth Robinson put a shot just wide too.

But Belper had an early chance too when a rare mistake in the Mickleover defence, left a visiting striker with a clear shot just over the bar.

Battisson continued to cause problems in the Belper area and almost latched onto a long ball from Satchwell 13 minutes in.

But only a minute later another good through ball pierced the visiting defence, with Moore collecting and burying it in the left hand corner of the Belper net, 1-0.

They could easily have followed with a second almost immediately, Battisson cut inside to find Edge-Lucas who shot just wide.

The attacks continued to come thick and fast, with Pugh and Anthony marshalling the build up from central defence.

Battisson won a free kick on the outside of the box after 17 minutes, Atwal delivered, but the follow up was in the net but declared offside.

Soon after a Lewin corner caused havoc in the box, and Belper had to clear off the line.

It only seemed like a matter of time before a second goal and after Battison had another 23^rd minute run stopped by the keeper, Moore got his second to make it 2-0 in the 26^th minute. Belper had lost the ball on the halfway line and Satchwell’s interception provided the telling pass, before being brought down himself, which left Moore clear.

As the half hour was completed Battisson was still trying to get on the scoresheet, but had his shot saved again three minutes later.

Robinson managed to put another cross in across the face of the goal, but neither Moore nor Battisson could connect. But they followed up again almost immediately with Battisson taking a long ball from Satchwell, before the Belper keeper dived at his feet.

Another Satchwell cross then saw Battisson fail with his overhead attempt and after Moore turned the Belper wing back, Lewin had a shot tipped out for a corner.

Mickleover had only made one change in the first half, when Stevenson came on after Pennington took a knock.

It was Carter leading the Mickleover attack for the second half, but after an early corner for the home side, Belper got another good shot in just over Smith’s bar.

The shots began to reign in on the Belper even more, with Stevenson going close in the 54^th minute. Five minutes later Lewin continued a run from his own half, only to have his final shot well saved.

But goal number three soon arrived, with Satchwell pushed off the ball in the area, the referee awarded a penalty.

Carter’s initial save brought out another fine save from the keeper, but the rebound fell straight to the Mickleover striker, who made no mistake with his second attempt, 3-0 on the hour.

There could have been a second for Carter only three minutes later, but his shot was easily saved, before Satchwell then had a go, only for the Belper keeper to whisk it off his foot.

Carter had another chance in the 73^rd minute, but failed to connect properly and fell over.

There was no respite for Belper however as Carter made it 4-0 in the closing minutes and subs Cole and Pipes both had good chances foiled by the Belper keeper.

So the team remain unbeaten after three games, with a +19 goal difference, having yet to concede a goal. Next Thursday they are in action again, with a visit to Carlton.

by Peter Scherer

It’s congratulations to two of Mickleover FC Academy players, after they have named in the ESPFA team of the week.

First year goalkeeper Fin Bowen is acknowledged after a sterling performance in the way defeat to Rushall Olympic, while Jacob Edge-Lucas is nominated after his two goal contribution for the Reds in the 6-0 home win against Carlton.

by Peter Scherer

Mickleover first year Academy suffered a 2-0 defeat on their visit to Rushall Olympic.

The Black group had won their opening game at home over Belper Town, before losing to Stafford Rangers at home before the Lockdown.

Rushall had also had one win against Carlton, having succumbed to Stafford too in their first game.

But Mickleover failed to penetrate the home defence on this occasion and will be hoping for better fortunes when they are way again next Thursday at Carlton Town.