by Peter Scherer

Tomorrow afternoon Mickleover FC visit Frickley Athletic for the latest in line of pre-season friendly matches.

Previously known as Frickley Colliery, home is at Westfield Lane, South Elmsall and they currently play in the NPL South East Division.

This will be their sixth friendly, having started with a defeat away to Grimsby Borough.

They hammered Pontefract Collieries 4-0 before beating Barton Town 1-0 in their first home match.

After a 2-1 defeat at Shildon, they were last in action last Saturday with a resounding 5-0 win away to Bridlington Town.

There first competitive match is due on September 12^th when they are at home to Newcastle Benfield in an FA Cup qualifier.

They have two goalkeepers, Alfie Eccles-Smith a former Sheffield United and Wednesday trialist who has come from Selston and ex Hull City player Tom Nicholson, who has a number of non-league clubs under his belt.

In defence Chris Salt has come from Gainsborough Trinity and is an ex Sheffield United youth player and James Hugo has joined from Spalding and is an ex Lincoln City Academy player.

Kern Miller lists Lincoln City, Barnsley, Accrington Stanley and Herford United among his ex clubs, having come to Frickley from Stamford. 

Vice Captain for this season is Nathan Hotte, signed from Gainsborough and is an ex Alfreton player too. Tom Davie comes in from Gainsborough, but he was once with Hull City.

Among a couple of ex Sports players in the Frickley squad is Jack Smith, playing either defence of midfield.

Midfielder Kegan Everington comes in from Spalding and is another ex Alfreton player who started at Lincoln City, similarly Jack Wightwick, who has travelled Lincolnshire with Boston Utd, Grantham and Lincoln Utd before joining Spalding.

Mansfield Academy was the starting point for Conor Green, and has joined Frickley from Ilkeston, while Josh McLauchlan is a product of Frickley’s own under 21’s and made his first team debut at the end of last season.

Like Green Nyle Blake started at Mansfield Town but arrived at Frickley via Alfreton, while both Todd Jordan and Tyler Williams are midfield of defenders. Jordan was signed from Stocksbridge Park Steel, but came through Sheffield Wednesday Academy, Lincoln City, Alfreton and various other clubs, while winger Williams is another ex Alfreton player among various other clubs.

They seem somewhat short in the striking force with only three players in the current squad.  Nathan Jarman is another ex Sports player, but also had spells at Barnsley, Bury and Grimsby, before being signed from Lincoln Utd.

Brad Grayson has come from Stafford Rangers, he’s an ex Doncaster Rovers Junior and can play midfield too. He also has international experience having played in Sweden, Australia and the Philippines. 

Finally the experienced Jonathan Margetts, has seen plenty of Football League action, playing for Hull City, Cambridge Utd, Tranmere Rovers, Lincoln City and Scunthorpe.  

STRONG SHOWING ON FIRST HOME FRIENDLY

by Peter Scherer

For a change it was dry, sunny and a pleasant evening as Mickleover Sports welcomed Alfreton Town to the Don Amott Arena, for their first pre-season home match for 20/21.

Manager John McGrath went for a strong starting line-up

1 Joe Slinn 2- Jake Bennett 3-Alex Morris 4- Mason Warren 5- James Butler 6 Phil Watt 7- Aman Verma 8- Ben Gowing 9 -Patrick Webb 10- Stuart Beavon 11- George Milner

Alfreton were straight on the attack and had a shot blocked within two minutes.

But Sports settled quite quickly and responded with a good build up with a shot from Milner just wide of the post.

When Webb found Bennett in space, a telling return pass allowed Webb to put Milner through, but his blocked attempt went out for a throw-in.

Webb had taken a knock and after about 15 minutes he went off and was replaced by Josh Satchwell.

Webb wasn’t the only one in the wars as Morris had to leave the field to have his head bandaged and on his return, seemed to be on the receiving end of some hard challenges.

It had been fairly even, but most of the play was just into the Mickleover half. But after 34 minutes Bennett had a shot from the right, which bounced off the Alfreton bar.

Only a minute later it was Alfreton’s turn to go close, when space to the left provided an opening for a shot just wide of the post.

There were probably more chances for Alfreton during the first half, but with the final ball letting them down, they went in 0-0 for half time.

Manager McGrath made one change for the second half initially with Elliot Murray on for Watt, whereas Alfreton manager Billy Heath opted for a whole side change, as he had done last weekend at Basford.

Sports started the second half strongly, with Milner shooting high over the bar, before his pass to Gowing, allowed Warren to shoot just wide.

The attacks continued when Verma put a good ball through to Milner, but he couldn’t find enough space to get a shot in.

Satchwell was the next to try his luck but after 51 mins Alfreton broke down the left after Verma lost possession, and the ball was into the area met with a powerful header from an Alfreton striker to give them a 1-0 lead.

Only a minute later Stuart Beavon was left in the clear and his shot was initially saved but the Alfreton keeper couldn’t hold it and it was 1-1.

Alfreton began to settle down again after Sports had dominated the first 10 minutes, but just after they had a shot straight at Slinn, Beavon almost found his way around the back of the defence.

Morris eventually came off just before the hour, with Beavon soon following, just after he had latched on to a cross from the right.

But Alfreton then went 2-1 up after a defensive mix up, where Slinn was unable to get to the ball in a crowded area.

It could have been another goal for Alfreton after they had outpaced the Sports defence, only to put the ball across the face of the goal.

But Mickleover still kept pressing forward, with a good build up just failing to connect with Milner, before Alfreton made another break with a shot straight at Slinn.

Alfreton did put the ball in the net after 79 mins, but it was ruled offside, before Gowing put Satchwell through only to have his shot blocked.

There had been a number of further substitutions for Mickleover, but they kept pressing forward, Gowing had wild shot over the bar, but Alfreton were almost through again before a saving tackle from Murray in the 86^th minute.

But with a minute left on the clock Murray was dispossessed and the Alfreton striker piled in a powerful shot, tipped over the bar by Slinn.

So it finished 1-2 but there were some promising performances, returnee Bennett looked strong throughout especially on the overlap and the tenacity of Milner was a continuous threat for the Alfreton defence.

Next game is away at Frickley Athletic on Saturday, before returning to the Don Amott Arena next Tuesday when Guiseley are the visitors.

by Peter Scherer

Tonight we welcome Alfreton Town to the Don Amott Arena, for the National League North teams second match of this pre-season.

Alfreton hadn’t played a match since March before visiting Basford United last Saturday.

They used the match to field almost two completely different teams for each half and came away as 1-0 winners thanks to a Jake Day penalty in the first half.

The weather is forecast to be dry and about 15C at kick off time 7.45 and limited spectators are welcome, 300 maximum.

by Peter Scherer

Mickleover FC travelled to Coalville Town last Friday for another pre-season friendly, their third in a week.

Unfortunately the weather was akin to Tuesday’s defeat at Dunkirk FC and made any hope of good football particularly difficult in the continuous rain.

Sports went behind after 17 minutes when Coalville’s Luke Shaw was on hand when keeper Joe Slinn had difficulty holding on to the slippery ball.

It was 1-0 at half-time before Coalville had a goal disallowed for offside.

Both sides had chances and there were some near misses at both ends, before Coalville got a second goal in the 89^th minute to seal their home win, with a rebound after Slinn had foiled the initial attempt.

by Peter Scherer

Gale force winds and driving rain just didn’t invite good football and Sports suffered as a consequence, losing 5-1 to Dunkirk FC last night.

There were a few changes from last weekends 1-0 win against Tamworth, but it was still fairly strong line-up.

Joe Slinn 2- Jake Bennett 3-Alex Morris 4- John McGrath 5- Pablo Mills 6- James Butler 7- Elliot Murray 8- Andrew Wright 9 – George Milner 10- Stuart Beavon 11- Aman Verma

It was Mickleover that mounted the early attacks, with George Milner looking particularly sharp. But it was Dunkirk that had the first real shot, over the bar after four minutes.

Dunkirk started to come forward more and had the first corner a couple of minutes later, which went straight out of play.

Bennett responded with a positive run into the Dunkirk area, one of many he had during the first half.

Dunkirk had another chance when they put a free kick over the bar, before Milner put Bennett through for Mickleover on the 10 minute mark , but after a promising the pass to Beavon, the striker was tripped in the area.

There was no penalty and Beavon needed treatment before continuing.

McGrath was leading the way in midfield and followed up with a shot over the bar, while a good turn from Verma five minutes later was given as offside as he put a piercing ball through the Dunkirk defence.

As the Mickleover interpassing started to pay dividends, Milner had another good run, before Bennett had a good shot blocked. The ball then bounced around the Dunkirk area, before being cleared.

The attacks started to increase and 24 minutes in Bennett was fouled three times in one run, before Milner went close, but no free kick in the offing.

Wright then went close too after a short free kick, he fired just over the bar.

Dunkirk started to come back into the game more in the last 15 minutes of the first half and put one shot across the face of the Mickleover goal.

Verma had a crack from just outside the area for Sports and was just wide, before Butler put Beavon through, passing to Milner who shot just wide.

Mickleover had their chances and for most of the game Butler, Mills and Murray had held tight to repel Dunkirk’s attacks.

But on 35 minutes a defensive mix up left a Dunkirk striker in space and he took the chance to make it 1-0.

Five minutes later Dunkirk went close again, before a penalty was awarded with about two minutes left on the clock.

Slinn almost got a hand to the slippery ball, but it was 2-0 to Dunkirk and a disappointing end to the first half.

There was no sign of either the wind or rain relenting in the second half, but in the opening minutes there were two more goals. Dunkirk had gone 3-0 up before Bennett had a shot which went under the keeper to pull one back.

But the previously strong looking defensive were caught flat footed again only minutes later and it 4-1 to Dunkirk.

A number of the substitutes came in to play, but it was Beavon posing the main threat to the Dunkirk defence. He had a couple of shots saved, before dispossessing a defender and putting his shot straight at the keeper after 17 minutes.

Verma had another positive run before he was fouled on the edge of the box, but the free kick went straight into the wall, before Mills rebound shot was blocked.

Butler then went just wide with a header from a corner kick, before Dunkirk made it 5-1 with a powerful shot that gave Slinn no chance.

The tenacity of the Dunkirk seemed to upset the Mickleover rhythm, often catching them out on breaks. Dunkirk’s random shooting also caused a few problems, compared with the more gradual build up that Sports favoured.

There were chances but on this occasion it just wasn’t Sports night and they he will be hoping for better luck and weather at Coalville Town on Friday evening.

by Peter Scherer

It’s starting to get serious as the Northern Premier League season rapidly approaches.

Fixture announcements are imminent and the Mickleover FC pre-season build-up reaches it’s peak with three games in a week, starting with Tamworth on Saturday, followed by Dunkirk on Tuesday and Coalville on Friday 28^th.

The new signings are starting to familiarise themselves with the rest of the squad and training is intensifying. 

Here are a few images and from last nights training session on a damp but thankfully rain free evening.

Over the coming weeks we will be building up the profiles of each squad player on the website, so BRING ON 20/21!

by Peter Scherer.   (Images by Clipstone FC)

Mickleover FC continued their pre-season warm up friendlies last Saturday with a 3-1 win way at Clipstone.

There were goals from Stuart Beavon, Will Monteiro and Kemy Agustien.

This Saturday they are away again at Southern League Tamworth.

by Peter Scherer

Mickleover FC boss John McGrath and his assistant Ricky Ravenhill had the majority of the first team squad in training last night.

It was a mixture of returning players, new signings and academy graduates being put through their paces.

Striker Paddy Webb is looking forward to the start of the season, after scoring in the 3-1 friendly win against Borrowash Victoria last Saturday.

I can’t wait to get started, as it was frustrating for me how last season ended with so many games called off

So as a striker, is Paddy setting himself a target this season?

20 goals would be good for a start

he said before Andy Wright responded,

You’re the out and out striker and I am looking for 20 myself!

After which Paddy changed his thought to 40,

…I didn’t want to sound too confident.

The team have the next in their string of friendly matches on Saturday, when they play East Midlands Counties League Clipstone, who suffered a 6-1 home defeat against AFC Mansfield last weekend.

Taken from ccfc.co.uk

Coventry City are pleased to announce the signing of defender Jay McGrath from Mickleover FC.

The 17-year-old centre-back joins on a two-year-deal from the Northern Premier Division side and will link-up with the Sky Blues Development side.

Jay is predominantly a left-footed centre-half, who has also been deployed as a left-back during his career to date.

The youngster is the son of former Burton Albion midfielder, John McGrath, who is also the current manager of Mickleover.

Jay made his breakthrough season last year for Mickleover, making several appearances throughout the course of the campaign.

Upon the completion of the deal, Under-23s Head Coach, Luke Tisdale had this to say:

We’re delighted to welcome Jay into the group. He came on trial with us last season from Mickleover and stood out, so it’s great that we have brought him back in.

Jay’s a second year scholar and will spend his time with us in the 23s, but also will be available for the under-18s.

He’s good in the air and a talented young lad and he joins us with the unique experience of playing men’s football at such a young age and that can only help the lads here.

Jay McGrath then expressed his delight at completing his move:

I’m delighted to be here and I’m looking forward to getting started at such a big club with a great fan base.

I’m a left footed defender so I can play left-back or centre-back and I’m aggresive and I like to win my headers, tackles and battles, but also I like to play football and I’m here to work hard and get the best out of my time here.

I can’t wait to get going, hopefully I can push on and make some good progress this year to help my development.