by Peter Scherer (Images: Steve Ingers)

TWO blistering second half free kicks from Cieron Keane made sure that its Mickleover in the hat for the next round of the FA Cup, after a 2-1 win at Barwell.

Starting line-up: 1-Jack McDowell; 2-George Wilkinson; 3-Sam Sanders; 4-Will Atkinson; 5-Josh Ashman; 6-Dwayne Wiley; 7-Theo Rowe; 8-Cieron Keane; 9-Manni Norkett; 10-Jude Taylor; 11-Andy Dales. Subs: Kane Richards; Stuart Beavon; Terry Hawkridge; Darryl Powell; Josh Carter; Luca Alonzi.

After a fairly stop start opening few minutes, Keane sent in a telling cross to find Sanders in the middle, but his 10th minute header was just wide of the post.

Sports continued to defend well with Wilkinson, Ashman, Wiley and Sanders looking solid, as Atkinson and Keane led by example to keep midfield advancing.

It was Keane that made a 20th minute interception and fired a shot goalwards from distance, but just over the bar.

Mickleover kept trying to push forwards and when Dales cut back after 28 minutes, he set up Rowe with a sight of goal, but keeper Brown saved the initial effort and collected it at his second attempt.

Shaquile Master had a shot wide for Barwell 32 minutes in and 10 minutes later Deen Master started a move which gave Dowd a chance, but his shot was high and wide.

Powell replaced Wiley just before half time and slotted into the back four, but just as it had been in Tuesday’s league game, it remained 0-0 as the half time whistle blew.

It was a lively start from Sports in the second half, with Norkett laying the ball off to Dales two minutes into the restart, but his curling shot was just wide of the far post.

But a minute later McDowell pulled off a fine save to deny Barwell the opening goal, from another Deen Master strike.

Barwell skipper Hickey had the ball in the net after 51 minutes, but was given offside, just before Mickleover made their second change, with Richards on for Norkett.

65 minutes gone and Turner committed a foul, Keane stepped up for the free kick and his shot went over the wall and wide of keeper Brown to make it 1-0.

Further substitutions saw Beavon and Carter on for Dales and Taylor, but with 81 minutes gone, Hickey latched onto a Deen Master strike to make it 1-1.

Time was running out and a possible replay beckoned, when Barwell gave away another free kick close in and almost on full time. Keane stepped up again to blast it into the back of the net, as the final whistle soon followed, with Sports the victors 2-1.

 

by Peter Scherer (Images: Steve Ingers)

Just when it looked like we were heading for a 0-0 draw, an 86th minute goal for Barwell seemingly sealed it for the visitors. But Sports fought back and Andy Dales snatched a last gap equaliser for a well-deserved 1-1.

Starting line-up: 1-Aaron Chapman; 2-George Wilkinson 3-Sam Sanders; 4 Will Atkinson 5-Hamza Bencherif 6-Dwayne Wiley; 7 Theo Rowe; 8-Josh Ashman 9-Manni Norkett 10-Jude Taylor 11-Kane Richards. Subs: Andy Dales; Daryl Powell; Terry Hawkridge; Yerim Zoko; Josh Carter.

It was a fairly scrappy start with neither side showing an early advantage. But after 13 minutes Rowe suddenly burst through the defence on the left, before his shot was blocked and the first corner of the game earned.

Taken short it was once again picked up by Rowe, he unleashed a powerful shot that skimmed the top of the bar, before going out for a goal kick.

Barwell had their first attack a couple of minutes later, but Bencherif cut it out and they earned their first corner too, which came to nought.

Rowe continued to be the thorn in the visiting defences side, firing in a dangerous 24th minute cross. It was already heading goalwards with Norkett about to connect, when former Sports defender Kyle Rowley cleared it off the line.

Rowe then put in another cross a couple of minutes later, but it was too high for Richards. Possession was starting to go in Mickleover’s favour, with Ashman particularly creative in midfield. He was the next to try his luck, shooting through a crowded box but comfortably taken by keeper Brown.

There was an early blow for Sports though when skipper Bencherif went down having tweaked his back. He was replaced by Hawkridge, going into midfield, while Ashman dropped into the back four alongside Wiley.

The change seemed to upset the rhythm that had started to build, but 36 minutes in Taylor and Richards combined to dispossess a defender, only for the final shot to be blocked.

Taylor was then fouled on the right, but the free kick wasn’t given and Richards continued before firing a shot just over the bar again. It was Richards again that created our last chance of the first half. He put a nice ball through on the right for Norkett to chase, but it was just too long and the final shot from a tightening angle was an easy save for Brown.

It was Barwell that came out for the second half with all guns blazing and Calver set up Willock whose shot forced a great diving save from Chapman just four minutes into the half.

But it was the visitors who continued to edge the advantage in possession and after 53 minutes Mickleover made their first change, with Dales on for Richards, followed on the hour by Zoko on for Norkett.

Barwell earned a 65th minute free kick but then went wide, as Chapman showed his judgement to leave the ball to perfection. Four minutes later they had another break and earned a corner, which could have gone anywhere before the defence cleared.

Powell came on for his debut replacing Taylor after 77 minutes, but Chapman was still the busier of the two keepers and had to push away an in swinging corner with eight minutes on the clock.

Four minutes later though the deadlock was broken, when a cross from the Mickleover right fell nicely for Master, who fired it into the bottom corner, 0-1.

Barwell skipper Hickey tested Chapman again with a header, but with five minutes added on there was a dramatic conclusion. Time was running out as Rowe made one last charge down the right, his cross found Dales whose first attempt came off a defenders shoulder for a final corner.

It was Dales again that got a touch in a busy box, but it was enough to poke home the equaliser, 1-1 with almost the last kick of the ball.

Dwayne Wiley was awarded the Man of the Match award.

It keeps us in third place in the table as we now look forward to facing Barwell again on Saturday, but this time in the FA Cup.

 

by Peter Scherer

After the outstanding start to the season, Mickleover enter a critical period for their future success, with two games against Barwell over four days.

On Tuesday night we are the hosts as we welcome them to the Vibrant Doors Arena and on Saturday we make the return trip to Kirkby Road in the FA Cup.

Following last Saturday’s 4-0 win over St Ives, Mickleover now top the table, with our visitors in 16th. Relegated from the Southern Premier League last season.

They lost at home 0-1 to Basford in their opening game and then had a 1-1 at home again with Rushden & Diamonds, before a 4-1 win at Sporting Inkberrow in the FA Trophy last Saturday.

Manager Damon Beckford-Quailey has been in charge since last March and now has Daryll Thomas assisting.

Goalkeeper Jonathan Brown was signed in pre-season. He started out at Boldmere and played for Rushall and Wulfrunians, before a three-year spell at Kidderminster. He was loaned to Yate Town, Bromsgrove and back to Rushall, before making a permanent move to Sutton Coldfield.

He’s played for Evesham, Stafford Rangers, Alvechurch and Hednesford too and had return trips to Bromsgrove before joining Sutton Coldfield again in 2022.

Centre back Herve Pepe Ngoma played youth football with St.Etienne before joining Leicester City. He joined Nuneaton following his release, quickly moving on to Corby, Kettering, Boston Utd and Coalville.

He had his first spell at Barwell in September 2021, then returned to Coalville for two years before coming back again in July 2024. His current stay started last March after eight months at Stamford.

Fellow centre back Kyle Rowley is known to Mickleover fans after a spell at Station Road back in 2024. His career began to at Walsall and after a loan at Sutton Coldfield, he joined Rugby Town on his release.

Alvechurch, Walsall Wood, Hednesford and Stourbridge followed, before he came to Mickleover from Barwell in February 2024. He since returned to Walsall Wood and played for Redditch and Stamford too, before rejoining our guests from Bromsgrove last month.

Left back Amarvir Singh Sandhu came from Rugby Borough in pre-season. After starting off at Hinckley and Leicester Road, he joined our visitors briefly in 2016 before returning to Leicester Road. Quorn, Shepshed Dynamo, Coleshill, Corby and Harborough are among his former clubs too.

Right back Macauley King has spent most of his career in the US. He played for Young Harris College, Mississippi Brilla, Charlotte Eagles, Sounders, Indy Eleven, El Paso Locomotive and Colorado Springs Switchbacks, before returning to the UK in January 2025 with Redditch. He came to Barwell last month from Pershore Town.

Spencer Edwards is another centre back signed from Corby Town in pre-season. He was previously at Hinckley LRFC.

Former Coventry City Junior Malakai Reeve is another new signing and another centre back. He went to Barrow following his release and had loans at FC United and Blyth Spartans before joining our visitors in October 2024.

Young defender Daniel Brown is a pre-season arrival from Carlton, where he has spent most of his career after joining them in 2018 from Southwell.

Midfielder Cole Turner is a recent singing too, having been released by Leicester City during the summer.

Central midfielder and captain Brady Hickey recently returned to the club after two years at Harborough. It’s his third spell at Kirkby Road and he’s also played for Nuneaton.

Charlie Dowd is another central midfielder and a former Burton Albion Junior. He joined Bromsgrove after his release, moving on to Alvechurch, Nuneaton, Stratford Town, Stourbridge and Sutton Coldfield, before coming to Barwell from Bedworth in July 2025. He left to join Birmingham OJM after eight months and returned in the summer.

Midfielder Ethan Hill was a youngster at Nottingham Forest and Mansfield before going to Kettering after his release. After spells at Telford and Ilkeston, he first came to Barwell in October 2023 and stayed almost two years before a move to Leamington, which preceded his pre-season return.

Midfielder or defender Deen Master was a Burton Albion youngster after they spotted him with Leicester Nirvana. He first went to Barwell after his release and stayed three years, before joining Quorn and has returned to the club in pre-season.

Saad Hamrad is another versatile defender of midfielder, who has arrived from Harborough Town on pre-season.

Central Midfielder Ryan Lee Calver is another new singing, after spending the last five years at Melton Town. He previously played for Humberstone Rangers, Leicester Nirvana, Lutterworth Town and Aylestone Park.

A former Northampton Town, Leicester Nirvana, Nuneaton, Rushall and Hednesford midfielder, Shaquille Master came to Barwell in October 2022 from Nuneaton. His next stop was Shepshed Dynamo and he returned to our guests in pre-season

Dannen Francis is an Antigua and Barbuda international who started out at Blackpool. After a loan spell at Workington he joined Fleetwood following his release and is another recent arrival.

Striker Aaron O’Connor has League Two experience. After starting at Grays Athletic, he played for Mansfield Town, Rushden and Luton Town, before moving on to Forest Green. He’s played for Stevenage, Kettering, Tamworth, Basford and Carlton, before returning to Barwell last month after three years at Eastwood.

Former Walsall Junior striker Shay Willock came from Bromsgrove last month. Following his Saddlers release he joined Alvechurch, after loan at Worcester Raiders. He’s also played for Coventry Sphinx, Stourbridge and Stafford.

Leke Shodunke is a striker signed in pre-season from Grantham. He previously spent three seasons with Shepshed Dynamo, after joining them from Quorn.

Striker Blake Kindred is one of the few players at the club from last season, despite having been out on a dual registration at Lutterworth Athletic. He previously played for Alvechurch and Bromsgrove Sporting.

Tuesday night’s kick off at the Vibrant Doors Arena is 7.45pm, with all the usual facilities and we want as many supporters as possible to be there and on Saturday at Kirkby Road too for the 3pm kick off.

by Peter Scherer (Images: Steve Ingers)

Mickleover go to the top of the league after starting their home league campaign with a convincing 4-0 win over St.Ives.

Starting line-up: 1-Aaron Chapman; 2-George Wilkinson 3-Sam Sanders; 4- Will Atkinson 5-Hamza Bencherif; 6- Dwayne Wiley; 7- Kane Richards; 8- Josh Ashman; 9-Manni Norkett; 10-Jude Taylor; 11-Theo Rowe. Subs: Andy Dales, Charlie Hickingbotton; Terry Hawkridge; Yerim Zoko; Josh Carter.

Mickleover came straight out of the traps fighting and put the St.Ives defence under immediate and sustained bombardment.

Rowe earned the first corner after two minutes and a couple a minutes later he tested keeper Alex Fisher, who made a fingertip save following another corner.

It then came as no surprise that Norkett opened the scoring after five minutes, firing the ball home into the bottom right-hand corner and well out of Fisher’s reach 1-0.

With Wilkinson, Bencherif, Wiley and Sanders making a formidable line at the back for Sports, the visitors were struggling for put any sort of attack together, as Atkinson and Ashman kept midfield tight too.

Nine minutes in and St.Ives tried to catch Chapman off guard, but not only did it not test the Sports keeper, the shot was wide too.

But Chapman did have to make decisive clearance when the home defence failed to get the ball away, after a scramble in the Mickleover box after 16 minutes.

It continued to be all Mickleover though and just a minute later a great build-up of skill and determination saw Norkett seek out Taylor. He then layed it off for another strike from Rowe. But Fisher made a great save, as the ball curled in heading for the top right-hand corner.

Despite the constant pressure the visiting defence were still holding on, mainly thanks to keeper Fisher. He made another reflex save after 20 minutes, when Rowe picked the ball up from a St.Ives corner, before sprinting the length of the pitch. As he cut inside he unleashed a great curling shot again, only to see it tipped away from a tightening angle.

It came down to time added on in the first half for goal number two to finally arrive. Richards had broken free into the box and was brought down by the keeper. Norkett then stepped to successfully convert the spot kick and then the whistle went with Mickleover 2-0 up.

With no changes at half time Richards and Rowe were soon tormenting the visiting defence down the wings again. Just two minutes into the second half Rowe forced Fisher into another excellent save.

But just before the hour mark Norkett was wreaking havoc in the box. He was fouled and another penalty was awarded, which he duly converted, making it 3-0 after 55 minutes and completing his hattrick.

Dales was the first sub to be used coming on for Taylor and just six minutes later Fisher saved St.Ives yet again, tipping another Rowe strike over the bar.

Richards was next on the scoresheet, after 66 minutes, with a thundering strike from the edge of the box, straight into the top right-hand corner, which even Fisher’s heroics couldn’t stop. 4-0.

Hickingbottom and Carter then came on for Richards and Atkinson, and a few minutes later hattrick hero Norkett made way for Zoko.

Chapman had to make one more save in the 92nd minute to seal the clean sheet, but it was another dominant Sports victory, in charge for the whole 90 minutes, as we now look forward to the visit of Barwell to the Vibrant Doors Arena on Tuesday night, before the return fixture in the FA Cup just four days later.

After the match Manni Norkett was awarded the Man of the Match award sponsored by Mickleover Padel.

 

by Peter Scherer

It maybe only our second league match of the season following the fantastic 3-1 win at Nuneaton Town last Tuesday evening, but St.Ives have already played two. While we were away in FA Cup action, they went down 2-3 at home to Carlton and then hosted Sutton Coldfield too on Tuesday and won 1-0.

They were relegated from the Southern Premier league last season, where we last faced them in our play-off year of 23/24, beating them 2-0 away with a Marcus Barnes double but losing 0-5 on the return at Mickleover.

Ricky Marheineke has been manager since 2014 but has made a number of changes to his squad for this season.

Alex Costa Fisher is currently first choice keeper, with fellow new singing Jonah Gill vying for the shirt. Gill has come from a four-year spell at March Town. He started out at Cambridge Utd and has also played for Peterborough Sports.

Centre back Sam Tessler’s career started in the US Universities with Pateadores SC, Washington Huskies and Seattle Seahawks. He joined Yaxley on his return to the UK, moving on to Grantham before he first arrived at St.Ives in October 2023. After 18 months he left for Rushden & Diamonds, from where he rejoined our visitors last November.

Fellow centre back Callum Milne has returned to the club for a second time in pre-season, after a spell at Bourne Town. He previous left to join Corby Town and has played for Bedford Town, Eynesbury Rovers, Harborough Town, Kettering and Wisbech too.

Matty Miles is a right back that started his career as a Leicester City youngster. He spent a year with Eynesbury following his release, before moving on to St.Neots, Biggleswade and a couple of spells each at Cambridge City and Peterborough Sports. After a spell at Sudbury he started last season briefly at Stamford, before joining St.Ives.

Left back Kai Source is a recent arrival from Luton Town. He started off with Reading last season and ended it with our visitors, before the move became permanent.

Harry Dawson is the most recent signing, a right back released by Cambridge Utd during the summer. He has previously been loaned to Biggleswade and Peterborough Sports.

Centre back Michael Gash is a recent arrival from Peterborough Sports, where he had spent the last five years, latterly as player/manager. He started out in Cambridge, firstly with City and then Utd. He next stop was Ebbsfleet, followed by York City and Rushden & Diamonds, before returning to Cambridge Utd. After a loan at Braintree he joined Kidderminster and they loaned him to Nuneaton, before a move to Barnet. He was at Kings Lynn for four years prior to his Peterborough stay.

Aaron Smith is another left back and former Norwich City junior. He joined Peterborough Utd following his release and joined St.Ives at the start of last season, after six years at St.Neots.

Dan Lawlor is currently the team captain. A centre back, he came out of the Peterborough Utd Academy and had a loan spell at Boston Utd, before joining Spalding Utd following his release. He returned to Spalding after eight years at Peterborough Sports and was a pre-season signing for our visitors.

Striker Mark Jones came from Peterborough Sports in pre-season too, following a loan spell at the end of last season. He started off at Deeping, before moving onto Boston Utd, Gainsborough and Spalding. He then returned to Boston before joining Peterborough Sports where he stayed for 10 years.

Mbunya Alemanji is another striker and another pre-season signing. After starting his career at Kempston Rovers and Cambridge Utd, he went to Italy and spent two years with Roma. He then went to Portugal with Rio Ave and then NK Croatia Zmijavci, before joining Billericay on his UK return. Bishop Stortford, Welling Utd, Hornchurch and Farnborough followed and he spent last season at Hitchin Town.

Midfielder Kellan Hickinson played early football at Peterborough Utd. He first came to St.Ives in August 2023 after an initial loan, but moved to Yaxley two months later. He came back to our visitors in October last year, following an 18 month stay ay Peterborough Sports.

Midfielders Junior Varela are Ezkiel Williams are more new signings. Varela from Stamford, having also played for Soham Rangers and junior sides in Portugal. Williams comes from Hastings Utd and has played for Ascot Utd, Marlow, FC Romania and Kettering.

Andrian Ankrah is another midfielder and recently arrived from St.Neots. He started last season at Rushden & Diamonds and has played for Bugbrooke Utd and Daventry Town too.

Striker Jessi Obeng was dual registered with St.Neots and AFC Sudbury last season. He is another pre-season arrival and has also had a spell at Wellingborough.

Striker Romari Forde started in Watford’s Academy before being spotted by Arsenal. He joined our visitors from Kettering last November.

Neo Dobson is a striker too, currently on loan from Northampton Town. He has previously been loaned to Kettering and Corby and spent a month at St’Ives Last season.

Having graduated from the clubs own youth scheme, defenders Josh Ward and Ethan Keogh, winger/midfielder Alfie Shepherd and striker Archie Riordan have all recently joined the first team squad. Riordan has also been out on a dual registration with Huntingdon Utd.

Kick off at the Vibrant Doors Arena is 3pm, with all the usual bar and catering facilities available.