by Peter Scherer (Photography by Steve Ingers)

After a couple of recent disappointments, it was back to winning ways with a bang for Mickleover, as two goals in each half secured a 4-0 win over Blyth Spartans.

Starting line-up: 1-Kieren Flavell 2-Jake Bennett 3-Cieron Keane 4-Curtis Weston 5-Chrlie Hickingbottom 6-George Taft 7-Dylan Edwards 8- Dan Bradley 9-Styart Beavon 10-Andy Dales 11-Marcus Barnes. Subs: Callum Moore, Brandon Ferron, Jahvan Davidson-Miller, Toby Smith, Justin Iwobi.

Sports were straight on the attack from the kick off, and soon gained their reward with the opening goal after nine minutes. The ball had been played to Dales on the left, he crossed and found Beavon in the middle, who tucked the ball home to make it 1-0.

Mickleover were forced to make a change 20 minutes in though, when Bradley took a knock and was replaced by Ferron, who moved to left back, with Keane going into midfield.

There had been little threat from the visitors and after 38 minutes there was almost a second for Mickleover, when Barnes took the ball past a defender on the right, and fired goalwards, with keeper Bond’s save going off the post.

There was only another six minutes wait however before Edwards hit the second, after getting on the end

of a counter attack, 2-0, with a the half time whistle soon following.

The second half started as the first had finished and only three minutes in Barnes broke clear to make it 3-0 after 47 minutes.

Moore, Davidson-Miller and Iwobi had all come on as substitutes, as Blyth did get forward a little more, bringing Flavell into the game after being virtually redundant in the first half.

Smith was the final sub on for Keane, but there was still another goal to come. Beavon went down the right and made a telling chip to the far post, where Davidson-Miller was waiting and smashed the ball into the roof of the net, to make the final score 4-0, as winter came early with hail and very heavy rain.

“The lads followed my instructions from the start, on the front foot and keeping the pressure on continuously from start to finish. We have lost one game in eight to one of the best teams in the league, we got another clean sheet today and for now, we’ve finished with the Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday games. We’ve been under pressure for this first quarter of the season, but now we can look at things more in training and in eighth we’re only just outside the play-offs,” said Sports boss Gareth Holmes.

 

by Peter Scherer

Both Mickleover and Blyth Spartans will be looking for three points as they meet at the Don Amott Arena on Saturday.

For Mickleover it’s crucial to return to winning ways after their 0-4 to Worksop last Tuesday ended a run of five games unbeaten, while Blyth took their first league just over a week ago, at home to Workington.

Sports expect to have Barnsley loanee Kieran Flavell in goal again, during Yusuf Mersin’s paternal break, and will still be without Gaby Adebambo, recovering from an ankle injury and possibly Will Atkinson, after his concussion in the Basford game.

Former Ipswich Town goalkeeper David Stockdale has recently taken over as Blyth manager, after previously being Nobby Solano’s assistant. They currently lie 21^st in the table with just the one win, and went out of the FA Cup last weekend 0-3 at home to Bury, and were relegated from the National League North last season.

Although manager Stockdale is still a registered player, first choice goalkeeper is currently Gateshead loanee Harrison Bond. A former Sunderland junior, Bond was loaned to Shildon, before joining Gateshead on his release in August 2023. He has also been loaned out to Whitley Bay.

Reserve keeper Michael Hogan is also on loan from Bedlington Terriers. After starting out at Newcastle Utd, he joined York City, before joining Blyth at the start of last season. But he spent most of last season on loan, firstly back at Bedlington and also Newcastle Blue Star.

Centre back Greg Halford is a former England Under 20 International, with well over 500 league appearances under his belt in every division, having played throughout England, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland.

A recent signing, he started at Braintree, before joining Colchester Utd. After a spell at Reading he moved to Sunderland, who loaned him to Charlton Athletic and Sheffield Utd, before a move to Wolves in 2009.

Portsmouth was his next stop after an initial loan, before a move to Nottingham Forest in 2012. He spent three years at Forest, including a loan at Brighton, before moving onto Rotherham, Cardiff and Aberdeen.

Southend Utd and Waterford followed, before joining Billericay. It was then two years at Hashtag Utd, before starting this season at Bishop Stortford.

Fellow centre back Ben Milburn is another pre-season arrival, but it’s his second spell with our visitors. Chester Le Street and Carlisle Utd Park View were his junior clubs, before coming to Blyth in August 2021. 

After a loans at Whickham and North Shields he joined Consett in August 2022, before returning to Blyth.

Left back Connor Pani is another loanee from Gateshead. As well as loans at Morpeth and Workington, he was previously loaned to Blyth back in January 2023 for one month.

Former Middlesbrough and Rotherham Junior Joel Holvey made one league appearance before coming to our visitors pre-season. A left back he went out on loan to Gainsborough Trinity too last season.

Michael Woods is an experienced midfielder and former England Under 20 International. He was at both Leeds Utd and Chelsea in his early career, making almost 100 league one appearances.

After a loan at Notts County, he was released by Chelsea and joined Yeovil Town. Doncaster was his next stop, with a couple of spells at Harrogate Town split by a spell at Hartlepool.  

Three years at Dover Athletic, were then followed by two years at York and two more years at South Shields, before coming to Blyth pre-season.

Chester Le Street started Harrison Clark’s career, before he headed off to Scotland. His first move was Livingston, who then loaned him to Arbroath, Kelty Hearts and Stirling Albion, before returning to England with Gateshead February last year. A central midfielder, he was pre-season arrival last year.

Club captain Nicky Deverdics has just started his fourth season at the club, since arriving from Gateshead in July 2021. A central midfielder, he has played in League Two, Scotland and Europe, after starting out at Newcastle Utd.

He was at Bedlington Terriers before heading to Gretna and Barnet, before his first spell at Blyth in 2010. After nine months he went to Iceland, returning to the UK with Alfreton after two seasons.

He then moved to TB Tvoroyri in the Faroe Islands for a short stay, before moving back to the UK again with Tadcaster. Dover Athletic was his next stop, before going to Hartlepool, who loaned him to back to Dover, before a move to Wrexham, preceded his Gateshead stay.

Billy Gordon is a central midfielder too, having arrived from York City at the beginning of last season.

Ryan Donaldson s a right winger and former Newcastle Utd Junior, with experience in League’s One and Two. After loans at Hartlepool and Tranmere he signed for Gateshead on his release. After spells at Cambridge Utd and Plymouth Argyle he went back to Hartlepool, but a four-year stay at Morpeth preceded his pre-season move to Blyth.

Striker Mitch Curry came through the junior ranks at Middlesbrough. He had loans at Harrogate, Inverness Caledonian and Gateshead before moving to Sunderland.

He then went to the US in 2021, firstly with Fort Lauderdale, then Inter Miami and Hartford, before returning to the UK two years later with Darlington. He was another pre-season signing for our visitors.

Fellow striker Harry Gardiner started out at South Shields before moving to Sunderland. He was then loaned back to South Shields, before his loan spell at Blyth at the end last season, became permanent during pre-season.

Joao Gomes and Dan Savage are strikers too and currently on loan from South Shields for the whole season.

Striker Joseph Abrahart came from North Shields pre-season. He also played early youth football in Alberta, Canada and with Philadelphia Lone Stars in the US.

Marcello Benedetti is another striker that’s recently arrived. He was a Sunderland and Sheffield Wednesday Junior and has played for Shelbourne in the League of Ireland and local clubs West Allotment Celtic, Seaton Delaval and Whitley Bay too. He was an England Under 17 International.

Midfielder Charlie Aitken is the son of goalkeeping coach Ian. He has come through the junior ranks and joined the first team squad at the start of last season and has spent time at Whickham on a dual registration too.

Zach Simpson is another home-grown talent. A midfielder too, he has played at New Hartley Juniors and Newcastle Blue Star.

Josh Norvell and strikers Ryan Ndewini and Bobby Small are also junior graduates. 

Blyth have also added loanee defender Louis Stephenson to their squad in the last day or two, from Hartlepool.

Kick off is 3pm, come and help Sports get those valuable three points!!

by Peter Scherer

Barnsley Under 21 goalkeeper Kieran Flavell has joined Mickleover on an emergency loan, covering for regular keeper Yusuf Mersin’s imminent fatherhood.

Flavell made his debut in the home defeat to high flying Worksop Town and also had a loan spell at Bradford Park Avenue last season.

by Peter Scherer

With Worksop Town vying for the top of the NPL table, it was inevitable that their visit to the Don Amott Arena would be a tough challenge for Mickleover.

It proved to be almost one way traffic for 90 minutes, with the visitors securing a 0-4 victory, with three second half goals.

Starting line-up: 1-Kieron Flavell 2-Jake Bennett 3-Ryan Wilson 4-Curtis Weston 5-Luke Cox 6-George Taft 7-Andy Dales 8-Charlie Hickingbottom 9-Justin Iwobi 10-Marcus Barnes 11-Cieron Keane. Subs: Jahvan Davidson-Miller, Brandon Ferron, Stuart Beavon, Callum Moore, Dylan Edwards.

It was a quick pacey start to the game from both sides and after four minutes Bennett lost possession and left Josh Wilde with a clear run on goal, but fortunately his shot was over the bar.

The visitors were on the attack again three minutes later, but this time Keane managed to intercept just inside the box.

Aleks Starcenko then fired across the face of the goal, that was cleared, before Luke Shiels headed wide from the following corner.

Mickleover managed to hold out for 12 minutes, when Dan Bramall was free close in on the right. After strolling around the back line he struck a low and precise shot into the far corner, giving Flavell little chance. 0-1.

Only three minutes Regan Hutchinson cut inside after a charge upfield, but his deflected shot was comfortably taken by Flavell.

There was brief rally from Sports after 16 minutes, when Bennett found Keane, and after a nice one two, Bennett’s cross was cleared on the edge of the box.

Only a minute later a Bennett free kick was headed away for a corner, followed by a second corner on the other side, before any threat was cleared.

Luke Hall then went close for Worksop after 27 minutes, cutting in from the left, his curling shot was aimed at the far corner, but Flavell saved well at full stretch.

Keane was then booked for a foul, but Mickleover were struggling to break out of their own half as we reached the half hour mark.

But 31 minutes in and Dales set up a promising move, his run down the left, saw a cross field ball to Keane, but his pass was just too long for Barnes to chase and it rolled out for a goal kick.

Dales then had a run on goal himself two minutes later, but keeper Seb Malinowski was quick off his line to intercept, getting his first touch in the whole game.

Hall tried a random shot from distance after 36 minutes, but was comfortably wide. Mickleover’s defence however were now relying on a big boot upfield to clear their lines, before it was fired straight back in by the visitors. So it remained 0-1 at half time, with Sports relatively lucky to have kept the score down.

For the second half Edwards and Davidson-Miller came on for Iwobi and Keane, but within three minutes of the restart it was 0-2, after Hall headed home at close range from a Bramall pass, with the defence seemingly rooted to the spot. 

Worksop were soon looking for more, with Mickleover looking almost powerless to respond. 56 minutes and they had another break, but Weston made the saving tackle and a minute late Flavell kept out another Hall shot, after Starcenko’s pass split the defence again.

It was Flavell to the rescue again a couple of minutes later, saving a long shot from the left from Bramall, before another goal mouth scramble saw the young debutant keeper punch the next effort over the bar.

Shiels then went in the book for a foul on Davidson-Miller, before Dales managed to make a break on the hour, with Hickingbottom’s shot was blocked.

Hall went close again following a corner, Flavell couldn’t quite hold the powerful effort, but Vaughan Redford effort from the rebound was luckily off target.

It was almost three for Worksop when Starcenko hit the post from a Hutchinson cross, but just after Ferron had replaced Barnes for Sports, the inevitable happened, and after 75 minutes Bramall hit his second, to make it 0-3.

Mickleover had been trying to push forward, but Hutchinson and Jordan Burrow combined and outpaced the recovering defence.

After a number of Worksop substitutions Mickleover looked in total disarray and with five minutes left Liam Hughes found Jacob Gratton, who made it 0-4 to Worksop.

So Mickleover’s run of five unbeaten and three consecutive clean sheets ended with a bang, soundly beaten in all departments with the visitors keeper virtually redundant, as we now look forward to the visit of Blyth Spartans on Saturday.

 

by Peter Scherer

With just one defeat to their name this season, Worksop Town are flying high in second place in the NPL.

We last met the Tigers in the FA Trophy last season, when Sports came away 5-0 winners, but manager Craig Parry earned his side promotion last season and are already looking possible title contenders.

In his playing days Parry was a goalkeeper at Barnsley and previously managed Pontefract.

Sports had luck on their side last Tuesday, taking all three points at Basford, while Worksop inflicted a 2-0 defeat on Ilkeston.

Both teams were in FA Cup action last Saturday, with Sports going down 0-1 at home Anstey Nomads, while Worksop took on Basford at home, winning 6-3.

Mickleover will need all the fire power they can muster to break down the Worksop defence, which so far have only conceded goals in two league games this season, the 0-1 defeat at home to Macclesfield on the opening day of the season and in the 5-2 win at home to Blyth Spartans.

Seb Malkowski and Tommy Taylor have both been in goal since the start of the season, but it’s Malkowski currently in favour. He is a former Poland international who started his career with Wisla Tczew, before moving to Olimpia Sztum, Lechia Gdansk, Bytovia Bytow and Zawisza.

He first came to the UK with Frickley in 2015, before taking a two-year break. He then signed for Boston Utd, before spells at Belper Town and Pontefract, before coming to Worksop in July 2020.

Taylor is an experienced keeper too though, mainly in the National League North. He was a junior at Sheffield Wednesday, before joining Garforth on his release. Spells at Halifax, Brighouse, Scarborough and Buxton, before he came to Worksop pre-season, after three seasons at Darlington.

Centre back and captain Hamza Bencherif is an Algerian Under 20 International. He came to Nottingham Forest as youngster from EA Guincamp and was loaned to Lincoln City, before joining Macclesfield on his release.

He returned to Nottingham with Notts County, moving on two years later to Plymouth Argyle. JS Kabylie in Algeria was his next stop, before rejoining Lincoln on his UK return. Spells at Halifax, Wrexham and York City followed, before a three-year stay at Guiseley preceded his July 2022 move to our visitors, with over 100 appearances made in league one and two.

Fellow centre back Luke Shiels was a pre-season arrival from Buxton, having previously spent four years with Boston Utd. He has also played for Alfreton Town and Harrogate Town.

Charlie Winfield is a young left back who was signed in pore-season, after his release from Barnsley. During his time at Oakwell he was also loaned to Esbjerg in Denmark, Alfreton and Darlington.

Josh Wilde is a left back too, having just started his third season at the club since signing from Alfreton. He started out at Sheffield Wednesday, before spending two years at Buxton after his release. Gainsborough and North Ferriby were his next stops. He then had two years at Halifax, before a four year stay at Alfreton.

Right back Reagan Hutchinson is another longer serving player, having come from Farsley Celtic in August 2022. He was initially at Rotherham, before a two-year stay with Chesterfield, during which time he was loaned out to Sheffield FC, before a permanent move to Guiseley. 

Terry Hawkridge is a right sided midfielder signed from Matlock in July 2022. He played his junior football at Barnsley and Tranmere, before joining Carlton Town on his release. After spells at Hucknall and Gainsborough, he joined Scunthorpe Utd who loaned him to Mansfield and Lincoln City, before a permanent move to the Imps.

After two years at Notts County he joined Solihull Moors, later moving on to Boston Utd, Basford and finally Matlock in July 2022. He has almost a 100 games in leagues one and two on his CV too.

Attacking midfielder Liam Hughes has played in league two and the Scottish Premiership, after starting his career at Scunthorpe. His first moved was to Cambridge Utd, before spending five months with Inverness Caledonian. 

He came back to England with Barrow, and has played for Guiseley, Billericay, Darlington, Gainsborough, Stratford, Bradford Park Avenue, Frickley, Matlock and on loan at  Kettering. He came to Worksop from Causeway Lane in July 2022.

Dan Bramall is a right sided midfielder, who was at Chesterfield, before Everton picked him up. He went to Matlock too following his release, but then joined Barnsley after a short spell at Buxton.

After a loan at Barrow, he went to Ireland with Ballymena Utd, returning to England with Scarborough a year later. Caroline Springs George Cross in Australia was his next port of call, before joining Worksop pre-season.

Attacking midfielder Luke Hall played for England as an Under 15. He was a junior with Sheffield Wednesday, before going to Sheffield FC on his release. He was loaned out to Guiseley and Matlock, before leaving permanently to join Worksop in July 2022.

Player coach Ben Tomlinson is Worksop through and through, having started his career as a young striker in their junior sides. He moved on to Macclesfield, Alfreton, Lincoln City and Barnet, before being loaned out to Tranmere and Barrow.

His next stop was Carlisle Utd, followed by Halifax and a return to Alfreton. He has been back at Worksop almost four years, following a short stop at Frickley and made over 30 appearances in league two.

Fellow striker Jordan Burrow came from Buxton last December and has league one and two experience, after starting out at Chesterfield. He joined Morecambe after a loan spell at Boston Utd, before spending a season each at Stevenage, Lincon City and Halifax.

Gateshead and York City followed, before returning to Boston Utd, moving to Buxton three years later.

Jay Rollins is another striker who came from Boston Utd in July 2022, where he been for seven years. He started at Askern and has played for Armthorpe too. 

Young Ukrainian winger Rostlav Yaramenko was signed in July 2023 from Korona in Poland.  He previously played for a number of junior clubs in his native Ukraine.

Sam Wedgbury if a former England C International, with experience in leagues one and two. Sheffield Utd signed him from Worcester City back in 2006 and he was loaned out to Mansfield Town and Ferencvaros in Hungary, before going to Macclesfield on his release.

After a loan at Altrincham he moved on via Stevenage, Forest Green, Wrexham, Chesterfield and Buxton and spent a year at Stalybridge before joining Worksop in July 2022.

Latvian midfielder Aleks Starcenko came to Worksop in October 2020. He has played for Frickley, Pontefract and Guisley too.

Fellow midfielder Vaughan Redford followed the management team from Pontefract to Worksop back in early 2022.

Defender Deegan Atherton arrived in 2018 following his release from Rotherham, while young striker Max Eastwood is a product of Worksop’s own youth scheme.

Winger Jacob Gratton is the most recent signing, after just arrived from Belper Town. He was a Rotherham Junior too, who was loaned to Guiseley, before a permanent move to Farsley Celtic. He went to Belper in October 2022, but spent last year at Whitby Town, before rejoining Belper pre-season.

Kick off 7.45 with the bar open from 6pm.

by Peter Scherer (Images: Steve Ingers)

Hopes of matching last seasons target of reaching the FA Cup Third Qualifying round, with an early goal from visitors Anstey Nomads.

Starting line-up: 1-Yusuf Mersin 2-Callum Moore 3-Ryan Wilson 4-Curti Weston 5-Charlie Hickingbottom 6-George Taft 7-Andy Dales 8-Dan Bradley 9-Jahvan Davidson-Miller 10-Cieron Keane 11-Marcus Barnes. Subs: Luke Cox, Lejo Davidson, Justin Iwobi, Dylan Edwards, Stuart Beavon.

The last time Mickleover played Anstey Nomads in the FA Cup, it was a 7-1 win back in 2018. But the NPL Midlands Division team had already knocked out Alvechurch in the last round, and are a renowned Cup team.

The decisive moment came early on, when the visitors played the ball back into defence from their left, before setting up an attack down the right. As the cross landing centrally in the box, the defence failed to clear and Leo Brown was left virtually unmarked, beating Mersin just inside his left-hand post from close range. 0-1after 16 minutes.

Mickleover made two early changes with Edwards and debutant Iwobi on for Dales and Bradley at the end of the first half, before Beavon came on for Davidson-Miller just after the hour, as Sports pushed for the equaliser.

Davidson was then a late sub for Barnes and Cox for Moore, but time ran out to seek the elusive equaliser and for 24/25 dreams of further FA Cup progress are over.

 

by Peter Scherer

Mickleover have signed 6ft 4in striker Justin Iwobi on an initial three months loan from Halifax Town.

Iwobi is a former Stoke City Junior who had loan spells at Gainsborough, Bradford Park Avenue and Mossley last season and debuted in  last Saturday’s FA Cup defeat against Anstey Nomads.

Justin is a powerful young man with lots of physical attributes and also has the ability to deal with the ball. He provides us with a different option to the strikers we already have and we look forward to working with him, to help us improve. I’d like to thank Halifax for allowing Justin to join us

said Mickleover boss Gareth Holmes.