by Peter Scherer

Saturday sees Mickleover play their first home league match since March, when they host Morpeth Town in a 3pm kick-off.

Like Sports, Morpeth kicked off their season over the last week, with a 1-1 draw at home to Grantham in the League last Saturday, before following Mickleover into the hat for the second qualifying round of the FA Cup with a 3-0 win at City of Liverpool.

They are managed by ex Hartlepool midfielder Stephen Turnbull, still registered as a player.

Goalkeeper Dan Lowson joined the club last season from Spennymoor. He’s a former Ilkeston, Blyth, Alfreton and Celtic Nation player.

Centre back Jeff Henderson started out as a Newcastle Utd junior, but after a loan spell at Gateshead, he left the North East to joined Irish League side Sligo Rovers. During his three-year stay he played in both the Champions League and Europa Cup. He came to Morpeth two years ago via Stobwood. 

Wing back Stephen Forster has had four years at the club, an ex Carlisle junior, who also had a spell at Birmingham City, before spells at Hebburn and Jarrow brought him to Morpeth.

Michael Turner is in his fourth year at the club too, he’s an ex South Shields defender.

Former Newcastle Utd youth player Callum Williams came to the club in November last year. The defender is one of a number of ex Spennymoor players.

Midfielders Liam Noble and Connor Oliver are both products of Sunderland’s Academy. Noble moved onto Carlisle and Notts County, where he played 99 times form each club. He was part of Forest Green Rovers National League play-off winning team and came to Morpeth in October last year.

Oliver also has league experience, with Hartlepool, Blackpool and Morecambe. He is a new signing from Gateshead, having also played at North Ferriby, Halifax and Blyth.

Ben Sayer can play midfield or centre back, joining in November 2014, he was previously at Blyth and Spennymoor.

Andrew Johnson is another signing from Spennymoor, having spent four years with them, after leaving Ashington.

Former Shildon midfielder Sam Hodgson had made 230 appearances, before he came to Morpeth. He is now into his third season at the club.

Jack Leonard is one of the most recent signings. The midfielder debuted in the pre-season friendlies, having come from Hartlepool Youth.

Shabz Mohammed was not only a junior at Carlisle Utd, but he played for England Schools under 18’s, before joining Morpeth in July last year.

The strike force consists of mainly three players, Jack Foalle, Liam Henderson and Carl Finnigan.

Foalle is a new signing, after being a prolific goal scorer for Whitley Bay, but both Henderson and Finnigan are vastly experienced.

Henderson was a youth player at Hartlepool and Watford. He made nine first team appearances at Hartlepool and 21 at Watford, also playing league football at Colchester, Aldershot and Rotherham during loans.

He was signed in June 2016n from Spennymoor, having been at York City, Forest Green, Gainsborough and Gateshead too.

Finnigan came out of Newcastle Utd youth scheme, but has spent much of his career in the Scottish Premiership. He scored 29 goals in 137games for Falkirk, St Johnstone and Dundee, before trying his hand in South Africa, with Chippa Utd and Township Rovers.

Returning to the North East he played for Gateshead, South Shield and Whickham, joining Morpeth in May last year.

by Peter Scherer

Last night’s visit to Leek Town in the first qualifying round of the FA Cup, saw Mickleover fight back from an early goal, to return home 2-1 winners.

There were a few changes from the side that visited South Shields last Saturday. But manager John McGrath went for:

1-Joe Slinn 2- Jake Bennett 3-Alex Morris 4-Mason Warren 5-James Butler 6-Phil Watt 7-Aman Verma 8-Andrew Wright 9-Paddy Webb 10-Stuart Beavon 11-Declan Bacon. Subs: Jordan Walshaw, Ben Gowing, Pablo Mills, George Milner, Josh Satchwell, Louis Pennington, Bobby Battison.

In the opening minute of the game Mickleover had a free kick after Bacon was fouled. Warren’s kick bounced back into Wright’s path, who sent a thundering shot over the bar.

Five minutes in and Leek’s Will Saxon  broke through Sports defence, but his shot was straight at keeper Slinn, followed by a Leek corner, again easily taken by Sports keeper.

Morris started to become a key player with his overlapping runs down the left and he was able to put a cross in from a Beavon pass on seven minutes, but too close to Danny Roberts in the Leek goal.

But the combination of Leek’s Matt Bell and Short picked up a midfield interception, leaving Bell with good chance to open the scoring, right in front of the Sports goal, but put it wide.

Five minutes later Webb had a half chance, but his shot didn’t have the power to trouble Roberts. It was soon followed by a flurry of activity, when Bacon put Beavon through on the left, his shot was put out for a corner, which was taken by Wright and headed out again.

Although Mickleover had looked the likeliest to open the scoring, it was Leek’s Short that did. James Kirby had a header, which Slinn seemed to have caught, until he lost balance, dropped the ball and Short was on hand to make it 1-0 to the home side.

Warren drove the midfield forward again, leading by example, and curled a ball just over the bar, before Morris put another cross into the box, with no one there to receive it.

Mickleover were doing most of the attacking, but Leek continued to look dangerous on the break.

After 25 minutes Morris connected with Beavon, but unable to get the power into his shot, it was easily taken by Roberts.

But the equaliser finally came in the 26^th minute, when Webb’s corner found Verma, whose blocked shot fell into Beavon’s path, burying it in the bottom right hand corner 1-1.

Only a couple of minutes later Beavon put Bacon through, but his shot was just over the bar.

But Leek were still dangerous on the break after Warren was dispossessed and Short got a shot in on target, well saved by Slinn.  Two minutes later Short broke through again, with a shot just wide from outside the area.

Mickleover continued to favour the interpassing and slow build up, which resulted in another hard shot just wide from Wright.

Short had another shot saved for Leek, before Saxon connected with the rebound, with his effort palmed out for a corner by Slinn.

Mickleover had one more chance before the half time whistle, when Beavon turned in the area, pushed the ball back to Verma, whose shot was saved.

The second half had barely started when Webb went to collect a Morris cross and was brought down in the area, but the referee waved away any penalty appeals.

It was wasn’t long though before Mickleover found the back of the net, with what proved to be the decisive goal.

A piercing ball from midfield split the Leek defence wide open, and Bacon was on the receiving end to make it 2-1.

Leek’s immediate response was thwarted when Wright was fouled on the half way line. There was no free kick but Beavon went clear, with a following cross from Bennett into an empty area.

Webb had a couple of penalty area duels with the Leek defence, before Beavon linked up with Wright on 55 minutes, who’s pass found Verma. The resultant overhead kick, cleared the bar and the stand.

On the hour Walshaw came on for Webb, before another break from Morris found no one to receive it.

As Sports began to dominate, Slinn tried more long clearance’s, finding Beavon, who passed to Wright with the shot going for another corner.

Wright had another attempt blocked after giving Leek’s Olly Harrison a hard time, but shortly afterwards Walshaw became the second Mickleover sub for Beavon, soon followed by Gowing for Wright.

In the final 15 minutes Leek had a header just over the bar from a free kick, but Butler and Watt had looked solid all night and Watt almost added to the scoreline, with a header tipped over from a Warren corner.

A solid defence, with both Bennett and Morris effective on the overlap, added to a strong and motivational midfield, giving the strikers good service and a successful all round team victory.

Now we look forward to the draw for the next round.

by Peter Scherer

Tomorrow night it’s FA Cup time, with Mickleover away to NPL South East team Leek Town.

Leek have already beaten Sporting Khalsa 2-1 in the Cup on September 12^th, before their league campaign started last Saturday with a 5-0 win over Wisbech.

Last season Sports went out in the first qualifying round with a 3-0 defeat at Stafford Rangers, after beating Coventry Sphinx at home by the same score in the preliminaries.

Mickleover will be hoping to emulate their record of reaching the third qualifying round, going down 2-1 to Alfreton in 2018/19, Blyth Spartans 2-1 in 2014/15 and Newcastle Town 2-1 in 2010/11.

The Leek squad has a number or returnee and long serving players and are managed by ex Crewe Alexandra assistant Neil Baker, assisted by Peter Ward.

Both goalkeepers are vastly experienced, Ben Chapman has made over 200 appearances. The ex Kidsgrove and Nantwich player came back to Leek from Glossop North End in 2015.

Danny Roberts has 150 games under his belt too since joining from Belper Town, having kept goal for Norton Utd and Witton too.

Defender Jessy Bavanganga is an ex Stoke City Junior, and was the first graduate from Leek’s own Academy when he had his first team debut in April 2018.

Club Captain Darren Chadwick came back to the club from Stafford Rangers in 2015. The defender played for Witton too and has made over 200 appearances for Leek.

Crewe Alexandra was the starting point for defender Olly Harrison’s career. After leaving Gresty Road he headed for Sweden and IKF Osterlund, before returning to the UK and Leek at the end of the 2018/19 season.

Niall Green will be hoping for a better season than last year, as the defender missed out on the whole season through injury.

One of the more recent signings is Louis Keenan, he’s come in from Loughborough Dynamo, while fellow defender Lewis Short is another ex Crewe Junior, who was signed in September 2018, after service with Northwich, Nantwich, Connah’s Quay and Bala Town.

Midfielder Chris Baker came back to Leek last season, he’s played at Norton Utd, Witton, Newcastle Town, Chasetown and Kidsgrove.

Favouring the left side of midfield, Matt Bell was at Port Vale initially, before coming to Leek for his third spell, via Mansfield Town and Nantwich.

Marc Grocott is another ex Stoke Junior, he came in from Kidsgrove in June 2017 and has played at Alfreton and Stafford too.

Former Port Vale first teamer Billy Reeves is another experienced midfielder, that was signed from Stafford Rangers in September 2018, while ex Stoke Junior Jake Twyford had a loan at Kidsgrove and is now in his second year at Leek.

Yet another ex Port Vale Junior is midfielder Charlie Walford, he’s been with the club three years, whereas Jack Wakefield is just starting out. He debuted last season having come from the Clubs own Academy.

Leading their strike force is Tim Grice. He was an ex Stoke youth player and was with Aston Villa briefly too. He is the longest serving player having scored 199 goals in 369 games during his nine year stay.

Aaron Bolt came in from Newcastle Town in September 2018, but is seen as a natural goal scorer.

In his second season with the club James Kirby has played for Atherton, Congleton and Sandbach, while Will Saxon is either a winger or midfielder. He played at Kidsgrove and Nantwich and is in his third season with Leek.

Finally Rob Stevenson, ex Market Drayton, Belper Town, and Stafford striker, he joined the team in 2016.

It’s a limited ticket only game and kick off 7.45pm.

by Peter Scherer

On paper it was a 3-0 defeat at South Shields, but the Mickleover FC team headed back south with the reward of  a good strong team performance and a flattering score line for the home side.

With a full squad to choose from, manager John McGrath opted for Burton Albion loanee Callum Hawkins in goal and Declan Bacon leading the attack, with Paddy Webb starting on the bench.

The full line-up was 1-Callum Hawkins 2-Jake Bennett 3-Alex Morris 4-Mason Warren 5-James Butler 6-Phil Watt 7-Aman Verma 8-Andrew Wright 9-Declan Bacon 10-Stuart Beavon 11-George Milner Subs: Paddy Webb, Joe Slinn, Jordan Walshaw, Pablo Mills, Ben Gowing.

It couldn’t have got off to a worse start for Sports though, when South Shields Nathan Lowe curled the ball into the top corner of Hawkins’ net from outside the box.

Six minutes later Hawkins was at full stretch again with a close range header just over the bar.

But Mickleover began to fight back with Beavon going close from a long range shot, before South Shields responded 12 minutes in.

Warren was next to try his luck, again just wide, but after Milner took a knock to the head, Bacon put a low ball into the box, it was half cleared as far as Wright who put a powerful shot against the post as the half hour was completed.

Sports continued to push forward and after Wright was yellow carded for a foul, he put a dangerous ball across the face of the home sides goal, but no one was there to collect it.

Beavon then followed up with a good header from a Morris cross, just inside the box, but it remained 1-0 to South Shields on the half-time whistle.

Hawkins was called into action early in the second half again, with a diving save to his right.

Warren became the second Sports player in the refs book and over the next seven minutes both Beavon and Butler followed.

Goalscorer Lowe almost got a second goal though, with a long range free kick close to the top corner.

Just after Sports had exchanged Webb for Bacon, Jon Shaw made it 2-0 for the home side with a close range header from a Robert Briggs free-kick.

A second substitution Sports gave Walshaw his league debut in place of Milner.

In the 81^st minute Walshaw had his first real chance, with a powerful shot saved by South Shields keeper Myles Boney, from a telling through ball from Verma

Watt was the fifth Sports player yellow carded, but Sports kept on pressing the visitors defence. Sub Gowing had a header hit the post and Beavon had a shot spectacularly cleared off the line, before Boney blocked another shot from Webb.

But in add on time the action switched ends and Jason Gilchrist made it 3-0 for the home side with a close range toe poke, after Jordan Hunter had beaten Morris on the left.

by Peter Scherer

After a successful trial with the club, Mickleover FC have signed, subject to international clearance,  US College Soccer ace Jordan Walshaw.

Born in Sheffield, Jordan Walshaw started his football career as a Chesterfield youth player, before heading to US College soccer.

He was playing for Winthrop Eagles last season in the Big South Conference. A regular goal scorer from midfield and attack, he was previously playing with UNC Pembroke where he scored 17 goals in 31 games in 2015/16, but missed most of 2017 through injury.

I am delighted to be joining Mickleover FC. The staff and the players have been great since I’ve joined and the philosophy and team environment was what made the club somewhere I knew I would enjoy playing. I can’t wait to get started and help the team achieve success this season.

said Walshaw.

The fans first got a glimpse of Walshaw when he played the first half of the recent home friendly against Guiseley, the 6ft 1in burly striker, looking very much the old style centre forward.

I’m delighted to welcome Jordan to Mickleover FC. He’s someone who has really impressed us during our pre-season programme and we have fought off numerous clubs to get his signature. He’s a hard working centre forward with a good eye for goal and someone I’m looking forward to working with over the coming season.

added Gaffer, John McGrath.

by Peter Scherer

If the 2019/20 had run its course, South Shields would have been probably starting their National League campaign next month, but circumstances prevailed and they will be out to prove themselves this weekend.

So far they have won four of their seven friendly matches, but lost 1-0 to Gateshead last weekend.

They are jointly managed by Lee Picton and ex Leicester City, Aston Villa and Blackburn Rovers striker Graham Fenton.

It’s a choice between Myles Boney and Ross Coombe for goalkeeping duties.

Boney was on a season long loan deal from Blackpool last season, but has now made his move permanent. He had been at Bloomfield Road since 2015, made two first team appearances and also had loan spells at Nantwich and Solihull Moors.

Coombe started at Consett and also joined South Shields last season.

Defender Jordan Hunter was also a loanee last season and as now signed permanently. A Liverpool junior he went to Sunderland in November 2018 and made his first team debut in the EFL Trophy the same year, before his move to South Shields last year.

Primarily a right back, Craig Baxter started his career at Newcastle Utd. Released by them in 2006 he joined Gateshead, before returning to them after a year at Bedlington Terriers, and is now in his fourth year at South Shields.

Centre back Dillon Morse started off as a Carlisle Utd junior. The young centre back left in 2014 to join Newcastle Benfield, before going on to Gateshead and Blyth Spartans. He is also in his fourth year at the club.

Matthew Wade is one of the teams younger defenders, have come through the teams own Academy. He also gained international recognition being selected for England Schoolboys.

Gary Brown is an ex Darlington player, he came to South Shields July last year. He spent six years with the Quakers until his departure in May 2018.

In midfield or defence Callum Ross spent time at Newcastle Utd and Sunderland during his time with Cramlington Juniors. He had three years on Sunderland’s books before returning to Cramlington and then went to the US and played three years at Wingate Bulldogs. 

Over the next three years he played Pro Soccer for Charlotte Independence and Oklahoma City Energy, before joining South Shields in January.

Another Academy product is Will Jenkins, the midfielder scored on his first team debut last December and has now signed pro.

Phil Turnbull is one of the clubs most experienced midfielders. A Hartlepool youth player, he was loaned to Gateshead and Blyth Spartans, before his two year stay ended with a move to York City.

He returned to Gateshead in 2008 for a seven year stay, notching up almost 300 appearances. Another two years at Darlington where he was also caretaker manager preceded his move to South Shields in May 2018.

Arron Thompson came to the first team via the Academy and has been a member of the squad for just over a year.

Robert Briggs is the club captain, the midfielder having spent his whole career in the North East. From starting out at Gateshead, he has played for Blyth Spartans, Sunderland RCA, West Aukland and Spennymoor, before coming to South Shields for the 2015/16 season, after briefly been the books too as a teenager.

Experienced winger Josh Gillies represented England C, but started out playing for Sunderland Nissan and Newcastle Blue, before Blyth Spartans snapped him up.

He played at Whitley Bay and Gateshead before going into the Football League with League One Carlisle Utd in 2013, where he made 18 starts scoring one goal, during a stay that included loans at Cambridge Utd and Halifax, before returning to Gateshead in 2015 and ultimately South Shields from 2018.

Nathan Lowe is another midfielder, coming from the Burnley junior scheme. After his release he had a year at FC United, before joining Southport in 2017. He is in his third season at South Shields.

Striker Jason Gilchrist started out at Burnley too and was another England C player. He was loaned to Droylsden, Accrington and Chester before leaving Burnley in 2016. He had a year at FC United, two years at Southport and a loan at Stockport County, before his present move in 2019.

Darius Osei had been with Stalybridge Celtic for two years when League One Oldham Athletic signed him. In an 18 month stay he scored three goals in 27 games, before being released, where he saw out the rest of the 2017/18 season at Maidstone.

He started last season at back at Stalybridge, before joining South Shields in February.

Regular goalscorer Lee Mason just crossed the Tyne when he signed in 2018, from neighbours North Shields. He has also played for Blyth Spartans, Whitley Bay and Whitby Town.

Sam Hodgson is another home grown talent, the young striker signed permanently just after his 18^th birthday after graduating through the clubs Academy,

Adding an international flavour is former PSV Eindhoven junior Wouter Verstraaten. He played for teams in the US and Netherlands, before joining Consett from VV Geldrop. The full back came to South Shields in January.

Striker Alex Kempster is a new signing. He started off in the North East with Whitley Bay, before joining York City in February 2018. He had a loan at Spennymoor too, before leaving York for South Shields last month.

In Jon Shaw they have another England C striker and long server. As a Sheffield Wednesday Junior, he played 24 first team games for the Owls before moving on via York City, Burton Albion, Halifax, Rochdale, Crawley, Barrow, Gateshead, Mansfield and Luton Town. 

Massively experienced he won the Conference Premier with Luton and the FA Vase with South Shields in 2016/17 having joined the club in July 2016.

Will McCamley is a former South Shields youth product, returned on loan from Huddersfield Town, who was also loaned to Hyde Utd last season.

Dom Agnew is another home grown product on the edge of the first team.

Although Mickleover manager John McGrath has his full squad available to him, the South Shields squad with its strength in depth will be tough break down.

by Peter Scherer

The pre-season build-up is done and it’s the competitive start to the season now approaching, with Saturday’s away to trip to last years uncrowned Champions South Shields, before a visit to Leek Town for the first qualifying round FA Cup match.

So what does manager John McGrath feel about our season start?

I’m really excited to start our 2020/21 season. In a year where there is so many uncertainties amid a global pandemic it’s nice to focus our attention and get ourselves prepared for our new season.

There has been a lot of change within the football club and I’m delighted with my summer recruitment but also equally delighted to retain the services of players who made a big impact for us last season. And then of course there’s our young academy players who under the guidance of myself and my back room team will be nurtured to follow and find their full potential with the senior game.

As always we will strive to win every game we play in and, as a group, we have set ourselves a target for the season. That target will remain in-house with us but all I’ll say is that in a league that’s looking as competitive as ever it makes for some good footballing action.

 

So we have new faces and returning players, a real blend who have got to know each other and how they play during this pre-season campaign.

Like I said previously we have recruited really well this summer. New Players like Joe Slinn, Jake Bennett, Phil Watt, James Butler, Alex Morris, George Milner and Ben Gowing have all arrived and signed permanently and we’ve managed to negotiate a loan deal to bring Declan Bacon back to the football club which is a great addition to an already competitive squad that has Stuart Beavon, Paddy Webb, Andrew Wright, Mason Warren and Pablo Mills all raring and chomping at the bit you’re get going again after a 6 month football break.

 

Is there a player in particular to look out for?

I’m really looking forward to seeing Paddy Webb enjoy a full season and see where his talent may take him. He joined us in January 2020 and when the season was curtailed early in March he had already helped himself to 7 league goals. I’m hoping with a full season we can look forward to a 20+ goal haul from him.

From our academy young Josh Satchwell has had a great pre season and is someone who people should definitely look out for. He went on trial to Coventry City last season and I can see another good season ahead for Josh.

 

Is there a closing message for the Sports fans?

Enjoy the season and stay safe and healthy.
Gaffer