by Peter Scherer (Images: Steve Ingers)
A MAGNIFICENT all round team performance from Mickleover was rewarded with a 2-1 win at Basford last night, thanks to first half goals from Archie White and Stuart Beavon.
Starting line-up: 1-Oliver Bosworth 2- Jake Bennett 3-Louis Bonser 4-George Wilkinson 5-Brad Gascoigne 6-Ashton Offler 7-Ali Mohiuddin 8-Will Atkinson 9-Stuart Beavon 10-Andy Dales 11-Archie White. Subs: Michael Hollingsworth, Harry Wood, Paddy Webb, Josiah Dyer, Fraser Corden.
It was a fantastic start for Mickleover when only three minutes into the game an Offler clearance found Dales on the left, he picked up White as he cut inside, but keeper Yates was already committed, so White took it around him and fired into the far corner, 1-0.
Dales again caused havoc on the left seven minutes later, but this time his cross went behind the advancing White.
With Basford looking somewhat shell shocked at the early goal, Mickleover stroked the ball around with growing confidence, with the lead coming from Wilkinson, Gascoigne and Offler at the back, and Bennett and Bonser on the wings.
Although the hosts had started to gain more possession, their attacks were breaking down before becoming a real threat. It was after a few minutes of sustained pressure that Mickleover got another break. White had picked the ball up in midfield and played it across field to Dales on the left. Dales fired the ball goalwards, but a goal line clearance fell straight to Beavon and it was 2-0 after 15 minutes.
Basford continued to have the edge on possession, but Sports defence were unfazed and soaked up the pressure without showing the vulnerability from earlier games.
33 minutes in and another long ball out of defence by Offler. Beavon flicked it on to Dales on the left, but as he cut inside again to shoot, Yates was quick to respond and made the block.
Basford won a rare corner after 39 minutes, which Gascoigne headed away, but as it was fired back in, Bosworth had to make his first real save of the night from a Stewart header. So the half time whistle went with Sports going in with an impressive 2-0 lead.
There were no changes for the second half and Bosworth was soon in action taking a cross from his right two minutes into the half, before setting up another break for Dales. Having totally outstripped the defence, his effort went across the face of the goal and just passed the far post.
A few minutes later Atkinson had a run through the middle, before finding Bonser on the left. He then cut inside to ty his luck and like Dales, his effort was just shy of the far post, having gone across the face of the open goal.
Basford won a free kick on the edge of the box after 54 minutes, but that came to nought and Sports first substitution soon followed with Dyer on for Beavon.
Just after the hour mark our hosts won two consecutive corners, but once again failed to trouble the Mickleover defence. Webb then replaced Bonser, before Mohiuddin broke through the home defence to find Dales, but the skippers effort was blocked and the danger averted.
Hollingsworth replaced Mohiuddin after 77 minutes, but Basford had started to show more urgency, keeping Sports defence on their toes.
Dimaio had a distance shot for our hosts, it was passed the post but close enough for Bosworth to dive to cover it.
Atkinson was replaced by Wood for the final nine minutes, but it was for Mickleover to show their character and resilience for a final onslaught from Basford.
White had been penalised for a foul and Dimaio’s 63rd minute free kick found our hosts skipper Wilder, who slotted it in to make it 2-1.
Dales came off to be replaced by Corden, but the pressure continued as five minutes of added time was announced.
Basford threw everything forward for the final minutes, but the Mickleover defence held tight and made it three successive wins, to climb from 19th in the table just over a week ago, to sixth, as we now look forward to the visit of Rugby Borough to the Don Amott Arena on Saturday afternoon.