The Sports Report is ready to view for tonight’s game. Click here

by Peter Scherer

Tuesday night’s visitors to the Don Amott Arena are Witton Albion. Like Sports, they started their Northern Premier League campaign with a defeat 2-0 at home to Whitby Town.

There was further disappointment when they were knocked out of the FA Cup too, going down 3-2 to Whitey Bay.

But they more than made up for it last Saturday, winning 4-1 at Radcliffe, with Scott Bakkor scoring a hattrick.

Manager Carl Macauley is a former player and has been in charge since October 2015. He has also worked with Liverpool Academy amongst his other managerial jobs.

Assistant manager Gary Martindale is an ex Bolton Wanderers player, having also played at Peterborough, Notts County, Mansfield and Rotherham before going non-league and joining Macauley at Witton in 2015 too.

Goalkeeper Chris Renshaw was an Oldham Athletic Youth player from the age of 11, before being snapped up by Everton. He came to Witton in July last year, following his release by the Toffees.

Raj Gill also started his goalkeeping career with a league club. After learning his trade with Leicester City, he played for a number of Midlands clubs, including Tamworth, Bedworth, Rugby, Cirencester, Redditch, Kettering and Stourbridge.

Left back Isaac Baldwin came from Farsley Celtic in October last year, he played junior football at Blackburn, Leeds and Huddersfield, before moving on to Halifax, Ossett and Spennymoor. He also played for England Schools at under 16 and 18 levels.

Vastly experienced centre back Steve McNulty made his Witton debut in the defeat against Whitby. He was a Liverpool Youth player from the age of eight and played league football for Luton, Fleetwood and Tranmere. Last season he was at York City.

Josh Wardle is the captain, a centre back in his third season at the club after signing from Skelmersdale Utd. He also played for Lancaster City and Kendal Town and captained the John Moores Liverpool University side.

Right back Jack Byrne is in his second season with the club after coming in from AFC Fylde, while Nick Ryan is in his third year. The versatile defender was previously at Stalybridge, but came back from serious leg injuries last season, with a loan spell out at Runcorn.

Scott Bakkor wasn’t only a hattrick hero last weekend, he once hit a hattrick in nine minutes. He was at Witton 2013/14 and has been at Skelmersdale, Stalybridge and Clitheroe, before a spell at Colwyn Bay. More recently he has played for Warrington, Ashton and Marine.

Central midfielder Josh Gregory is another new signing. He’s an ex Wigan Junior, who’s been at Chorley, Clitheroe and Prescot Cables.

James Foley was brought in back in 2017 from Marine. Macclesfield had originally signed him from AFC Liverpool, but he has also had spells with Cammell Laird and Buckley Town.

One of Witton’s own Youth products is Will Booth, the attacking midfielder left for Kidsgrove Athletic and came back via Colwyn Bay. He is another player to miss most of last season through a leg injury, but went on loan to Congleton to regain his fitness.

Another new signing is Leon Johnson, he has come North from his origins at Croydon FC Kinetic.

Right side midfielder Danny McKenna came out of Bolton Wanderers Academy, joining Runcorn following his release. He’s been at Witton for three years.

Cesaire Lingouba is also in his third year at the club, joining from Stalybridge, he has been at Droylsden, Morecambe and Northwich too.

Another returnee is Tom Owens, having originally signed from Marine in 2016. The ex Wigan, Rochdale, Tranmere and York midfielder then tried his luck with Australian side Brunswick City, but returned to Witton in September 2017.

After a number of spells at Marine, Billy Smart came to Witton in 2018, he has also been at Warrington, Burscough and Bootle.

New signing Steve Tames leads the strike force. He was at Ashton last season and has been at Prescot Cables, Southport, Hyde and Warrington among others, but played in the Europa League during his time at Bala Town.

Will Jones has scored 37 goals in his 144 games since coming to Witton in February 2017. He’s had three spells at Burscough, as well as playing for Marine, Warrington, Nantwich and AFC Liverpool. He also played for Colwyn Bay.

Former Rochdale Junior James Hooper is a more recent signing. He played in the league for Rochdale and Carlisle and had spells at FC United, Salford City, Radcliffe and Altrincham.

Rob Hopley is another long serving striker on his way back from injury. The former Macclesfield Youth player had eight years at Colwyn Bay, as well as playing at Winsford, Leek and Chester, before joining Witton in November 2015. He has scored 84 goals in his 175 games.

Kick-off is at 7.45pm as usual and so Sports need all the support they can muster as they strive to earn their first points of the Northern Premier League season.

by Peter Scherer

Although it was a home defeat for Mickleover FC in their first home Northern Premier League game of the season, Callum Hawkins heroic double penalty saves, kept the score to respectable 1-2.

There were two changes to the starting line-up from Tuesday’s FA Cup win at Leek Town, with Callum Hawkins in goal and Pablo Mills in for Phil Watt in the centre of the defence.

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

Mickleover had an early chance to gain the advantage over the visitors, when Beavon almost connected with a Butler header just inside the box.

But the attacks soon seemed to turn in Morpeth’s favour, with Hawkins forced into a spectacular save from Liam Noble’s close range effort after six minutes.

It was only four minutes later that Morpeth had a penalty appeal turned down, after Hawkins clashed with Morpeth striker Jack Foalle.

The attacks from the visitors continued to threaten the Mickleover defence and they went close again after Liam Henderson volleyed a 13^th minute free-kick just inches over the bar.

Although the defence held out, it finally succumbed in the 17^th minute when Noble’s shot was deflected, sending Hawkins the wrong way 0-1.

Callum Williams had another long range shot just over the bar for the visitors, as Mickleover were struggling to retain possession to move forward.

Wright had a blast from outside the box after 33 minutes, before Hawkins had to make a double save as Andrew Jonson and Henderson tried their luck.

Just before half time the defence was split again, but Morris was on the line to clear the danger.

There were two changes for the second half with Milner and Gowing on for Webb and Bacon.

The game had only be back under way two minutes when Sports were able to strike back. Beavon’s first attempt was saved, but he buried the rebound in the roof of the Morpeth net, 1-1.

The momentum quickly went back in the visitors favour, with Hawkins having to save again from a quickly taken 51^st minute free-kick.

Two minutes later Foalle was brought down in the area and this time a penalty was awarded, only for Hawkins to magnificently save Henderson’s effort.

The save seemed to spur on some positive attacks from the Sports players, but after 58 minutes another penalty was awarded, with a handball in the area.

Noble took the kick and unbelievably Hawkins saved it again to keep the scores level.

With Walshaw on for Verma there was another spell of positive Sports attacks, with Gowing heading just over from inside the box and Milner making Morpeth keeper Dan Lowson earn his keep with two saves in close succession.

But after 68 minutes Morpeth grabbed the winner when Johnson connected with a header from Noble’s corner.

Warren had a free kick tipped over for Sports and Gowing had another good effort from outside the box saved, while Joe Walton went close again for Morpeth in the last few minutes, before the whistle went to secure all three points for the visitors.

We have now moved our usually printed programmes to an online format so our supporters can still stay up to date! The FREE online programme features loads of great content on Mickleover FC as well as our opponents on the day.

Please click here to view today’s Morpeth Town programme.

See you are the match!

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.