by Peter Scherer

Tuesday night’s visitors began their NPL season with a 1-1 draw at home against Witton Albion last Saturday. Trinity have had a tough couple of years and could easily have been relegated if the seasons had run their course.

A new youthful squad will be hoping to progress this season with a many out to impress early on.

Goalkeeper Matt Yates has recently been released by Derby County and after loan spells at Gloucester, Hereford and Telford, joined Gainsborough this summer.

Lewis Carr is an experienced defender just signed from Basford, but he’s played at Grantham too. He will be hoping to partner Irish Under 19 international Left back Cieron Keane, who had League One experience during his graduation at Notts County.

After leaving the Magpies he has played for Nuneaton, Worcester, Kidderminster, Alfreton, Boston Utd and Leamington and was at Basford last season.

Charlie Jemson, son of Forest legend Nigel, is another central defender just signed from Worksop. He had a spell on Forest’s books and also played for Ilkeston, Tamworth and Peterborough Sports.

Derby County’s Academy was the starting point for central defender Callum Minkles, while wing back Joe Wilson started out at Reading. He is a new signing from Ilkeston, but has played for Hayes & Yeading and Fleet Town too.

Midfielder Kyle Dixon has just come in from Basford, but is another former Notts County graduate. He made one League One appearance for Notts, before loans at Grantham, Boston and Telford. He had a couple of seasons each at North Ferriby and Newark Flowserve, before spending last season at Basford.

Experience in coaching and playing make Neal Bishop a valuable member of the Gainsborough squad. A former Middlesbrough Academy player, he made his league debut for Barnet in League two. The reliable midfielder had already played at Billingham, Spennymoor, Whitby, Scarborough and York, before making 95 appearances for Barnet.

168 games at Notts County and a spell with Blackpool in the Premiership followed, before another four years at Scunthorpe. His league career ended at Mansfield and he was at Scarborough last season, before joining Gainsborough as player coach.

Midfielder Alex Wollerton is another summer singing. The ex Manchester Utd and Leeds junior also had a spell at the Barnsley Academy, before joining York City last September.

Gianluca Bucci is an ex Lincoln City Junior who is at home in defence or midfield. He has played at Spalding too, but has returned to Gainsborough after a spell at Frickley.

Recently released by Grimsby Town, midfielder Jock Curran is keen to impress. He started at Doncaster Rovers and has also played at Spalding and Lincoln Utd.

George Hornshaw made 12 first team appearances for Scunthorpe last season. He joined the Irons back in 2011 aged 12, making his first team in 2017. He had a loan spell at Farsley and came to Gainsborough initially in 2019, before joining permanently in July this year. He plays full back of midfield.

Ex QPR and Fulham winger Toby Gould and former Chester Junior Jack Gibson will be looking to start up front, the latter coming in from Carlton in May this year.

Another new signing is Curtis Morrison, back at Gainsborough for a third time but this time its permanent for the former Chesterfield midfielder. He made two first team appearances at Chesterfield and was also loaned to Matlock before joining Guiseley and also played at Matlock and Hednesford.

Striker Ben Morris started at Derby County, before coming to Gainsborough via Bedworth, Matlock and Ilkeston and finally Portuguese striker Joao Antonio Soares Rangel as been brought in from Portuguese club Nogueirense, having sampled the UK scene with Norwich, Barnsley and Mansfield.

by Peter Scherer
Photo: Kev Wilson (South Shields FC)

It was always going to be tough visiting South Shields for the first game of the new NPL season, but for 33 minutes Mickleover held off the hosts challenge.

Callum Hawkins was under attack in the Mickleover goal from the word go, pulling off a save from a 20 yard strike from Darius Osei.

Only three minutes later he was in action again, collecting a Nathan Lowe free kick. It wasn’t one-way traffic however, but skipper Mason Warren found himself on the end of a foul by Blair Adams, which earned the South Shields defender a yellow card.

The hosts had a positive attack down the right wing 12 minutes in, but the final ball was too long. Three minutes later Phil Watt joined Adams in the book, after bringing down Osei in full flight.

Rob Briggs took the free kick for South Shields, which Hawkins had covered as it went just over the bar.

As the first half hour was completed however, Mickleover were forced to make a change with Kemy Agustien coming on for Warren.

The hosts were on the on the attack again though and just after Adams had a shot blocked, he collected the ball again from the left and sent a scorching shot out of Hawkins reach into the top corner after 34 mins, 0-1.

There was a chance for Mickleover to bounce back, when a mix up in the hosts defence left Dec Bacon with a one on one on Myles Boney in the South Shields goal. His initial effort was saved, but he collected the ball again and had his shot tipped over.

Briggs shot just past the post after 40 mins and Hawkins had to pull off another save, diving to his right to keep out a 15 yard free kick from Lowe.

Into injury time for the first half it could so easily have been level again, as Stuart Beavon’s header went close after collecting a cross from the right.

Only three minutes into the second half it was 0-2 though, when debutant Ntumba Massanka met an Adams cross. Six minutes later it was South Shields third and Massanka’s second, after Osei’s initial shot was blocked, then fell kindly for the striker to hit the roof of the net 0-3.

The hosts had a penalty appeal turned down after 61 mins and Hawkins saved well again from a Briggs header seven minutes later.

In the closing minutes Bobby Battisson was booked for a trip and on Conor Tee and in the final seconds Sports saw their last attempt skim the crossbar.

by Peter Scherer

In 2019/2020 South Shields were heading for promotion to the National League North and then Covid struck. Two years on and the North Eastern side under former Leicester City striker Graham Fenton, are still striving for that elusive promotion.

Goalkeeper Myles Boney had a spell on loan to Darlington during the NPL lockdown, but the former Blackpool junior will back between the posts for South Shields this Saturday.

Left back Blair Adams captains the side, a former Sunderland graduate had played at League One, Two and Scottish Premiership with the likes of Brentford, Coventry, Northampton, Mansfield and Hamilton.

Centre back Dillon Morse has been at South Shields for five years, having signed from Blyth Spartans, whereas wing back Jordan Hunter  came through the Liverpool and Sunderland Academies, before signing in July 2020 after a couple of loan spells.

Jack Bodenham is one of the new additions to the squad, having recently signed from Cardiff City. A Welsh under 19 international he has also been at loan at The New Saints and Hereford.

Central midfielder Callum Ross joined the club in January 2020, after two years in the US with Oklahoma City, he will be vying for a place with long serving Rob Briggs. He came in August 2015 from Spennymoor, having started out at Gateshead.

Nathan Lowe is a product of the Burnley Academy, the midfielder having come from Southport last January, via FC United and Spennymoor. Conor Tee is another midfielder and new signing, who started out at Leicester City.

Among the strike force is Alex Kempster, signed from York City last year, he was previously at Spennymoor and Whitley Bay.

Jon Shaw has lots of experience mostly at National League level added to a host of coaching experience too. From his start out at Sheffield Wednesday, he has played at Burton Albion, Halifax, Rochdale, Gateshead and Luton. He’s been at South Shields since 2016.

Ghanaian born Darius Osei spent six months at Oldham Athletic after signing from Stalybridge. After his release he went to Maidstone, before returning Stalybridge from where South Shields brought him in February last year.

Ntumba Massanka has a host of class teams on his cv. The Congalese striker started at Manchester Utd, before joining Burnley Academy. Among various loans spells he played in Belgium and Italy and recently joined South Shields.

Defender Matthew Wade is one of South Shields own products, and has played for England at Junior levels. Striker Sam Hodgson is another home product working his way in the team too.

It will be a tough game and Mickleover won’t quite be at full strength. With keeper Joe Slinn still recovering from his wrist operation, Burton loanee Callum Hawkins will be starting.

Last year’s strong back four of Jake Bennett, James Butler, Phil Watt and Alex Morris will hopefully be fit, after both Watt and Morris have nursed injuries of late.

Skipper Mason Warren leads from midfield, but with Andrew Wright on the road to recovery and George Milner suspended, Kemy Agustien should bring along his vast experience and Ben Gowing could get a start, with Bobby Battisson or George Atwal.

Up front Stuart Beavon leads, will lead by example, ably supported by Dec Bacon and Paddy Webb.

Kick off 3pm, let’s see what happens!!

by Peter Scherer

A regular goalscorer, ice captain and unsurpassed enthusiasm, just some of the attributes that have made Andrew Wright a fans favourite.

A recent knee operation will see him miss the first month of the season, but he is already keen to start playing again.

Delighted to have committed to the club for another year, I’m enjoying every minute at Mickleover & we have a really good group of lads & staff. It was an easy decision for me and looking forward to getting back out there with the boys and picking up from where we left off last season.

Wright been a key team players since being signed by John McGrath back in 2019.

Another really important player for us who is a vital cog in what we are trying achieve here at Mickleover.

said the gaffer.

by Peter Scherer

Most of the Mickleover first team squad were in action last night, for the penultimate pre-season friendly at Loughborough Dynamo.

The starting line-up was 1-Callum Hawkins 2-Jake Bennett 3-Ben Lewin 4-Roger Lee 5-Joe Bateman; 6-Phil Watt 7-George Atwal 8-Bobby Battisson 9-Dec Bacon 10-Stuart Beavon 11-Andy Dales. Subs: Fin Bowen, James Butler, Will Robinson, Josh Satchwell, Mason Warren, George Milner, Paddy Webb.

Mickleover had an early chance when Lee cleared from the defence to find Beavon, whose sent Dales on a run with his first shot saved.

The attacks seem to come fairly quickly in succession, after Bennett’s eighth minute overlap, sent a telling ball into the box, for Bacon to try a spectacular miscue, before his rebound was saved.

Three minutes later it was Dales for Beavon, before the final shot brought a diving save from the Dynamo keeper.

As Bennett and Lewin relished the attacking opportunities from wing back, Lee, Battisson and Atwal kept the front three well supplied. But after 14 minutes another attack started with Hawkins in the Mickleover goal. His clearance had worked through almost half the team, before the final ball was just too long for Battisson.

Mickleover had more of the play and opened their goal account after 15 minutes, with Dales sending Beavon through, before Bacon was brought down in the box and scored from the penalty spot, 1-0.

There was another chance  only a couple of minutes later, when Atwal sent a long ball to Bennett. His cross allowed Beavon to set up Lee, whose weak shot failed to trouble the keeper.

Loughborough had few relatively few attacks, and a rare corner for the home side, was intercepted and set up another Mickleover attack. Beavon charged out and sent Dales on another run, before Bacon had a clear shot saved by the keeper again.

On the half hour Beavon made a lovely switch of play from the left, to find Bennett on the right stretching the home defence, but against the run of play it was suddenly 1-1 three minutes later. A long throw hadn’t been cleared by the Mickleover defence, and with Hawkins unsighted in a crowded box, he had little chance.

But Mickleover came back fighting, and a 36th minute attack from Beavon found Bennett again, before Battisson’s shot was straight at the keeper.

The closing minutes of the first half were more even, and Loughborough could have taken the lead, but Hawkins legs intervened .

Loughborough had a defender booked after a knee high challenge on Beavon, after the referee initially played on for Bennett’s shot to be blocked by a defender, before Dales had a positive run as the whistle was poised, leaping several tackles before the keeper collected his cross.

As the teams came out for the second half, Lewin, Battisson and Atwal had been replaced by Milner, Satchwell and Warren, shortly followed by Butler on for Watt.

Mickleover were showing strong pace and Beavon headed just over from a Dales cross after 47 mins, before Dales fired one home in the left corner to make it 2-1 

Hawkins then had to make a double save, the first from a free kick on the edge off the box and the second from the follow up before  Beavon then had a shot just wide after 61 mins.

But Loughborough started to have a few more attacks, which Butler easily dealt with, before Bennett charged through to make it 3-1 after 70 mins, beating the keeper on his near post.

Four minutes later Dales scored his second, with a precise chip over the advancing keeper, 4-1 and with Robinson now in defence for Bateman, the Mickleover defence continued to look solid.

Paddy Webb made it 5-1 after 80 mins, then had another chance which went high and wide, before the consolation of a second goal for the hosts a minute from time made the final score 5-2.

One of last years new signings and an instant success, Alex Morris is the latest of last seasons stars to commit to another season.

I am delighted to have signed again for the upcoming season. Although last season was curtailed, we managed to get some good momentum as a group so hopefully we can progress again and have a great season.

said Morris.

As a PE teacher in his day life, Alex’s discipline is one of the key features that gaffer John McGrath appreciates about him.

Alex has been superb since joining us and I am delighted to get him signed and secured for the upcoming season. He sets the standards and tempo in training and has a great will and dedication to work hard and be the best.

John McGrath.

by Peter Scherer (Photo: Sarah Middleton)

There is more good news for Mickleover fans, as senior professional and top goalscorer Stuart Beavon is one the latest players to sign on for another season.

Really pleased to have signed again for another season, exciting times ahead with the new pitch and facility and hopefully we can carry on the good form from last season. It is definitely exciting times ahead.

said Beavon.

The gaffer is pleased to have him back too:

Bev is an exceptionally talented footballer and is without doubt still one of the best forwards playing outside the football league. He is a great example to our younger player’s  with his attitude and professionalism to his football.

by Peter Scherer

Having returned to the Don Amott Arena last season for his second spell, Jake Bennett has now re-signed for the new campaign.

Last season was my first one back at the club since I left for Sheffield United 4 years ago and realistically it could not have gone any better. We showed our potential to win this league and that is why my decision to re-sign was a simple one. I am looking forward to seeing where we can go as a group with hopefully a full season ahead.

So how does the gaffer John McGrath rate him?

In my opinion Jake is the best right back playing at this level. He can easily go and play alot higher and I am delighted to re-sign him for the upcoming season. He fits my mould in what I want from our attacking full-backs.