Category: Club News

Matlock Town (H): Match Preview

Revenge Of The Gladiators – If It Stops Raining!
by Peter Scherer

The local Derbyshire rivalry adds extra bite to Tuesday nights duel with Matlock Town, not to mention the 3-1 defeat to the Gladiators earlier this season at Causeway Lane.

Although Sports’ game at home Gainsborough was called off, Matlock did manage to play, going down 2-0 at home at Whitby Town.

Long serving defender Adam Yates captains the Matlock side in his 10th year with the club. He started his career at Chesterfield, before moving to Belper Town and latterly Shirebrook from where he was signed in 2009.

Currently an injury doubt goalkeeper Jon Stewart is also vastly experienced, the former Swindon Town player, has also played at Portsmouth, Bournemouth, Weymouth, Burnley, Alfreton, Worksop, Bradford PA and Boston, before joining Matlock from Gainsborough last summer. So Barnsley junior Jake Greatorex could be between the sticks.

The visiting defence should also include former sports plater Dwayne Wiley, who has been at Matlock for three years, via Heanor Town and Buxton.

Midfielder Luke Dean joined from Scarborough, after starting his career with Bradford City. He has seen service with Ossett, Hinckley, Harrogate and Bradford PA too.

Bailey Gooda is a young defender, but Matlock are already his fourth club. He was signed from Hyde, having previously played at Harrogate, Frickley and Scarborough, while experienced defender Ben Gordon lists both Leeds Utd and Chelsea among his former clubs, having joined from Gainsborough last summer.

The strike force sees Nigerian Chib Chilaka, ex Notts County junior, who played for England Universities and numerous clubs, which included Bradford PA, Harrogate and Hyde, before he joined Matlock from Grantham last year.

Marcus Marshall had spells with Blackburn Rovers, Rotherham and Bury before going no league and came in from Alfreton, while winger Dan Brammall came out of the Everton Academy.

Piteu Crosz was originally a Leeds Utd junior but the speedy Cameroon winger arrived at Causeway Lane, via Goole, Tadcaster and Belper.

Attacking midfielder Nathan Valentine has been a regular scorer since joining on loan from Stalybridge. He’s head of a Sports Academy and has also played for Scarborough, Wakefield, AFC Liverpool, Radcliffe and Frickley, as well as being a male model.

Newly arrived at Causeway Lane is winger Jude Oyibo, making his debut last Saturday against Whitby, he’s on loan from Alfreton. 

Ellis Roberts is also a new loanee, the defender has come in from Southport, having played much of his football in the US.

Others to look out for are midfielders Tomas Poole and Sam Scrivens, the latter coming in on loan from Guiseley.

James Tague, another midfielder has been through both Derby and Mansfield’s Academies before joining Matlock, Kick-off is at 7.45, there’s a licensed bar and hot food, can you afford to miss it?

WHEN WILL IT END… ?

by Peter Scherer

With our home game against Gainsborough Trinity falling victim to a waterlogged pitch again, Sports first team have only managed to play four home games in the last three months, thanks to our British weather.

So with approximately nine weeks of the season left, they are left with a backlog of 16 games to play, so the plans for next seasons 3G pitch can’t come soon enough.

Weather permitting Sports are due to host Matlock Town on Tuesday night, but fortunately both the Reserves and Academy have continued to flourish, with high scoring victories as both head for Cup Finals too.

Despite going a goal down initially Dave Mackenzie’s reserve side came back with avengeance against Linby Reserves in the Presidents Cup, on Friday night with Tomas Junek scoring a hattrick and Kyle Clarke, Jacob Edge-Lucas and Elijah Luka each finding the net twice for a 9-1 win on Eastwood’s 3G pitch.

They hopefully will be back in action next Thursday in another Presidents Cup match against Selston, but have already reached one Cup Final, as they face Swanwick Pentrich Road in the Divisional Cup on April 1st at Long Eaton, as well as topping the Central Midlands Division One South table.

During February the Academy teams have been banging the goals in too. On the 12th the Reds had a 3-0 win over Runcorn Linnets in the NPL FA Cup quarter finals, with Josh Satchwell and Peter Koecher on the score sheet along with an own goal.  

They also beat Stafford Rangers a week before at Stafford, 7-1! Jack Thatcher and Taylor Smith both hitting hattricks!

The Blacks also took a win at home to title challengers Skelmersdale, 4-3, with Brodie Carter scoring twice, along with Satchwell and Kyren Johnson-Wood.

So the Reds currently top their division with only one defeat, while the Blacks currently lie second, six points behind Widnes but with five games in hand, and again only one defeat

A league and Cup double is also possible, as both Academy teams are in the Cup semi-finals too. To be played on March 25th, the Reds are at home to Leek Town, while the Blacks are away to Widnes. What’s odds on an all Mickleover final??

Support your local team and make the trip to the Don Amott Arena, you won’t be disappointed.

Sports Juniors Head For Coventry!

Jay McGrath and Josh Satchwell have both been invited for trials with League One side Coventry City.

The 16 year olds are both products of the Mickleover Sports Academy and will be joining the former FA Cup winners from next Monday.

McGrath, the son of team manager John, is a left back and has made a number of starts with the team in the Northern Premier League this season. An aggressive tackler, as well as being strong aerially, McGrath is seen as having a bright future and is a reliable back-up for regular left back Ben Turner.

Satchwell, is an old style left winger, who loves to run at his opponent. He has also been a regular member of the first team squad and made his first team debut in the away match at Bamber Bridge.

““I am delighted that both Jay and Josh have this opportunity to showcase their talents at a football league club as prestigious as Coventry City. It’s another massive plus sign in our favour as a football club and it further cements our football ethos of developing young, skilled talent,” said manager John McGrath.

Published by Peter Scherer for Mickleover Sports February 21st 2020

Gainsborough Trinity (H): Match Preview

TRINITY NEXT, WEATHER PERMITTING?
by Peter Scherer

With two postponements in the last week or so, Mickleover Sports are keen to get back in Northern Premier League action, with Gainsborough Trinity due to visit the Don Amott Arena on Saturday.

Trinity are currently 16th in the league, after ending a run of 11 games undefeated, went they went down 3-1 at home to Stalybridge Celtic.

They also lost to Kidsgrove Athletic last night in the League Cup on penalties too.

Centre back Nathan Stainfield captains the side, the ex Boston Utd player signed from Spalding.

Like Sports keeper Nathan Broome, Trinity’s George Willis also represented England up to under 19, having come through the Sheffield Utd ranks. He is currently on loan from Boston.

Striker Jordan Adebayo-Smith is also a loanee from Lincoln City. The youngster has previously be loaned to Grantham and Boston.

Defender Jamie Green and Midfielder Alex Wiles both started their careers at Rotherham. Green was signed from Handsworth Paramore, but also played for Grimsby, Buxton and Boston and is a qualified physiotherapist, while Wiles in his second spell with the club, having signed from Tadcaster Albion.

Will Thornton is also in the defence, on loan from Guiseley, along with James Williamson, an ex North Ferriby, Scarborough and Matlock player.

Gregg Smith is one of the main strikers, having seen service with Boston, Tamworth, Grantham, Corby and Stamford, before joining Trinity from Newark.

Leon Howarth is another striker and one of the youngest players in the squad, signed from Handsworth.

Other players include defender Nuno Perreira, former England C representative Kingsley James, who started his career at Sheffield Utd.

Midfielder Simon Russell rejoined the club in 2018, having played for North Ferriby, Kidderminster and Cambridge Utd, striker Declan Bacon from Bottesford and Shane Clarke, ex Lincoln, Boston, Tamworth and Worksop midfielder, who is also on the coaching staff.

Kick-off is 3pm as usual, so get along and help Sports to another three points!!

It’s All Down To The Weather

by Peter Scherer

The weather has continued to hit Sports programme hard over the last week, with the home game against Basford Utd called off with the pitch waterlogged, then followed by storm Dennis causing the visit to Lancaster City to be postponed too.

Fortunately the reserves did get a game, what a game it was, an 8-0 win over Borrowash Vics Development on the Universities 4G pitch, having beaten them 5-0 away only a week before.

Josh Satchwell and Jiri Boula both scored twice, with Lewis Belgrave, Fin Barker, Surf Tefera and Thomas Junek completed the score sheet. 

They are still in with a chance of the Central Midlands title, with Linby Reserves the opponents this weekend. 

Another date to note is the Divisional Cup South Cup Final on April 1st when Sports Reserves face Swanwick Pentrich Road at Long Eaton, after their 11-0 win over Willington.

The first team are due at home this Saturday against Gainsborough Trinity, followed swiftly by Matlock Town’s visit to the Don Amott Arena on Tuesday. So its fingers crossed that the rain stops and both games go ahead as planned.

Sports v Basford United: Preview – Weather Permitting!!

by Peter Scherer

Weather permitting Mickleover Sports are due to play title contenders Basford United at the Don Amott Arena tomorrow night (Tuesday).

The wind caused problems in the game last Saturday, but we came away with everyone fit and available. We took Kemy Agustien off as a precaution, but he had a good game

Sports boss, John McGrath

Basford could have gone top last weekend but were held to a 1-1 draw of FC United of Manchester, with ex Derby County Junior Kane Richards scoring a second half equaliser, his 11th of the season.

Among the rest of the Basford line-up are Scottish goalkeeper Kieran Preston, an ex Bristol Rovers player, who was signed from Grantham.

Callum Chettle, son of manager and ex Nottingham Forest favourite Steve, began his career at Forest, but also numbers Peterborough Utd amongst his former clubs.

Midfielder James Reid also started at Forest and since played for NPL side Gainsbrough Trinity, similarly Matt Thornhill, who after leaving Forest played for Hibernian, after loan spells at Brighton and Cheltenham.

Polish born Stefan Galinski came from Grantham, but started his playing career at Derby County and has played for Alfreton Town too.

Sports will be hoping the weather relents as they still have 16 matches to play, including nine at home.

Sports 1-3 Whitby Town: Match Report

SPORTS HOME RUN ENDS
by Peter Scherer

Although Mickleover Sports started strongly against Whitby Town, their run of home success sadly came to an end with a 3-1 defeat in front of a healthy home crowd.

It was fairly even from the start until Patrick Webb had Whitby keeper Shane Bland at full stretch with a save just under the bar as the 20 minute mark approached. His attempt was then closely followed by a shot just around the left hand post from Stuart Beavon.

Durrell Berry had cleared one Whitby attempt off the line, before Sports pressure then told on 32 minutes when Webb was left with a tap in at the left hand post, after a dangerous cross from the right.

But Whitby were soon back into the game as Callum Patton secured the equaliser, before both Beavon and Webb had further attempts well saved by Bland. 

They went in at 1-1 at half time but within minutes of the restart Webb went close again, then with the Sports defenders looking for offside, Paul Blackett got through and was left to beat Sports Keeper Nathan Broome in a one on one to give Whitby the lead.

It continued as end to end, but the increasing wind started to play a part, particularly affecting Broome’s clearances.

Andrew Wright went desperately close to equalising, as his deflection just missed the top right hand corner, while Sports made a double substitution with Mason Warren replacing Keme Agustien and Reece Thompson on for Ryan Nesbitt.

But Whitby went further ahead when Patton scored his second with seven minutes on the clock, and made sure all three points headed Northwards.

Sports will be hoping to return to winning ways again on Tuesday evening, when they are up against title contenders Basford United.

View Match Photos (by Sarah Middleton)

Ticket Sellers Announced for VE Day 75 Family Concert

On Bank Holiday Friday 8th May, we will be hosting a fantastic family concert in celebration of the 75th anniversary of VE Day!

As well as purchasing tickets through the below button you can now purchase from local participating shops:

  • Mickleover Post Office, The Parade
  • Passion Flowers, Littleover
  • Post Office, Devonshire Drive, Mickleover
  • Don Amott Leisure, Hilton
  • Mickleover Sports Club
  • R D Stafford Butchers, Western Road, Mickleover
  • Premier Stores, Western Road, Mickleover
  • The Royal British Legion, Mickleover