by Girvane Bola

Mickleover Sports drop to 13th in the BetVictor Northern Premier League as they suffered a 4-1 defeat to Scarborough Athletic at Flamingo Land Stadium. 

A brace from James Walshaw as well as goals from Connor Thomson and Michael Coulson ensured the three points and shifted them up to 11th position. Stuart Beavon scored in the second half, but it only proved to be a consolation in a crushing loss. 

The game instantly started lively between the two sides and ended up an end to end thriller in the opening minutes of the game. Mickleover shared the more decent chances between the two sides. This saw Beavon strike the post with his close-range effort followed on by Thomas Taylor miraculously save the rebound. The 16th minute saw Scarborough’s Josh Barrett connected from a corner however could not find the intended target.

Scarborough would score their first goal in the 26th minute after Connor Thomson rebounded home from a free kick saved by Nathan Broome. Their commanding lead doubled eight minutes later when Walshaw secured his first after he found himself through on goal and launched it past Broome into the far corner. 

Walshaw could have scored the third just before half-time after his venomous shot was saved by Broome once again. The second half, Sports were Sports were given a lifeline after Beavon reacted brilliantly to terrible defending by Scarborough Athletic and nicely finished with his outside foot past Taylor. 

Mickleover looked to a greater extent alive in the second half, playing more fluidly and more direct. This could undoubtedly have resulted in another goal, and the remarkable comeback complete after new signing Aman Verma narrowly missed the target with his header. 

Scarborough added a third effectively putting an end to the game in the 70^th minute after James Walshaw smartly headed into Broome’s near post from Ryan Watson’s corner and picked up his brace after an outstanding performance. Coulson could have naturally made it four when he saw his six-yard effort was saved by Broome before sealing the win and getting his goal in the 90th minute.

John McGrath’s men will be hoping to bounce back from the hefty defeat with a win on another away against 6^th place Stalybridge Celtic at Bower Field on Saturday the 21^st December. 

Scarborough Athletic 4-1 Mickleover Sports
Saturday 14th December
Flamingo Land Stadium

Mickleover Sports are delighted to announce the loan signing of Ryan Nesbitt.

Ryan is a very talented footballer who fits the style of play I try and promote here at Micklover Sports. He’s had experience playing National Conference with Solihull Moors and during that spell had loans with Sutton Coldfield and Chasetown. I am delighted we’ve managed to sign him and I’m really looking forward to seeing him in Sports shirt. Welcome Ryan.

John McGrath, First Team Manager

by Brad Cox

Mickleover Sports suffered a 3-2 defeat away to Bamber Bridge.

Bamber Bridge took the lead early on with thanks to Joseph Booth. Booth stepped up from 30 yards out and perfectly placed his free kick in the top right corner of Muhammad Otuyo’s net. There was little he could do.

Mickleover bounced back just three minutes later. Stuart Beavon forced a misplaced pass at the back, Lee Hughes was there to dribble it up the pitch forcing a one on one and slotting it past the Brig keeper, Lloyd Rigby.

Sports kept up the pressure and captain, Greg Young, made it 2-1 from a corner. He could not have had an easier header; he was unchallenged, unmarked and hammered it home.

On the brink of half-time, the Brig equalised. Alistair Waddecar’s long-range effort snuck under Otuyo.

The second half saw little action in the first 15 minutes. Pablo Mills cleared off the line to keep Sports in the match. But the main talking point was when the Brig took the lead just after the hour mark. From a Booth cross, Waddecar glanced the ball into the bottom right corner. Controversially the goal stood. Sports goalkeeper, Otuyo, had multiple players surrounding him each time the Brig took a corner. Unfortunately, this time his sight was blocked, and the referee gave the goal.

Sports will be disappointed to come away with nothing after leading 2-1. Up next for Sports is another away trip, next week they travel to promotion seeking, Stalybridge Celtic.

Sports XI; Otuyo, Berry, Turner, Verma, Mills, Young (C), Wright (Satchwell 80’), Warren, Hughes (Surafel 83’), Beavon, Waldram (Boula 23’)

Unused Subs: Ravenhill

Bamber Bridge XI; Rigby, Spooner, Sumner, Lawlor (C), Charnock, Forbes, Waddecar, Thomson, Dean (Dudley 83’), Booth, Marlow

Unused Subs: Doughty, Churchman, Pett, Roccia

Bamber Bridge 3-2 Mickleover Sports
Saturday 7th December 2019
Sir Tom Finney Stadium

By Laurie Newman

Mickleover Sports picked up their first league win in six games after defeating Buxton FC 1-0 thanks to a Stuart Beavon volley.

Sports scored within the first ten minutes thanks to Stuart Beavon who scored his first goal since scoring a last minute winner against Hyde United.

The game started like many others, with the possession being shared by both teams but it was Sports who drew first blood. The goal came after Buxton thought they’d managed to clear their lines after a corner, but the ball fell to Stuart Beavon who then opened the scoring. Beavon struck the ball on the volley and the ball just glided in to the top hand corner.

A few minutes later it looked as though Buxton would get an opportunity to draw level when Kyle Harrison went down in the box. Fortunately for Sports his appeal was waved away and the game continued. Buxton managed to conjure up a real opportunity soon after which forced a fantastic save out of Nathan Broome who had to get down to his near post quickly to make the save.

Both teams managed to create a few half chances throughout the first half, but neither really threatened the other. That was until Lee Hughes’ header at the far post was saved at the last minute by Buxton’s keeper.

The first half ended 1-0 to Sports who were deservedly in the lead.

The second half kicked off and within five minutes Sports were already gunning for their second of the game. New signing Aman Verma dragged his shot just wide of the post. The remainder of the half kept seeing Sports’ efforts not hitting the back of the net. Andrew Wright had a shot blocked on the line and Mason Warren was tackled before he could get his shot away from inside the box.

Sports looked like they would be on route for their first win in a long time but with ten minutes to go Buxton were awarded a free kick on the edge of Mickleover’s box. Luckily for Sports Broome wasn’t caught out by Liam Hardy’s attempt that went under the wall. Sports held out for the remainder of the match thus ending their winless run in the league as well as making it back to back wins in all competitions.

Buxton 0-1 Mickleover Sports
Sat 30th November
Silverlands

Today’s game against Warrington Town has been called off due to a waterlogged pitch.

by Brad Cox

Mickleover Sports score two in three minutes against Loughborough Dynamo to advance to the second round of the Integro League Cup.

Centre-back partners, Pablo Mills and Greg Young, were essential in Tuesday night’s victory. After going behind, Mills made it 1-1 in the 22^nd minute. Mills’ header at the back-post ricochet back to him and acrobatically smashed the ball into the back of the net.

The Sports were forced into an early change just before half-time when Nathan Modest went down with an injury. Youngster, Karel Tvaroh replaced him and was put to work down the right-wing. An uneventful start to the second half proved to save all the excitement for the last 15 minutes.

Karl Demidh got his second of the night for Loughborough Dynamo and gave the visitors the lead in the 75^th minute. The Sports reacted just the way manager, John McGrath, wanted:

Character plays a massive part in football. Whether you play in the lower leagues or the Premier League, it all comes down to character and they showed that tonight. They overcame the adversity that was presented, and I couldn’t be more of the boys tonight.

Young got the Sports back on level terms in the 86^th minute. Tvaroh whipped in a cross from the right-flank which provoked a goal mouth scramble and a clearance off the line. Luckily for the hosts, the clearance fell to Young who slotted the ball home.

It got even better than that for the Sports. Yet again Tvaroh took the ball down the right-wing and got the ball into the box. This time it ended on Mill’s header that managed to lob the Dynamo keeper and complete the comeback for the Sports.

Four ex Sports players returned to the Don Amott Arena, Will Norcross, Karl Demidh, Alex Steadman and Curtis Burrows. They all put in a good shift and we hope they enjoyed their return.

The Sports get their first victory since October 5^th when they beat Scarborough Athletic 1-0 and advance to the next round. The second-round draw date is to be confirmed.

Sports XI; Otoyo, Berry, Turner, Warren, Mills, Young (Captain), Scott, Wright, Hughes (Satchwell 81’), Beavon, Modest (Tvaroh 35’)

Loughborough Dynamo XI; Smith-Eccles, Thorogood, Egginton, Young, Oke-William, Scanlon, Norcross, Burrows (Captain) (Norris 71’), Demidh, Fortnam-Tomlinson (Owusu-Nepaul 71’), Steadman

Mickleover Sports FC 3-2 Loughborough Dynamo
Tuesday 19th November 2019
Don Amott Arena

By Brad Cox

Sports suffered their fourth consecutive loss in the league to Radcliffe United, with thanks to super-sub, Elliot Rokka.

Rokka was brought on in the 81^st minute and took just six minutes to break the deadlock. Rokka picked the ball up on the left-flank and hit a wonderful strike from outside the box which beat debutant goalkeeper, Muhammad Otoyo. A match which could have swung either team’s way, unfortunately for the Sports, went to the visitors.

The Sports can also feel hard done by today, when on the hunt for an equaliser, Nathan Modest was clearly shoved in the box and went to ground. The referee, R.Watson, waved play on and Pablo Mills had the last chance of the match, but his header was comfortably saved by Radcliffe goalkeeper, Oliver Martin.

The Sports dominated for large periods of the match, especially in the second half. Chances have been hard to come by in recent weeks, however, that wasn’t the case this week, execution on the other hand…was.

The best chance for The Sports came on the hour mark when Mason Warren got on the end of a lofted Modest cross and headed just inches wide. The Sports showed real creativity going forward and had multiple different types of chances.

John McGrath has said that: “The last three or four weeks, the performance hasn’t been good enough. The ability to go through the midfield and create chances is what we’ve lacked in the last couple weeks. It allows us to give the back-four a break and get balls up to Lee Hughes and Nathan Modest.”

When the Sports pushed forward desperate to get points on the board, Radcliffe were able to find pockets of space in behind the wingbacks. Matthew Wolfenden had a fantastic opportunity to get on the scoresheet as he got in behind and chipped Otoyo. Fortunately for the Sports, it was off target.

The Sports have now entered the bottom half of the table, they sit 13^th with 21 points. They play Loughborough Dynamo on Tuesday evening at the Don Amott Arena in the Integro League Cup 1, where McGrath has said that he’d “like” to win that cup competition.

The Sports return to league action on the 23^rd of November, where they will face Warrington Town at home and will look to pick up their first points of the month.

Sports XI; Otoyo, Berry, Turner, Ravenhill, Mills, Young, Warren, Wright, Hughes (Jarrett 69’), Beavon, Modest

Radcliffe XI; Martin, Haywood, Swaby-Neavin, Winter (Captain), Smith, Warren, Sinclair (Rokka 81’), Williams, Wharton (Wolfenden 67’), Ellis, Brown (Billington 45’)

Mickleover Sports FC 0-1 Radcliffe United
Saturday 16^th November 2019
Don Amott Arena
Attendance: 285