SPORTS FALL FOUL OF DUBIOUS REFEREEING

by Peter Scherer

It may be cliché but Mickleover Sports Northern Premier League visit to Ashton United was certainly a game of two halfs.

In the opening minute of the game Jordan Young, Sports Coventry City loanee shot just wide.

Ashton had their early chances too, with a free kick sent high over the bar after four minutes, followed by shot’s from Sheridan and Brewster both blocked by the Sports defence.

Stuart Beavon then made a break but lacked support, before Hardcastle came back for Ashton, sending his shot well wide.

The partnership between Beavon and Webb continued to cause problems for the Ashton defence, but a through ball although splitting the defence, was just out of Webb’s reach.

Ashton’s Ludofu was first in the book, but Hardcastle followed up with a couple of random shot off target.

But Sports began to take control of midfield, with Beavon going close after a corner. Karel Tvaroh was then sent on a telling run by Mason Warren, Webb collected the ball but a shout of handball as the defender challenge went unrewarded.

A minute later Kemy Agustien was brought down, before a Webb managed to chip Ashton’s keeper Hartley, only for Sass-Davies to clear his effort off the line.

But after 21 minutes Sports pressure finally paid off, as Beavon and Young moved the play forward, Webb chested it down, turned and volleyed into the bottom left hand corner of the net.

Ashton almost equalised a minute later, when Durrell Berry cleared, before Wilson’s shot on the rebound went wide.

Webb was continuously causing problems for Ashton, with long balls providing excellent service. Scott was the first Sports player in the book, but on the half hour Ashton seemed to rediscover their attack.

Hardcastle, Wilson and Rowney all went close for the home side, before Webb went just wide from a Scott cross for Sports.

Turner and Freeman combined well to keep the Ashton strikers out, and after 36 minutes Webb was just short of collecting a rebound from a Beavon shot, beaten away by Hartley.

The momentum was back in Sports favour as the half time whistle approached, with Webb’s shot onto the roof of the net from another Beavon cross, but a couple of breaks saw Hardcastle hit the Sports post, before play was held up with the referee requiring treatment.

The referee was replaced by one of his assistants, while one of Ashton’s media men ran the line. But little would anyone have realised how the game was to take a sour turn.

Sports had a dangerous free kick in the early minutes of the second half after Webb was fouled. The kick was put out for a corner, which Scott took and put back into the box before his shot was saved by Hartley.

Freeman was the first booking for the stand in referee, but after Webb a shot straight at the Ashton keeper, Scott put the ball across the face of the goal and Thomsett then went close for Ashton.

But on 63 minutes a Rowney cross seemed to confuse the defence and found its way passed debutant keeper Harrison Davison-Hale into the back of the net.

Ashton’s McHale tried a spectacular bicycle kick which went just wide of the post and Freeman won the ball from a Warren corner, but his effort easily collected by Hartley.

Hardcastle was then on the attack again and had touch with Freeman, which the referee decided was a penalty. Agustien led the barrage of Sports players disputing the decision and received a double yellow card, before Wilson put the penalty away to give Ashton the lead.

With Marcus Calderone on for Freeman and Andy Wright on for Scott, there was another penalty appeal from Ashton. Turner was then pushed in the Ashton penalty area and despite appeals they were turned away and Turner joined the yellow cards a few minutes later.

It wasn’t long before the referee did award another penalty, but for Ashton again, after McHale went down easily from a Calderone challenge. Wilson scored again and despite a desperate effort from the 10 men of Sports, it remained 1-3.

Just to add the card collection Mason Warren was straight red carded for an innocuous challenge

So three yellow cards two red cards, two penalties concluded a second half of less than memorable non-league football.

FOUR GAMES IN EIGHT DAYS FOR SPORTS!!

by Peter Scherer

The welcome dry spell has been most welcomed, but now it means Mickleover Sports have four games in eight days.

Following the disappointing defeat at home to FC United last Saturday, Sports travel to Ashton Utd on Tuesday evening.

Ashton are currently 18^th in the Northern Premier League, five points behind Sports, following their 2-0 home win last Saturday against Scarborough Athletic.

Ashton have a number of ex Oldham Athletic players and a great deal of experience in their squad.

Goalkeeper Greg Hartley is ex Manchester City and won the FA Youth Cup during his 10 years with them. He then played in the US including semi pro with Chattanooga, before returning to the UK as Oldham’s goalkeeping coach and joined Ashton from Atherton Collieries.

Defender Stavros Tserpes is Australian born and had trials with AFC Bournemouth. He has played most of his football in the North West, including Tranmere and Accrington.

John Pritchard is one of the ex Oldham players, but has rejoined Ashton for a second time from Chester. He is a midfield or defensive player.

Starting off at Stockport County Gianluca Havern was signed last year from Bradford Park Avenue. The defender played at Mansfield too plus a number of the North Western clubs.

Defender Jonathan Hunt was a long serving player at Curzon Ashton and rose to being the clubs captain, before signing for Ashton, while Billy Sass-Davies is one of the younger players, currently on loan from Crewe Alexandra. The defender has been out on several loan spells during his time at Gresty Road.

Michael Brewster is another ex Oldham midfielder. He came in from Atherton Collieries, but again spent most of his career with various North Western clubs, but did have a spell at St.Mirren!

Chris Rowney is ex Oldham midfielder too, he had six years at Curzon Ashton, before returning to Mossley, prior to his current move to Ashton.

Sam Sheridan is in his third year at Ashton, the midfielder came in from Altrincham, but has played at Stockport, Southport, Chorley and FC United too.

Blackburn Rovers Academy set Louis Almond on his way, before joining Blackpool from where he had a number of loan spells. The striker was signed from Chorley in 2018.

Steven Tames even tasted Europa League football during his time at Bala Town. The prolific goalscorer has also played for a number of the North Western clubs, before leaving Bala for Ashton.

In last Saturday’s win Josh Wilson scored both goals. He joined Ashton from Chorley in July last year, having started at Northwich.

Midfielder Liam Thomsett was signed from Curzon Ashton, but had a number of loans whilst on Blackpoll’s books.

Ben Hardcastle came through Morecambe’s youth team and was team manager Michael Clegg’s first signing’s when they both joined Ashton from Atherton Collieries.

Finally Rumanian Casian Anghel played his early football with FC Voluntari and Dinamo Bucharest, but has now settled in the North West.

Kick-off is 7.45, with Sports keen to come away unscathed, with home games against Basford Utd and Hyde Utd on Thursday and Saturday respectively.

SPORTS OUTCLASSED BY TITLE CONTENDERS

by Peter Scherer (Photo: Sarah Middleton)

It was just one of those days for Mickleover Sports and with United FC’s Nigerian born striker Tunde Owolabi in top form, they were never in with a shout.

There was only three minutes gone when Adam Dodd and Charlie Ennis combined down the left, before a telling cross allowed Owolabi to find the net from close range.

Four minutes later it was nearly a second, when Owolabi hit the bar from an Ennis free kick.

Sports defence continued to be on the retreat and it was almost 10 minutes before they made a break from their own area.

But with Owolabi easily outpacing Dean Freeman, he was heading goal wards again after 14 minutes, but this time his effort was wide of Nathan Broome’s right hand post.

A couple of minutes later Patrick Webb led Sports first real attack, but was foiled before he was able to shoot. But Sports had a penalty shout turned down from another Webb attack, when he was fouled chasing a through ball.

Webb had another attempt blocked before attention changed to the other end, where Broome and United’s Chris Doyle collided after a free kick. Fortunately Sports keeper was able to continue after treatment.

It was still proving tough for Sports midfield to provide any service to the strikers, but after Stuart Beavon was fouled, Mason Warren put his free kick wide.

Aman Verma then latched onto a Beavon cross to put his header just over, but the action soon turned again in United’s favour.

Owolabi had hit the post before it was cleared off the line, but in injury time he blasted his second high into the top corner.

Initially it was a more even start to the second half, but United’s Aaron Morris had a shot over the bar and Ennis had a shot straight at Broome.

Karel Tvaroh came on for Andy Wright on the hour and almost immediately put a ball into the box to force United keeper Cameron Belford into action.

But Sports kept up their challenge with Beavon darting away, before his cross to Webb was cut out by Belford. Webb then put a Tvaroh cross over from close range.

It wasn’t long before Broome was busy again, he saved a shot Morgan Homson-Smith and then had an Owolabi rebound go close.

Sports made their second substitution on 66 minutes when Ricky Ravenhill replaced Verma, but United continued to control the game.

They went close when Broome was able to intercept after Owolabi charged through from his own half and a couple of minutes later he saved again from a Curtis Jones header.

With 10 minutes of normal time left, Owolabi completed what seemed to be an inevitable hattrick, with a rebound shot after his own first attempt was kept out by Broome.

Sports never gave up and made a further change when Durrell Berry was replaced by Josh Satchwell. But Adam Dodd smashed home United’s fourth after 88 minutes for a 4-0 win, which puts them in second place in the Northern Premier League table.

SPORTS LOOK TO DIVIDE UNITED!

by Peter Scherer

Thanks to a few dry spells over the last few days, Mickleover Sports will hopefully have the rare opportunity of hosting a home Northern Premier League game at the Don Amott Arena on Saturday, when they welcome title challengers United FC of Manchester.

Fresh from their tough 1-1 draw at Whitby last Tuesday, Sports still have a number of games in hand, whereas FC United currently lie third, after a 4-4 draw with Warrington last weekend.

Mike Potts captains FC United, the midfielder having started out a Blackburn Rovers youth team player, but joined United from Bamber Bridge in October 2018, having also numbered York City, AFC Fylde, Guiseley, Stalybridge Celtic, Bradford Park Avenue and Curzon Ashton among his former clubs.

The experienced Cameron Belford should be in goal, currently on loan from Nuneaton. He started out at Coventry City and played form a number of league clubs, including Bury, Southend Utd, Mansfield, Accrington, Wrexham and Forest Green and had a spell in Scotland too at Stranraer.

Aaron Morris is a central defender that Utd signed from Runcorn Linnets, while former Blackpool Junior Adam Dodd, and went out on loan to Altrincham, Ayr Utd and Chorley, before being released. His highlight was playing for Ayr at Hampden Park in a Scottish Cup semi-final.

Centre back Matthew Elsdon is another loanee, from Barrow. He played junior football with both Sunderland and Middlesbrough and also had a spell with Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

Fellow central defender Chris Doyle has spent most of his career in the North West. He came out of Everton’s Academy, to play at Morecambe, Chorley and Southport, before joining United from Marine.

Curtis Jones is another defender, who has travelled the UK football world. He played for Celtic under 21’s and Livingstone in Scotland, TNS in Wales, plus Stockport County and Bristol City among his English teams. He also scored the 90^th minute equaliser in last week’s Warrington match.

Right winger Morgan Homson-Smith has had spells at Harrogate, Prescot Cables and Southport before joining FC United and was another scorer last week, while prolific goal scorer Tunde Owolabi is always a danger in sight of goal.

The Nigerian born player was at Radcliffe before moving to play in Malta, he had also played for Hyde and scored last week and on his Utd FC debut.

Midfielder Paul “Charlie Ennis” came to Utd from Ashton Utd. He started out at Stockport, but has travelled via Buxton, Bala Town and Matlock amongst others.

Bolton Wanderers was the starting point for Striker Luke Griffiths, but he arrived at Utd from Prescot.

Dan Trickett-Smith once cost £300,000 when Liverpool bought him from Crewe Alexandra. The midfielder made one start in the Premiership but went across the Atlantic to play for Sacramento, before returning to the UK with Port Vale, from where Utd have him on loan.

Other members of their squad include Jack Lenehan, a former Rochdale Junior midfielder, who came in from Prescot and Finlay Sinclair-Smith. He played for Blackpool in League One, then loaned out to Widnes and Marine before finding a home with Utd.

Regan Linney came in from Bamber Bridge and Ben Kerr is a locally produced young defender.

United have the strongest core of traveling fans too, so this should be Sports biggest gate of the season!

SPORTS SETTLE ON 1-1 AFTER EARLY LEAD AT WHITBY

by Peter Scherer

A partly fiery and sometimes ill-tempered game saw Mickleover Sports back in Northern Premier League action, with a visit to Whitby Town.

Whitby had a chance within the opening minutes, but fired a free-kick straight into the Sports wall.

It had become fairly even for a while before Jordan Hickey put the across face of the Sports goal, with Kieran Weledji just failing to connect for Whitby.

But two minutes later and the tide was turned in Sports favour. Stuart Beavon was given space and played the ball to the edge of the box, where Aman Verma sent the ball firmly into the bottom left hand corner of Shane Bland’s net, for a 12th minute lead.

Soon afterwards Sports were forced to swap Karel Tvaroh for Pablo Mills, causing a reshuffle at the back.

Andy Wright then went close with a free header at close range, as it whistled inches wide of the left hand top corner.

Patrick Webb then had a chance as Sports began to dominate. But a short scuff gave Bland a relatively easy save.

Whitby found their feet again for the last 15 minutes of the first half, with Sunderland loanee Jake Hackett going close, before Weledji forced Nathan Broome into a save.

Sports still had the lead as they went in for the half time break, but both Kemy Agustien and Whitby’s Alex White were yellow carded before the whistle went.

It was a strong start to the second half again for Sports, with Webb firing just over the bar from a Beavon pass, and a corner five minutes later cleared.

But on 59 minutes Whitby were level. Hackett managedto place a corner perfectly for Daniel Rowe to meet, putting his header wide of Broome into the right hand corner.

The equaliser triggered more pressure from Whitby, as Luke Bythway went just wide from a Matty Dixon free kick, before Dixon put his own left foot shot just wide.

With Ryan Nesbitt on for Wright, Sports were holding on, but shortly after Dixon was booked, Whitby brought Brad Mills on for Andre Bennett.

Barely a minute later Mills was heading back for the dressing room after a wild tackle was followed by a scuffle, which saw him straight red carded, along with Sports skipper Greg Young.

Although Rowe went close to snatching a late winner when Broome tipped his effort over the bar, Sports returned south with a secure point, ready to fight again on Saturday, when they face United FC at the Don Amott Arena.

Is The Weather Going To Be Kind?

by Peter Scherer

Following five postponements in the last six matches, Mickleover Sports will be hoping to kick start their Northern Premier League campaign on Tuesday with an away match at Whitby Town.

Ironically Whitby at home was one of only two Sports games to survive during February, when they were defeated 2-1.

Whitby are currently seventh in the table and unbeaten in their last six games, after drawing at home with Ashton Utd last Saturday.

A number of Whitby’s players are in their second or even third spell with the club, including goalkeeper Shane Bland. The former Middlesbrough and Spennymoor player rejoined from West Auckland.

Defender Jassem Sukar has been at the club for about 2 ½ years after starting out at Sunderland, while Alex White is another returnee. He came back two ago, but has also seen action as a Hartlepool Junior, before moving on via Gretna, Stranraer and Blyth Spartans.

Fellow defender Daniel Rowe came in from Frickley Athletic and is an ex Rotherham, Wycombe Wanders and York City player.

Last weekend Matthew Dixon and Evan Horwood played wing back. Dixon started with Hull City, but came to Whitby from Scarborough in July last year.

Horwood is vastly experienced, having started out at Sheffield Utd in 2004, he made over 315 league starts, as far afield as Gretna and Bala Town. He came to Whitby in January this year.

In midfield they played Jordan Hickey, Adam Gell and Callum Patton against Ashton. 

Hickey is a loanee and ex Sunderland and Hull City junior, while Gell returned for his second spell at the club from Shildon in August 2018.

Patton is an attacking midfielder, in his second spell too. The ex English Colleges player came in from Bishop Auckland in November 2018, but has played for numerous North Eastern clubs too.

Bradley Fewster scored Whitby’s goal last weekend and along with Nathan Tymon are a strong force. Tymon came back to Whitby just over three years ago for the third time and is ex Hartlepool, Workington and West Auckland, whereas Fewster came in from Blyth Spartans just over a year ago and is an ex England Under 19 international, having started at Middlesbrough, before moving to listing Preston North End, York, Hartlepool and Spennymoor among his ex clubs.

With 16 games left to play, Sports will not only be hoping to reverse their recent defeat against Whitby, but get in some much needed match practice before the home game against United FC on March 7^th.