by Peter Scherer

Mickleover Academy’s second year students played their first match of the season last Thursday lunchtime, away to Belper Town.

Belper had lost to our First Year Black line-up last week, so victory was expected.

Bobby Battison scored three of the goals, and Brodie Carter was on the score twice too. Kai Moore, Ted Stevenson and Fin Barker also found the back of the net, with an own goal making it  a resounding 9-0 victory!!

by Peter Scherer

Mickleover FC’s first year Academy squad opened their ESPFA Midlands Division season with a 2-1 win over Belper Town, thanks to two goals from Reece Perry.

Although Belper went straight into the attack from the kick off, the opening minutes were fairly even.

Lennon Higgins had a random shot which was well over the Belper bar, before the wing back sent a sixth minute through ball which Devon Smith just failed to connect with.

Belper kept coming back in surges and Berhard Koecher cleared the first real effort from the visitors, playing the ball nicely out of his own area.

Smith led another attack for Sports after 12 minutes, but weak ball into the area came to nothing. It was only two minutes later that Perry found the top right hand corner from outside the box, after a gradual multi-player build up to make it 1-0.

Belper had a fairly good chance to equalise four minutes later, with the Mickleover defence failing to intercept on a couple of occasions, but the Belper number eight’s shot was high and wide.

Mickleover keeper Fin Bowen had little of the ball as most of Belper’s attempts were very wide of the mark, whereas Mickleover went more for the gradual build up.

After 23 minutes Emilio De Abreu was in the clear, but the Belper keeper managed to block his shot and send it out for a corner.

On the half hour a Sports free kick was sent back into the box by Lennon, the ball bobbed around without either side collecting it, until Belper made another break which failed to reach its destination.

Smith though he had made it 2-0 after 32 minutes, but was flagged offside, but De Abreu the pout a good shot in from outside the area, just wide.

Perry and Smith the combined to put an effort just wide following a corner, before Belper’s number 11 managed to rebound his own first effort, only to shoot well wide again.

Smith was on the attack again with seven minutes left in the first half, his back header fell to Perry, who put in a weak shot which trickled to the Belper keeper.

There was one more slight chance for the visitors too, before half time, easily dealt with by Bowen.

There had been continuous substitutions from both sides, but it was Mickleover again, getting the first shot on goal in the second half, but Smith’s attempt was blocked.

But Belper’s number 11 was in space again, but failed to actually get a shot in, before Tom Griffiths put a god ball in the Belper box, just short of connecting with Lennon and Smith.

The visitors had a fierce shot blocked after 55 minutes, before Ethan Mann got clear, but his attempt was well wide of the target.

Smith broke through the Belper defence three minutes later, but fell at the final hurdle before getting his shot in and then Sam Allsopp had a shot saved.

But Perry made it 2-0 on the 20 minute mark, after Smith was chasing the ball and the Belper keeper went down injured.

Another fractional offside robbed Smith of another goal, but into the last 10 minutes Belper began to show more urgency and put the Mickleover defence under pressure.

Bowen had to palm away a close range shot, before Dylan Sanghera found Smith in the box for Sports, but his shot was saved. But Belper pulled one back when their number five beat Bowen on his near post with a header.

There were few more threats to the Sports defence before the final whistle went, but overall a good solid performance and a well earned three points.

The first years Black team play the return game at Belper next Thursday, and at the Don Amott Arena it’s the second years Reds v Stafford Rangers.

by Peter Scherer

After two wins so far in this years FA Youth Cup, Mickleover faced local rivals Basford Utd in the second qualifying round, but came away disappointed on the wrong end of a penalty shout-out.

Mickleover lined-up 1.Tom Smith 2.Ben Lewin 3.Will Robinson 4.Louis Pennington 5.Cameron Anthony 6.Patrick Pugh 7.Lewis Benjamin 8.Jacon Edge-Lucas 9.Brodie Carter 10.Bobby Battison 20.Josh Satchwell. Subs: 12 Kyron Ward 14 Kai Moore 15.George Attwel 16.Fin Barker 17.Ted Stevenson 18.Jorrus Tsoumou GK.Findlay Bowe

The game had barely kicked off when Basford were awarded a penalty, after Pugh tripped one of the home strikers just inside the box.

Despite Smith’s best efforts he was soundly beaten and after six minutes they were 1-0 down.

The early goal seemed to upset Mickleover’s rhythm and after 11 minutes Basford had another shot just over the bar, repeating the effort six minutes later.

It was 20 minutes in before Basford’s keeper was called into action, but he was off the line quickly to clear any danger.

A minute later Sports had a break after a Basford free kick, Benjamin managed to put the ball into the area, but there was no one to receive it.

Lewin placed a free kick nicely into the Basford box too, causing a defensive scramble before it was cleared.

As the completion of the first hour approached, Mickleover began to put together some promising moves, mainly on the break. Satchwell had a good run through on 27 minutes and earned a corner.

But Smith was back in action again with a good diving save to his right, following a threatening shot in a crowded box.

Battison and Pennington began to link up and it was a good through ball from Battison that just failed to connect with Mickleover strikers Satchwell and Carter.

Satchwell was then fouled on the edge of the box, but Pennington’s free kick sailed high over the bar, before another good effort from Satchwell was just wide as the half time whistle followed.

Mickleover came for the second half and immediately looked more positive and creative. An early corner was cleared which triggered a Basford break, but the presence of Satchwell and Carter began to cause a few more problems in the Basford defence.

But on 54 minutes there was more danger after a poor clearance from Smith was intercepted. With Basford’s striker fouled on the edge of the box, they sent their free kick high and wide.

Carter was then brought down after 54 minutes, but after the free kick came to nought, a good cross from the right almost connected with the young strikers foot.

Mickleover were forced to make their first change just after the hour mark when Lewin went off injured.

Smith made two excellent saves in close succession, before another cross from Robinson was inches from connecting with Satchwell, as Sports continued to pursue an elusive equaliser.

There was a shot tipped over in the 70^th minute, but chances at the other end had Smith forced to save again.

Two consecutive corners kept the pressure on the Basford goal, before Satchwell had a point blank attempt blocked by the keeper on 78 minutes, with Carter and Edge-Lucas desperately close to connecting with the rebound.

Into the final 10 minutes and the shots reigned in on the Basford goal, but mindful of a threatening break from Basford.

Four minutes into injury time and Satchwell was clipped just inside the box and he duly put the following penalty passed the Basford keeper 1-1.

The whistle followed almost immediate and it was straight into the best of five in a penalty shootout. Smith saved one of the Basford shots, but with Mickleover failing in the first three attempts, it was game over for Pablo Mills lads.

by David Mackenzie

Mickleover’s The FA Youth Cup team put in another sterling performance on Wednesday night against a spirited Eastwood Town team in the first qualifying round of the FA Youth Cup. This is on the back of the previous round’s win over Borrowash Vics two weeks ago in the Preliminaries.

Pablo Mills has put together an excellent squad. The even surface of the 4G suited the teams passing game, however that is only part of the story as the hard work added to some gems of quality meant that from early on there was only going to be one victor. 

The defence who were well marshalled by keeper Tom Smith were dealing with the attacking options from Eastwood and the back 4 looked solid with Cameron, Patrick, Robbo and wee Ben Lewin all playing well and starting the moves from our half. 

The midfield were tenacious in the tackle winning the ball high up the pitch with Lewis and Bobby Battison outstanding and Jacob Edge-Lucas and Louis Pennington providing the platform. 

The opening goal came for about the fourth corner of the night and was of the highest quality. If the delivery was good, the strike with his trusted left foot by Josh Satchwell was phenomenal. To make such good contact showed great skill and composure, as from the right-hand side of their box he rifled home a shot that flew into the net like an Exocet missile. 

The second goal came after some more sustained pressure with Jacob being tripped in the box and Josh dispatching the ball low and to the right of their goalkeeper. H.T. 2-0.

Eastwood started the second half well and put the defence under some pressure but Smith’s handling in the Mickleover goal was superb and the defence kept them to some speculative shots from outside the box. 

The game was over as a contest when a terrific long pass from Patrick Pugh left Josh bearing down on goal. He could have taken the ball early and ‘dinked’ the keeper, but he allowed the ball to drop and took the ball to the side of the keeper before striking the ball into the net to get his hat trick, 3-0.

The fourth was another great piece of play which started with Ben Lewin finding Robbo on the run, marauding down the left and an exquisite cross was met by the leaping Brodie Carter about eight yards out, towards the back of the goal and his header evaded the grasping clutches of the Eastwood net minder.

A very very good performance which bodes well for the future, especially as there is still room for improvement with several are getting first team experience and playing men’s football in the reserves. 

The Northern Premier League Football Academy (NPLFA), the Southern League Football Academy (SLFA) and the Isthmian League Football Academy (ILFA) have today merged to become the Education and Semi-Professional Football Academy (ESPFA).

The ESPFA was originally developed as the overarching organisation of the three step seven leagues – Northern Premier League, Southern League and Isthmian League – education and football programmes and the merger of all three under one official brand brings new opportunities and experiences for all students and clubs involved.

The NPLFA was created in partnership with Eliteform LTD and the Northern Premier League in 2014 to become the first ever league wide education and football programme in the UK.

An initial pilot programme that began in 2014/15 saw 75 students enrol at five member clubs and the success from the inaugural year saw the programme expand to over 300 students at 13 clubs by 2019.

In 2018 the Southern League joined and a year later, the SLFA began with seven member clubs and over 100 students.

Soon after in 2019, the Isthmian League became the third and final league at step seven of the English national pyramid system to join.

With the ILFA Scheduled to begin in 2021, the ESPFA was established as an overarching organisation to manage all three-individual league programmes across the nation and has appeared on all marketing throughout the 2019/20 season.

From today the ESPFA is now the ‘official further and higher education partners of the Northern Premier League, the Southern League and the Isthmian League.’

An exciting new chapter awaits with the new organisation providing new and improved pathways on and off the pitch, new experiences and opportunities, more competitive games, more flexibility on competitions as well as opening up new club partners from other leagues.

The new branding will further strengthen our excellent relationships with all three leagues and Eliteform LTD would like to thank all league officials involved for their support over the previous six years. 

For more information, please visit www.espfa.co.uk