by Peter Scherer (Images: Steve Ingers)

Hopes were high of a good start to Mickleover’s first season in the NPL Midlands Division. But it wasn’t to be as they lost out to two first half goals at Coventry Sphinx.

Starting line-up: 1-Jack McDowell 2-Archie White 3-Jake Bennett 4-Will Atkinson 5-George Wilkinson 6 Ashton Offler 7-Steven Johnson-Fikula 9-Paddy Webb 10-Andy dales 11-Stuart Beavon Subs: Josh Carter, Liam Carter, Faser Corden, James Matthews, Toby Smith.

It was fairly intense opening 10 minutes, with neither team able to break down their opponents defences, nor test either keeper.

Mickleover finally broke through 18 minutes in, when White and Wood combined on the right to penetrate the home defence, but keeper Woods came to the rescue and brought any threat to an end.

Just two minutes later and the deadlock was brokenhowever, when a defensive error left the ball set up for striker Matty Shipman, who seized his opportunity to slot it past McDowell, 0-1.

But Wood was close to an equaliser after 28 minutes, when he let fly with a powerful strike from the edge of the box, but his shot was deflected just wide.

Wilkinson managed to block another Coventry attempt after 34 minutes, before the striker managed to shoot, but Sports were pushing hard to grab an equaliser as time began to run out in the first half.

With four minutes on the clock before the stoppage, Dales got through the defence after a long run, but was brought down in the box. Appeals for a penalty were dismissed, but three minutes later Sports defence failed to clear their lines, the ball fell to Redhead who scored at the near post, 0-2 as a disappointing first half came to end.

The second half started in a similar way to the first, with neither side taking the initiative, but 0-2 down changes were needed for Mickleover to get back into the game.

Corden came on for Beavon after 53 minutes and just after the hour mark Fikula and Atkins; made way for Liam Carter and Smith.

Webb was yellow carded after 64 minutes and Wood followed two minutes later, but any hopes of a fightback from Sports had still not begun, as they struggled to create any shooting opportunities.

But the best chance of the game fell to Webb in the 83rd minute, but his shot went fractionally wide. But with just six minutes on the clock, Coventry sub Harvey Smith was given a straight red card for violent conduct, having barely been on the pitch for two minutes.

Five minutes of added was played, but it made no difference to the 0-2 result, in a fairly scrappy game, where our hosts made the most of two defensive errors to take all three points.

 

by Peter Scherer

With pre-season now over, Mickleover look to Saturday’s opening league game in the NPL Midlands Division, visiting Coventry Sphinx.

There will be a number of debutants lining up for Sports, plus returning keeper Oliver Bosworth and striker Paddy Webb joining the hardcore of the squad retained from last season.

Our hosts finished 17th in the table last season and began their FA Cup campaign last weekend, with a 2-0 home win over Romulus.

Manager John Woodward has recently taken over as full time, having been a co-manager last season. But he is assisted by Louis Guest, club captain and currently recovering from a long term injury.

Keeper Charlie Woods was signed from Alvechurch last September and has played for Quorn and Barwell too, since being released by Northampton Town.

Patrick Zito is an ex Aston Villa junior. A centre back he came from Quorn at the start of last season, after spells at Sutton Coldfield and Stratford Town.

Currently captaining the side in Guest’s absence is central midfielder Callum Woodward. He is in his second spell with our hosts, having originally left to join Coalville in September 2010, spending four years there until a move to Barwell, preceded a return to Coalville. He has now been back at Sphinx for nearly nine years.

Striker Roan Newey joined our hosts at the start of last season, following his release from West Bromwich Albion.

Fellow striker Kyle Carey was at Mickleover back in 2018 and his previous clubs include Coventry Utd too. When he returned to Sphinx last September, he was only the second player in the clubs history to sign a contract, having previously played youth football for the club.

Centre back Ryley Nicholson and striker Andre Williams are strikers too. Both arrived at the beginning of last season, Nicholson has played for Lutterworth and Coventry Utd and Williams was previously at Hinckley.

Preferably a right sided midfielder, Matty Bowman is another ex Mickleover player in the home squad. A former Repton School pupil he played youth football at Middlesbrough and Hull City, before heading to Scotland with Dunfermline Athletic. He came to the Don Amott Arena from Basford in November 2023, and started last season at Bridlington. He arrived at Sphinx last month.

Striker Joe Blowers has re-signed after playing for the team last season and both Lucas Marks and Leeland Yates have come through academy football and made their first team debuts pre-season.

Kick is at 3pm

by Peter Scherer (Images: Steve Ingers)

A goal in each half ended Mickleover’s hopes of finishing pre-season with a win at Northern Premier League Leek Town, in an otherwise impressive performance.

Starting line-up: 1-Oliver Bosworth 2-Jake Bennett 3-Archie White 4-Will Atkinson 5-George Wilkinson 6-Ashton Offler 7-Steven Johnson-Fikula 8- Harry Wood 9- Paddy Webb 10-Fraser Corden 11-Omotola. Subs: Stuart Beavon, Liam Carter, Trialist A, Trialsit B, Trialist C.

It didn’t start well for Mickleover going a goal down to our hosts in the first minute, 0-1.

Three minutes later Wilkinson was on hand to snub out another attack, stifling any opportunity before the striker could get a shot in.

Once Mickleover began to settle they showed a good strong response in all departments, battling particularly well in midfield with plenty of possession.

16 minutes in and Webb forced the home keeper into a good save, as Mickleover started to look closer at snatching an equaliser.

Just a minute later Bennett let fly on the right, forcing another save as the pressure started to build on the home defence. Bosworth had to pull off a save too when a half volley effort followed a Leek free kick.

Webb went close again after 32 minutes with a header just wide of the post, which proved to be the last chance of the half, with the score remaining 0-1.

Sports hopes of getting back on terms were dashed when Leek got a second goal after 53 minutes, 0-2, but just after the hour mark our sub trialist keeper made a low save as a Leek striker closed in.

Mickleover continued to chase for the rest of the game, and brought on Beavon as late sub to test the home defence for the last 10 minutes, but is still remained 0-2 to our hosts.

“The back three really worked well together, our striker’s provided really good platform and midfield dominated for much of the game and we could easily have been back in at half time, but didn’t take our chances. OveralI I am really pleased with the performance,” said Sports gaffer Gareth Holmes.

 

by Peter Scherer

Mickleover played Leek three times last season and came out on top in all three games. But it was our hosts who survived in the NPL to finally finish 15th, winning a hard fought battle for survival.

It’s the last chance for Sports gaffer Gareth Holmes to try out trialists, as well as defining his starting his starting line-up for the following weeks league opener.

Most of Josh Brehaut’s squad at Leek have been retained for this season. They recently lost 0-3 to Clitheroe in a friendly and last Saturday played both Nantwich Town, winning 2-1 and Kidsgrove Athletic, losing 0-1.

South African Dean Visser is first choice goalkeeper, signed from Hereford in late 2023. He’s played for Port Vale, Crewe and Exeter City too, having spent his earlier career at home in South Africa.

Visser’s deputy is Xander Parke, a former Stoke City and Shrewsbury Junior who also arrived in late ’23.

Centre back Liam Edwards came from Chester at the start of last season. He started out at Stoke City, before joining Bolton Wanderers. After a loan at Southport he joined Chester on his release in August 2022.

Liam Buckley came from 1874 Northwich at the start of the 23/24 season. Primarily a right back he has also played for Cefn Druids after starting out at Chester City.

Tom Curl is right back too and spent most of his career with Stoke City. He had a loan spell with Hanley Town, but joined our hosts at the start of last season.

Billy Reeves is an experienced midfielder, who came through Port Vale’s youth scheme, making 12 League One appearances. He was loaned to Witton Albion and Hyde Utd, before joining Stafford Rangers after an initial loan.

He then spent almost five years at Leek before moving to Bootle in July 2023, but returned at the start of last season after a spell at Bury.

Central midfielder Adam Porter is a product of the Stoke City Academy. Back in 2019 he was loaned to Leek and also had a spell at Altrincham before joining Salford City on his release. He played for Truro City and Ashton Utd too, before returning to Leek in August last year.

Ollie Shenton came via the Stoke Academy too and is another central midfielder. After loans at Wrexham and Kidderminster he joined Chorley and had another loan at Warrington Rylands before joining our hosts at the start of last season.

Lucas Weir favours central midfield too and joined our hosts in January last year from 1874 Northwich. He played his youth football at Northwich Victoria, Chester City and Wigan Athletic, but has spent much of his career at 1874 Northwich. He had a spell in the US with Evansville Purple Aces and has also played for Marine.

Left winger Alex Hurst has League Two experience. He started out at Crewe Alexandra, before a short spell at Matlock. Bradford Park Avenue was his next stop, before joining Port Vale. He has also played for York City and came to our hosts from Macclesfield at the start of last season.

Striker Louis Potts came from Preston North End’s youth scheme. He played for Workington and Glossop North End too, before his first spell with Avro. Mossley and Ashton Utd are also on his CV, along with return trips to Avro. He joined Leek last December from Clitheroe.

Tyreece Onyeka is another striker who arrived from Stafford at the start of last season. He was previously a Crewe junior.

Hayden Campbell is a striker too. He started out at Port Vale and Salford City and was loaned to Stalybridge and Altrincham before joining Marine on his release. He has played for Curzon Ashton and Macclesfield to before coming to Leek last October from Rushall Olympic.

Centre back Matty Fenton is a new arrival from 1874 Northwich after a four year stint with the club. He is a former Crewe Junior.

Ollie Heywood has just arrived too following his release from Chester. He has previously had two loan spells at Leek, along with 1874 Northwich and Hanley Town.

Striker Connor Heath completes the three new signings, after a short spell at Hyde Utd. He is another former Crewe Junior, who was loaned to Witton Albion and Colwyn Bay, before going to Nantwich on his release. He has played for Farsley Celtic, Nantwich, Southport and Stafford too.

Kick off as usual is 7.45 pm.

by Peter Scherer (Photos: Steve Ingers)

Mickleover went down 1-4 to Barnsley’s Under 21’s, in their final home game of the pre-season campaign.

Starting line-up: 1-Oliver Bosworth 2-Josh Carter 3-Liam Carter 4-Will Atkinson 5-Ashton Offler 6-GeorgeWilkinson 7-Ryan Wilson 8-Harry Wood 9-Trialist A 10-Andy dales 11-Trialist B. Subs: Paddy Webb, Jake Bennett & Trialists C,D & E.

It was end to end from the kick-off, with Wood having the first shot for Mickleover just wide after three minutes. Two minutes later Barnsley got a break, and despite being pursued by Wilkinson,their shot was wide too.

Just after another Mickleover effort was blocked on the left, Liam Carter earned the first corner of the game, after he forced the visitors keeper into a good save, having picked up a telling pass from Wood.

Another Barnsley break fizzled out after nine minutes, but could have had another chance 10 minutes later, following a corner in a crowded home box. The combination of Wilkinson and Offler cleared the threat, but it continued to be end to end. Trialist B put a nice long ball through for Liam Carter to chase after 26 minutes, his cross was collected by Atkinson, but the final effort was blocked. Just a minute later Trialist B was in the action again, but his shot sailed well over the bar. Mickleover were unlucky not to take the lead on the half hour, after Trialist A spotted the Barnsley keeper well off his line. The following lob looked set for the right-hand top corner, but somehow the keeper managed to race back and get a fingertip touch for a corner.

Sports were having more attacking possession, but Barnsley continued to look dangerous on the breaks. Another corner came to nought for Mickleover, before Trialist B and Liam Carter combined well on the left. Trialist B then cut in again from the left, hitting the far post, after a deflection put the ball out for a corner.
Bosworth then made a save with his feet as Barnsley threatened, but just a minute later the visitors opened the scoring, when a rebound off the post fell nicely to make it 0-1. Right on half time Barnsley hit a second, but the long ball over the defence looked borderline offside. But it was enough to send Sports off for half time 0-2 down, with not even enough time to restart.

More Trialists came off the subs bench for the second half, but Barnsley immediately looked hungry to add to their goal tally, with a 47th minute shot over the bar.
Mickleover had another shot saved after 52 minutes, before Bennett came on for Offler. But after some good work by Trialist B, another Trialist striker had a good chance to pull a goal back, but failed to get a shot in. Webb replaced Dales after 61 minutes and was soon taking on the visiting defence. He sent over a cross from the right seven minutes later, but Trlalist B shot into the side netting.

Bosworth then made a save close range, before Wood pulled a goal back. Following a corner, Webb had possession, and fired another cross into the box, finding Wood to strike it home, 1-3. Only two minutes had gone since the Mickleover goal and Barnsley restored their two three goal lead. Wilkinson pulled a striker down in the box, and the visitors made no mistake from the spot 1-4. Wood put another 79th minute shot over, before Sport s won a free kick, which went straight into keepers waiting arms.

Webb had another strike straight at the keeper, before his strong running on the right set up Wood again, earning a late corner from a deflection. Mickleover finished strongly but had to accept the 1-4 defeat, even though it may have flattered our visitors a little.