by Peter Scherer (Images: Steve Ingers)

Having gone 0-2 down at Bedworth Utd, Mickleover made a determined comeback with goals from Manni Norkett and Andy Dales, to secure a point in our final match of the season.

Starting line-up: 1-Jack McDowell 2-Jake Bennett 3-Danny Gordon 4-will Atkinson 5-Brad Gascoigne 6-Danny Benson 7-Paddy Webb 8-George Wilkinson 9-Manni Norkett 11-Josh Carter 14-Andy Dales. Subs: Stuart Beavon, Liam Carter, Jayden Samuels, Archie White.

There was an early chance for our hosts when Ben Blakely’s long throw, was headed goalwards by Elliott Parrott, but his effort was safely tipped away by Supporters Play of the Year McDowell.

After the game had settled down a little McDowell was in action again after 25 minutes, when another long throw from Blakely caused problems. Matt Shipman flicked it on and Teddy Rowe’s header was then tipped onto the bar by the Mickleover keeper, before it was cleared.

Sports first real chance soon followed though, when Wilkinson put a header over the bar from a Gordon free kick.

It looked to be heading for 0-0 at half time, with Sports back four of Bennett, Gascoigne, Benson and Gordon holding firm, but little in the way of chances coming our way.

Then with three minutes of the first half left, Shipman beat the defence and found Rowe, who placed it past McDowell from close range to make it 0-1 at the break.

There were no changes for the second half, but only three minutes in Bedworth were awarded a penalty, after Shipman was brought down, chasing a through ball from Rowe. Samson Hewett stepped up to take the kick and it was 0-2.

The response was quick though, with Norkett pulling one back after 50 minutes. Despite being forced out wide by Harry Craven, he still had the pace to outrun his challenger, firing in a shot from an ever tightening angle, to beat keeper William Highland on his far post, 1-2.

Beavon and White replaced Gascoigne and Carter after 56 minutes, but seven minutes later Bedworth could easily have restored their two-goal advantage. Charlie Gordon’s cross was met by Rowe, but his effort missed he target.

Liam Carter the came on for Webb after 76 minutes and two minutes later it was level pegging again, after Dales had successfully shot from the edge of the box through a packed defence to beat Highland 2-2.

Samuels came on for Norkett in the last five minutes, but the game ended at 2-2, securing 15th place for Mickleover in the final table.

 

by Peter Scherer

It’s  the last game of a disappointing season, where in the last month or two Mickleover have dropped from the edge of the play-off’s to a focus on survival, with only four wins since Christmas.

Our hosts this weekend have been on the edge of relegation and still lie in 18th place, but a win on Saturday could still take them above Mickleover on goal difference.

Bedworth have only lost twice in their last 10 games and beat Carlton away to in February, after a 1-1 draw on their visit to the Don Amott Arena back in November.

Andy Penny and Jamie Lenton are currently joint managers for our hosts.

Goalkeeper Will Highland was signed from Hinckley LRFC and has also played for Barwell. His deputy Oliver Sayer arrived in pre-season after his release from Birmingham City, who also loaned him to Stafford Rangers last season.

Elliott Parrott is the longest serving player, an ex Coventry City junior who plays defender or midfield. He is now in his 10th year at the club.

Centre back Ben Blakeley arrived pre-season too, following his release from Coventry City.

Defender Oscar Barry is the son of former England international Gareth. He joined our hosts last October from Studley, after starting his career at Walsall. He’s played for Solihull Moors and Darlaston too.

Calum Flanagan is a centre back dual registered with Stratford Town, who he joined in pre-season and is the club captain. An ex Aston Villa junior, he was loaned to Kettering before joining Hinckley Utd on his release. His next stop was Worcester, followed by Redditch, Hednesford, Solihull Moors, Rushall and Halesowen. He spent the second half of last season at Hinckley AFC.

Midfielder Charlie Gordon and defender Joe Anthony both came from Coventry Copsewood in pre-season.

Scotland Under 16 international Mackenzie Lamb is another central midfielder, signed from Evesham in pre-season. A former West Bromwich Albion and Peterborough Utd junior, he was loaned to  Alvechurch and Stratford and has also played from Boldmere St.Michaels.

Max Ngbeken-Itota is a midfielder too and has also played for Alvechurch, while another January signing from Rugby Borough was midfielder Harry Craven

Recently signed from Rugby Town, Teddy Rowe is a central midfielder who started his career at Aston Villa. After a loan at Gloucester City, he joined Leamington following his release. He’s also played for Banbury and Worcester City.

Louis Monaghan is a striker signed from Racing Club Warwick towards the end of last season. He’s also played for Sutton Coldfield, Alvechurch and Redditch.

Jac Redhead came from Coventry Sphinx in January. Another midfielder, he’s also played for Halesowen, Coventry Copeswood, Rugby Borough, Hinckley AFC and Barwell

Connor Mooney can play midfielder or striker. A former Aston Villa junior, he was signed pre-season from Racing Club Warwick. He has also played for Stratford, Worcester City and Highgate Utd.

Striker George Dunkley was signed in October ’24 from Arabian Falcons in the UAE., while Bryan Kohrelon came from Rugby Borough December. He’s also played for Aylestone Park.

Kidderminster Harriers loanee Samson Hewett plays central midfielder striker too. A product of Harriers youth scheme he has also been out on loan at Bromsgrove, Malvern Town, Sporting Khalsa and SC Inkberrow.

Matthew Shipman is a striker and came from Coventry Sphinx in January and finally midfielder Charlie Lenton and striker Terrel Mringi are both products of our hosts own youth scheme.

Kick off at the oval is 3pm.

 

by Peter Scherer 

Mickleover’s home season came to an end with a 1-2 defeat against local play-off rivals Belper Town, despite a determined fightback in the second half.

Starting line-up: 1-Jack McDowell 2-Jake Bennett 3-Danny Gordon 4-Will Atkinson 5-Brad Gascoigne 6-Danny Benson 7-Paddy Webb 8-George Wilkinson 9-Stuart Beavon 11-Manni Norkett 14-Andy Dales. Subs: Josh Carter, Liam Carter, Jayden Samuels, Luke McCormick.

It wasn’t the best of starts when the home defence were beaten on the right. The cross then found Kevin Bastos who had a clear shot from just inside the box, giving McDowell no chance at all to make it 0-1 after just five minutes.

A minute later Webb was fouled on the edge of the Belper box, but Dales’ free kick went straight out of play.

Bastos continued to cause trouble for Mickleover, with a cross from the left, but the ball came across the face of the goal, with no one there to collect.

Gascoigne then set up a move with Norkett and Bennett on the right, the cross was precise but the defence had it covered.

As the game started to settle down it became fairly even, with neither really creating many opportunities.

16 minutes in and the ball fell to Beavon, but before he could get his shot way he was blocked and then Webb combined with Atkinson, who layed it off to Beavon again. His attempt was blocked, with a deflection taking the sting out of his shot.

The Mickleover strikers were struggling for service, but when Norkett started a 24th minute run, he was fouled, with Gordon’s following free kick wide of the left-hand post.

Dales shot wide three minutes later after a long build up through the middle and then Belper’s counter attack ended when Jacob Gratton’s cross from the left went well wide of his target.

Luke Shaw had a chance for the visitors after 34 minutes, he got through the defence but then fortunately shot wide.

But two minutes later Gratton took on Benson down the Mickleover left. He didn’t beat his rival, but pulled back to make a cross which was met by Diego De Girolamo, whose first time shot from the edge of the box almost burst the net as it hit the top corner, 0-2.

Mickleover were struggling to respond and with four minutes left of the first half, Jonathan Wafula had a double shot blocked to earn a corner, which was easily cleared and so it remained 0-2 at the break.

There were two changes for Sports and they came out for the second half, with McCormick and Josh Carter on for Beavon and Webb.

After a fairly quiet start to the half, Mickleover started to show more confidence, more determination and kept Belper pegged back, using more width with the changes made.

Benson just missed connecting with a header, after a free kick to the left of the box after 57 minutes. But the momentum continued when McCormick made a telling run before his path was blocked.

But on the hour mark a glancing header by Gordon from a Dales free kick pulled one back, so it was game on for the final 30 minutes. 1-2.

Five minutes later Dales shot from distance but was just off target and then a McCormick free kick was tipped away onto the bar by keeper Kieran Preston at full stretch.

Belper remained dangerous on the break and Bastos had another chance, but wanted too much time and the chance was gone.

Preston then made a poor clearance that fell to Josh Carter, a first time shot may have paid dividends, but the time taken allowed the defence to block.

Belper sub Liam Moran had a chance too, but he also took too long and allowed Bennett to clear for a corner. It was still Mickleover pressing though and an equaliser looked a strong possibility, when McCormick outpaced the defence again after 74 minutes, crossed for a Carter strike, which Preston saved with his feet.

Lewis Austin put another shot for Belper over the bar after a left wing cross, but time was running out for Sports with just two minutes of normal time left. McCormick took another free kick, collected by Gascoigne but his shot was blocked, followed by another shot just over the bar.

There were five minutes of added time during which time Samuels replaced Gascoigne, but the elusive equaliser failed to materialise and all three points headed back to Belper.

by Peter Scherer (Images: Steve Ingers)

Two second half goals leave Sports pointless again.

Starting line-up: 1-Jack McDowell 2-Jake Bennett 3-Danny Gordon 4-Will Atkinson 5-Brad Gascoigne 6-Danny Benson 7-Josh Carter 8-George Wilkinson 9-Manni Norkett 10-Paddy Webb 11-Andy Dales. Subs: Stuart Beavon, Cieron Keane, Will Smith, Luke McCormick, Jayden Samuels.

With the hosts straight into attack mode, Gascoigne had to be quick off the mark just three minutes in to thwart Thompson-Mathews’ effort.

But Long Eaton continued to push and opened the scoring after 10 minutes, after Thompson-Matthews had attacked down the wing, before Taylor crossed and Garnett appeared to back heel into the net 0-1.

Just a minute later though it was level again after Norkett was brought down in the box by keeper King. The Mickleover striker stepped up to take the kick himself and it was 1-1.

The equaliser had sparked some fire into Sports attack and Norkett continued to cause trouble for the home defence. King then came out of his goal, failed to claim the ball and in the mix up Norkett fired in Mickleover’s second with 14 minutes gone. 2-1.

Sports had begun to dominate the attack with midfield pushing forward more too. Norkett put a long ball through for Carter to chase after 17 minutes, but despite his pace it proved too far for the young winger to collect.

Up to the completion of the first half hour the game had started to settle down and became more even again, after the frenetic opening period.

But 34 minutes in Dales tested keeper again, forcing a good save as he cut inside from the wing.

Wilkinson had a strike from the edge of the box, just wide of the left-hand corner and then Dales was found unmarked in the box, but his effort was wide of the left-hand post too, as the home defence had started to allow Sports more freedom.

With the half time whistle poised there was a collision in the Mickleover box. The referee pointed to the penalty spot and Garnett came forward to make it 2-2.

After an even start to the second half Sports brought on McCormick and Keane for Webb and Gordon after 53 minutes. Dales the had another shot saved by King on the hour, as it looked destined for the bottom left corner.

King was then caught nearer the halfway line than his goal and lost possession too in a bizarre defensive mix-up, but luck was on his side as nothing came from the confusion.

Garnett added a third for Long Eaton after 66 minutes, 2-3 and then had another shot just wide four minutes later.

Samuels replaced Carter for his Mickleover debut after 67 minutes, Smith for Gascoigne after 75 and finally Beavon for Norkett after 87.

Sports won a series of corners that came to nought, but in the 96th minute Walters tried his luck from the edge of the box and so it ended 2-4 to Long Eaton, dropping Mickleover to 14th in the table.

 

by Peter Scherer

For our penultimate away game of the season we visit local rivals Long Eaton Utd on Saturday. Back in August they were 2-0 winners when they visited the Don Amott Arena, but have struggled with only one win in their last 13 games.

Following last weekends home win, Sports will be hoping to get back into the top half of the table with just three games left, while our hosts currently lie 15th.

Long Eaton player manager Bradley Munn started his career in the Mansfield Town Academy, before joining Burton Albion. He has played for Bedworth, Coalville and Loughborough Dynamo too.

He started his managerial career at Loughborough, but after five years at the club he came to Long Eaton initially as joint manager in August 2023, taking full charge three months later.

Goalkeeper Lewis King is the first of the ex Mickleover players in the Long Eaton line-up. He came through the youth scheme at Derby County and Sunderland, before joining Stockport County on his release.

Eastwood Town, Boston Utd, Stalybridge and Matlock Town followed, before coming to Mickleover in July 2016 from FC United. He stayed for three years before a move to Stafford and a return trip to FC United. He joined our hosts at the start of last season, after spells at Gresley Rovers and Loughborough Dynamo.

King had been out injured and missed a few matches recently. He was replaced by Ben Allsop, who played for Long Eaton a couple of seasons ago, but has been at Kimberley MW more recently. He has also played for Belper Utd and Borrowash Victoria.

Gianluca Bucci is a centre back who came through Lincoln City’s Academy. He then spent a year each at Gainsborough, Spalding and Loughborough, before joining Long Eaton last September, after two months with Coleshill.

Full back Callum Cocks returned to out hosts last month from Loughborough Dynamo, having left Grange Park in April last year after an 18 month stay.

Defender Jayden Cotterill was signed at the beginning of last season. A former Burton Albion graduate, he has also played for Hanley Town, Barwell, Gresley Rovers and Belper Town.

Fellow defender Oscar Hugenholz came through Long Eaton’s own Academy. He left to join Shepshed Dynamo in August 2024, but returned this season.

Jamie Hanson played Championship and League One football, racking up well over 100 appearances, during his time at Derby County, Wigan and Oxford Utd. His non-league career started at Ilkeston in July 2023, before a loan to Long Eaton in May last year, became permanent two months later.

Defender Owen Betts is club captain. He started off at Notts County and played for Spalding and Worksop too, before coming to Grange Park from Basford in February 2024.

Defender Jake Finnerty was signed In August, having spent the last few seasons at Loughborough Dynamo.

James Taylor is a central midfielder, who came through Long Eaton’s own Academy. He made his first team debut in 2020. After a move to Heanor Town in July 2023, he rejoined our hosts at the start of last season

Connor Pace is a central midfielder too, a former Burton Albion Junior. He arrived at Grange Park last season having previously been loaned to Gresley Rovers.

Striker Evan Garnett is the second ex Mickleover player. He started with Burton Albion and moved to Worksop after a loan spell with Hucknall Town. Belper Town, Ilkeston and Kidderminster followed, before he came to Sports in July 2017, after a year at Alfreton.

After two years at Mickleover he moved to Stafford, and has played for Loughborough Dynamo too, before arriving at Long Eaton at the start of last season.

Dexter Walters is a left sided midfielder and the third ex Mickleover player. He joined the Coventry City youth scheme after starting out with Romulus and Tamworth. After a loan at Leamington, he rejoined Tamworth after his release and came from there to Mickleover in October 2021 on loan.

He moved to Long Eaton last March, after spells at Stratford, Stourbridge and Bedworth.

Jahvan Davidson-Miller is the fourth ex Sports player. He was a Derby County striker before joining Barwell on his release. Coming to Mickleover in November, he struggled to hold down a starting role and returned to Barwell 11 months later. He then came back to Mickleover for a very short spell last season, before going to Redditch and Rugby Town and finally joining our hosts at the start of this season.

And the fifth former Mickleover player is midfielder George Atwal, a graduate of our own Academy and spent the 23/24 season at Long Eaton, before moving on to Redditch and Bromsgrove. He came back to Grange Park pre-season.

Assistant manager to Munn is ex Derby County Junior Aaron Cole, a sixth ex Mickleover player in the Long Eaton squad. Eastwood, Stockport, Barrow, Hinckley Utd, Rocester, Worksop and Belper Town were all his ex clubs before arriving at the Don Amott Arena in 2017.

He moved on to Market Drayton, Belper, Stafford and Gresley Rovers and has been assistant player/manager at Long Eaton since November 2023.

Fellow striker Tristan Thompson-Matthews had spent most of his career with Corby Town, having moved from Loughborough Dynamo in 2022. He joined Long Eaton in February 2024.

Our hosts latest signing needs no introduction, as he has only recently left Mickleover. Louis Bonser is on loan from Mansfield Town again, having spent most of this season at the Don Amott Arena. He previously had loan spells at Carlton Town and Rushall Olympic and is the seventh ex Mickleover player in their squad.

Kick off is 3pm, all support is welcome.

by Peter Scherer (Images: Steve Ingers)

Two goals in the first five minutes set Mickleover on the way to a 4-1 win in the opening five minutes.

Starting line-up: 1-Jay Alexander 2-Jake Bennett 3-Danny Gordon 4-Will Atkinson 5-Brad Gascoigne 6-George Wilkinson 7-Luke McCormick 8-Cieron Keane 9-Manni Norkett 10-Andy Dales 11-Paddy Webb. Subs: Stuart Beavon, Danny Benson, Josh Carter, Will Smith, Jack McDowell.

Mickleover were straight on the attack from the start and when Dales found McCormick on the right wing, his cross was turned into his own goal by a rugby defender, with just two minutes on the clock 1-0.

Two minutes later McCormick was causing trouble again on the right, when his cross just missed connecting with both Norkett and Webb.

As the pressure continued on the visitors defence, Norkett held the ball in the area, but had his back to goal. But his patience gave Dales time to get into place, and smash home number two into the roof of the net, with six minutes gone 2-0.

Rugby had their first shot 11 minutes in, but that was wide of the left-hand post, but it was a sign of this to come, when Rivel Mardenborough pulled one back, charging through the middle as the home defence looked for offside, 2-1.

Sports came straight back to go close again when Dales sent McCormick down the right wing, firing in a shot just past the post.

But the goal had given Rugby more confidence too and then sent a glancing header goalwards, but comfortably taken by Alexander.

The Mickleover defence had started to look vulnerable and it became more end to end. Rugby put a header just wide after a 23rd minute corner and Norkett nearly added to the goal tally, when his 36th minute break saw him take it around the keeper, only to be cleared off the line.

McCormick had another shot blocked at close range, after a scramble in the box, but then Alexander had to race off his line after Wilkinson had failed to clear a cross from the right.

In the closing minutes of the first half Dales had a shot over the bar from just outside the box and then Webb had a shot blocked after a Gordon cross had been missed by Woods in the Rugby goal.

It could easily have been 4-0 in the opening 10 minutes, but Mickleover went into the break at 2-1 and needing to tighten things up at the back.

Sports began the second half on the attack again, with Woods having to palm away a shot from Webb after 50 minutes. McCormick then found Dales with a cross from the right, but that was cleared by the visitors defence.

The pressure finally told again when Norkett made it 3-1 after 55 minutes. He had made a break through the middle, but met the advancing Woods. His first shot came off the keeper, but the rebound was fired into the net.

A throw in from Gordon then found Dales on the hour mark, but his shot was wide of the right-hand post, but although Mickleover were dominating, Rugby still got a break and forced Alexander into a diving save after 64 minutes.

Sports made their first change when Benson replaced Gordon, before there were appeals for a penalty when Webb was clearly tripped in the box. They were waved away but a minute later McCormick almost got Norkett through again.

Dales had another attempt held by the keeper after 70 minutes, just before Smith came on for Keane.

Norkett almost broke through again five minutes later, but the keeper got there first. But there was still one more goal to come. Carter had replaced McCormick and he picked up on a long clearance from Alexander, cutting in from the right he had the Woods trying to narrow the angle, but bided his time and lofted a perfect shot over the keeper for his first senior goal, 4-1.

The was another penalty shout with five minutes left when Norkett was pushed down in the box, he was then replaced by Beavon for the final minutes, but it remained a solid 4-1 win with the back four of Bennett, Gascoigne, Wilkinson, Gordon and latterly Benson, looking much stronger in the second half.

 

by Peter Scherer

Mickleover came away from the Good Friday visiting to Rushden & Diamonds with a had fought point after a third successive draw.

Starting line-up: 1-Jay Alexander 2-Jake Bennett 3-Danny Gordon 4-Will Atkinson 5-Brad Gascoigne 6-George Wilkinson 7-Luke McCormick 8-Cieron Keane 9-Manni Norkett 10-Andy Dales 11-Paddy Webb. Subs: Stuart Beavon, Danny Benson, Jayden Samuels, Will Smith, Jack McDowell.

The elements were against both teams from the kick off with a strong wind and very dry bumpy pitch.

Rushden earned the first corner of the game on the left after four minutes, but the kick went straight through the box and out of play on the opposite side.

It was a fairly even start though, with Mickleover earning an early free kick when Dales was upended, landing heavily on his back on the bone hard pitch. Gordon’s kick was then cleared by the home defence.

The first real shot came from McCormick in the 13th minute. Webb put the ball through but his curling shot was taken wide of the left-hand post as the wind caught it.

Norkett almost broke through two minutes later after cutting in from the right, before Rushden got a break and Ollie Evans forced the first save from Alexander.

22 minutes in and Norkett’s pace caused problems again for the home defence, but JJ O’Toole was lucky to escape a caution after hauling the Mickleover striker back by his shirt and elbowing him in the face.

Rushden had managed another break after 28 minutes but the shot was wide, before they managed to hit the bar four minutes later. As the ball bounced back into play there was contact on the box and appeals for penalty were waved away.

But Sports were quick to respond when Dales charged down the right to send Webb clear, until his path was blocked by David Adegbola.

With just a couple of minutes left on the clock in the first half, the game took a negative turn for Mickleover. Keeper Alexander charged out of his goal but missed the interception, which fell to Rushden’s Cairo Taylor. Alexander then held the player until the defence got back, but the referee decided it was a straight red card.

“I held him while players got back, but he had his back to me and the goal and expected a yellow card,” Alexander admitted. The incident didn’t stop a certain goal as the challenge was outside the box, the player had his back to it and the referee gave the red before any consultation with his assistant.

But however ludicrous, the decision stood, Alexander walked and Mickleover had to sacrifice McCormick for sub McDowell to come on.

When the free kick was eventually taken, it was given about 10 yards nearer the goal too. So it remained 0-0 as the half time whistle finally went.

The were no further changes during the half time break, but the effects of the strong wind continued to cause problems. 49 minutes and Sports won a corner on the right, but Gordon’s kick was carried long and straight out of play.

Dales managed to create enough space for a 51st minute opportunistic shot, but that was wide and two minutes later Findlay cut in from the right for Rushden, but Gascoigne intercepted before he could get a shot in.

It was still fairly end to end though and Norkett got a break against a solo defender, but the ball bobbled and he lost out. But Mickleover had started to push forward more and create half chances.

55 minutes and Atkinson battled through to find Webb on the right. He connected but the ball bounced unevenly again and took the sting out of his following shot.

Just a minute later Dales sent in across from the left, which seemed to hang in the air. Findlay finally headed it clear just before it reached Webb, but Gordon’s follow up corner was then headed clear to.

Home keeper Dan Jezeph was lucky to get away with handling the ball outside the box after 62 minutes, as the assistant hadn’t kept up with play and failed to spot it.

Rushden then went on the attack with Adegbola’s shot blocked after a cross from Findlay, before Findlay tried his luck two minutes later which was easily saved by McDowell.

Webb had another shot blocked after 71 minutes, after a collecting a nice pass from Norkett and then Gordon went solo to battle through, but his shot was wide of the left-hand post.

Then it was Rushden’s turn again with Joel Nketia firing wide, before they went close again with a scramble in the box after Taylor’s 76th minute free kick.

The referee had given a few free kicks where he reacted to crowd pressure, none more obvious than a challenge between Dales and Adegbola, when the Rushden player earned his free kick after a well delayed dive.

Into the final 10 minutes and Webb put a header across the box, just a bit too high for Norkett, as it bounced off the top of his head. “I Knew it was too high, but I had to try for it, or folks would have asked why I didn’t,” said Norkett.

Dales put a cross or shot into the side netting after 83 minutes and Norkett was fouled again on the halfway line, just before he was replaced by Beavon.

Beavon almost got a late break but was flagged borderline offside, and then a short back pass from Bennett was well intercepted by McDowell, before Findlay made the final shot of the game for our hosts, but managed to clear a row houses behind the goal.

Some strong defending from Bennett, Gascoigne, Wilkinson and Gordon made sure it was a clean sheet as it ended 0-0, and overall it was a good strong performance from Mickleover in difficult conditions.