by Peter Scherer

Following their victory over Mickleover Athletic last Friday, Mickleover Reserves were brought down to earth with a bang last night, losing 1-5 at Linby Colliery Welfare.

Starting line-up: 1-Josh Bull 2-Kacper Krawczyk 3-Connor Bland 4-Finlay Riggott 5-Dylan Buckley-Moore 6-Joe Moore 7-Shujah Ali 8-Luis Mas-Hall 9-Mason Chadwick 10-Thomas Swift 11-Mikey Mandimutsira. Subs: Marts Sudavs, Mateusz Krawczyk, Michel Laskiewicz, Efren Rolleston, Cohen Fearn.

It was a fairly lively start on a breezy but sunny evening, with Bull forced into the first save after five minutes, after some end to end exchanges.

Three minutes later our hosts headed just wide after a corner, as they began to settle and the Mickleover defence started to come under more and more pressure.

12 minutes in and Bull had to make another good save after a strong attack had outpaced Sports defence down the left, and he was in action again just two minutes later, picking out a dangerous cross from the right.

Mickleover had a half chance in the 16th minute when some good work from Swift found Chadwick in the box, but he was unable to get a final shot in.

Buckley-Moore headed over from a corner a few minutes later, soon followed by a speculative shot over the bar from Mandimutsira.

Swift and Ali were showing glimpses of promise, backed up by the hard working Mandimutsira and target man Chadwick.

But Linby were soon back on top, just missing out in a goal mouth scramble after 21 minutes. Only three minutes later they made their pressure count, when a cross from the left was headed home, the striker seemingly unmarked as the defence froze, 0-1.

Six minutes later another scramble in the box was cleared after Linby had scythed through the defence again, but they made it 0-2 after 32 minutes when the defence failed to clear a cross from the right. Bull saved the initial effort, but couldn’t stop the rebound.

Sudavs came on for Mandimutsira just after the half hour, after he took a knock. But it was Bull in action again, saving from another shot on the right with the half time whistle following.

Although Mickleover’s midfield had managed to make progress in the first half, the defence were outplayed in all departments, with keeper Bull the busiest player on the field.

The second half had barely kicked off when a Linby striker spotted Bull off his line. He tried a speculative lob but the keeper had it covered, but a minute later a fairly weak shot came in from the right, Bull left the ball expecting it to go wide, but after a bobble on the pitch it found the bottom left corner, 0-3.

Swift had another shot after 52 minutes, giving the home keeper a rare save to make and five minutes later Chadwick had a shot blocked.

But another goal soon followed for our hosts when the defence fell apart, before another fairly weak shot slipped through Bull’s hands and it was 0-4 with 63 minutes gone.

Bull punched away another shot two minutes later, soon followed by a header just over the bar as virtually all of the play was in the Mickleover half.

Mas-Hall had a shot saved by the home keeper’s feet, before Bull pulled off another good double save, the first from a shot well outside the box and the second with his feet too.

But with eight minutes left Sports finally got on the scoresheet when Moore got on the end of another goal mouth scramble.

It still wasn’t over though as some shambolic defending left Linby to score number five, with Bull again saving initially, but with no defender reacting to his save, the rebound was in and it ended 1-5.

 

by Miguel Mas Lilleman (Images: Michael Taylor)

Mickleover Reserves started their Central Midlands Alliance League campaign with a 2-1 home win against local rivals Mickleover Athletic.

Sports opened the scoring in the first half, when Morad Shweikh darted through the middle to chase a lovely through ball from Luis Mas Hall, beating Athletic’s offside trap that had been played from the start, to round the keeper and slot home 1-0.

The equaliser came almost on the stroke of half time, following three consecutive corners, leaving it 1-1 at the break.

But the winner then came midway through the second half, with a cool finish into the bottom right- hand corner from sub Mason Chadwick, after a nice interpassing move build up from Sports youngsters.

Athletic pushed hard for another equaliser, but two exceptional saves from keeper Josh Bull from one on one situations, made sure the three points stayed firmly in Sports grasp.

 

Mickleover FC Reserves take on newly promoted Mickleover Athletic at the Don Amott Arena, Friday August 1st, kick off 7.45pm.

Come down and cheer them on!

by Peter Scherer

Following last weekend’s disappointing defeat to neighbours Mickleover British Legion, Mickleover Reserves hit back in the best possible way, with a 6-1 win over Bakewell Town at the Don Amott Arena.

Starting line-up: 1-Josh Bull 2-Mason Hoult 3-Chris Palmer 4-Jared Cholerton 5-Silas Donkor 6-Harry Atwal 7-Liam Carter 8-Mo Shweikh 9-Mikey Mandimutsira 10-Bernard Nsiah 11-Josh Powell. Subs: Arnold Marimbe, Marats Sudans, Steve Powell.

It was a fairly even opening 10minutes, with Sports defence almost caught out after four minutes, when Cholerton misjudged a long clearance by the visitors, before Donkor came to the rescue.

Mickleover then won the first corner a minute later, but that came to nought, as the Bakewell defence cleared.

Carter had his first run down the right after nine minutes, as Sports started to build on more frequent attacks. On this occasion the keeper intercepted, but five minutes later he picked up on a long ball out of defence, cut inside again to fire home the opening goal 1-0.

From the restart Bakewell broke clear though, and tested Bull in the Mickleover goal for the first time, making a diving save to his right.

But only two minutes after the opening goal, Mickleover hit their second. Mandimutsira started the move on the left, before a crossfield ball to Atwal was struck firmly from outside the box, comfortably beating the keeper to make it 2-0.

The Mickleover defence were looking sold with Cholerton and Donkor in the middle, allowing Hoult and Palmer to use the wings. After 18 minutes a Bakewell corner briefly threatened, before Bull punched clear. The rebound was then cleared and sent Hoult on a break.

A few minutes later Carter beat the defence again on the right, he tried a shot but the keeper snatched it as Nsiah tried to follow up.

Carter had another shot blocked 23 minutes in, but Mickleover continued to dominate possession. Bakewell did get a shot in with seven minutes of the first half left, but after that was blocked, Mandimutsira tried his luck, shooting just wide of the right-hand post.

It was close to a third for Sports as the half time whistle was poised, when Atwal’s shot was blocked, and Carter followed up with a strike just over the bar.

Straight from the kick off of the second half Nsiah just lost out to the Bakewell keeper in a one-on-one chase, but 50 minutes and in and the home defence was breached, when they failed to clear a corner and it was suddenly 2-1.

Carter put a shot straight into the keepers hands a minute later, before some rash tackles started to come from the Bakewell defence. Powell was brought down the edge of the box and Mandimutsira connected after Palmer’s free kick to make it 3-1.

Mickleover were on a charge and just a minute later Nsiah almost broke through after another lengthy run, but just after the hour mark Sports made it count again. Powell’s shot on the left came back off a defender and fell nicely to Palmer, who sent his curling shot into the far corner, 4-1.

After a Bakewell effort went over the bar from the left, Carter left the defence in his wake again on the right wing, he out a perfect ball into the box where Nsiah just got to the ball first, flicking over the advancing keeper and it was 5-1 with 68 minutes gone.

Mickleover continued to press and Nsiah almost made it through again with a long run after 75 minutes, soon followed by another Carter shot, but well over the bar.

Carter was almost through again with 10 minutes left, but he was hacked down and ignored by the referee, who briefly left everyone in doubt over his intentions.

Powell was fouled again on the edge of the box and Palmer’s free kick found Atwal, whose cross was just a whisker from connecting with Nsiah’s head.

Sports made two late substitutions with Shweikh and Carter making way for Dembele and Sudans, but after Bakewell gave Bull a last catch from a tame shot, Hoult charged down the right on the 90 minute mark, crossed to find Nsiah who struck his second goal of the night, to make it a solid 6-1 victory.

 

by Peter Scherer

Two goals in the second half made sure that Mickleover Reserves secured a 3-1 victory over Arnold Town in their Central Midlands Alliance Leage clash.

Starting line-up: 1-Josh Maher 2-Brad Brittan 3-Brandon Ferron 4-Harry Atwal 5-Silas Donker 6-Ted Stevenson 7-Mo Shweikh 8-Chris Palmer 9-Arnold Marimbe 10-Bernard Nsiah 11-Luke Thompson. Subs: Mason Hoult, Jared Cholerton, Marats Sudans.

Barely had the game kicked off and Shweikh made a break down the right wing to earn a corner. Palmer’s kick then met a scramble in the box, but Atwal’s head got the final touch to make it 1-0, despite protests that the ball hadn’t crossed the line.

Just two minutes later Ferron and Thompson combined, totally outpaced the visitors defence and earned another corner, which went straight into the side netting.

It took a while for Arnold to settle into the game, but they earned their first corner after seven minutes, which came to nought.

Ferron once again tore passed the visitors defence and sent a cross in a few minutes later. But Nsiah couldn’t get control and any chance had gone.

Nsiah then had another shot saved after cutting inside from the left, Stevenson’s shot on the rebound was saved too, before Shweikh fired his effort over the bar.

13 minutes in and another Ferron and Thompson move found Palmer in the middle, but he struck his shot wide.

But the visitors were back on equal terms a minute later, when a gap opened through the middle of the Mickleover defence, making it 1-1 with their first shot on target.

Mickleover were quickly back on the attack and after cutting inside again from the left, Thompson fired over the bar, before a perfect cross from Ferron forced a goal mouth scramble, before it went for a goal kick.

Arnold put a weak shot wide of Maher’s left- hand post after 17 minutes, but it was Ferron leading the Mickleover breaks and after 23 minutes, another long run and some accurate interpassing came to nought again.

The visitors won a 27th minute free kick which sailed over the bar, but they started to win more possession, when Sports started to give the ball away in midfield.

33 minutes in and a casual mis-pass set up another Arnold break, but they failed to maximise the opportunity with a shot wide of the left-hand post, followed two minutes late with another weak shot wide of the goal.

After Thompson was fouled, Palmer’s free kick found Shweikh, he took the ball to the line to cross, but there was no one in the middle.

With seven minutes of the first half left Shweikh broke again, but his chase ended when the advancing keeper managed to intercept.

Arnold had another chance when Sports lost possession again, but the visitors striker tried a spectacular acrobatic shot, missed the goal and injured himself in the process.

But there was more drama almost on the whistle, when Sports keeper Maher was alleged to have punched the ball outside his box. He was yellow carded and a free kick awarded, which went sailing over the bar again.

Mickleover started the second half with tremendous pace, and just five minutes into the restart Shweikh’s cross almost connected with Nsiah, but the visitors keeper just got there in time.

It was almost a repeat a minute later, with the same two players, but this time Nsiah struck to make it 2-1.

Thompson had continued to cause chaos on the left with two more breaks approaching the hour mark. After being hacked down to earn a free kick, Palmer sent a curling shot just shy of the top corner.

Palmer almost connected with Nsiah a few minutes later, before Shweikh found himself clear. He had time but rushed his shot, sending it well wide of the goal.

The visitors had begun to look jaded and the youthful Mickleover side soon took advantage again. Marimbe was through with just the keeper to beat, his shot was blocked, but Thompson followed up to make it 3-1 after 72 minutes.

Nsiah had another good shot well saved after a cross from Shweikh, before Stevenson limped off to be replaced by Surats.

Maher was also injured and so Palmer went into goal for the final minutes, with Cholerton on as sub.

In time added on there could have been two more goals, firstly Ferron’s long run ended with him hitting the post and then Thompson was blocked with a last minute tackle, so it remained a fairly comfortable 3-1 win for Sports.

by Peter Scherer (Images: Steve Ingers)

Mickleover Reserves hopes of progressing in the Abacus Lighting Floodlit Cup came to an abrupt end, with a 1-4 defeat at home to Haworth Colliery last Tuesday evening.

Two goals in each half from our visitors, ended Sports youngsters challenge.

Back in the Central Midlands Alliance League, Sports were on the wrong end of 0-4 defeat at Linby Colliery 10 days earlier, just a few days after Josh Carter hit all four goal in a thrilling 4-3 win over Cromford & Wirksworth.

They are not due to play again until AFC Normanton visit on March 11th at 7.45pm.

 

by Peter Scherer

It turned into a goal fest at the Don Amott Arena last night, as Mickleover Reserves beat Dearne and District JFC 9-0 in the Abacus Lighting Floodlit Cup.

Starting line-up: 1-Josh Bull 2-Mason Hoult 3-Brad Britten 4-Harry Atwal 5-Toby Smith 6-Hamza Konane 7-Mikey Mandimutsira 8-Ted Stevenson 9-Lamar Okunkwo 15-Brodie Carter 11-Luke Thompson. Subs: Josh Carter, Liam Carter, Josh Powell, Morad Shweikh, Josh Maher.

Straight from the kick off Mickleover were on the attack, but Konane’s opening shot after three minutes was well over the bar. But two minutes later Hoult’s first charge down the right wing, saw his cross go out of play and relieve the pressure on our visitors.

Sports won the first corner after nine minutes, but Konane’s shot was deflected out for another corner, which then came to nought.

Dearne’s first real attack came 10 minutes in, but the cross from the Mickleover went out for a throw.

Mandimutsira was next to take a run at the visitors defence, having outpaced the challengers, his initial shot was blocked, before Thompson sent the rebound over the bar.

A series of corners then followed, with some goal mouth scramble’s as Dearne were just holding on. But 14 minutes in and Konane’s first effort came back to Thompson off the woodwork, who fired the ball into the roof of the net, 1-0.

Okunkwo could have made it two three minutes later, but he shot was just wide of the left-hand post, but some very sloppy defending from the visitors and poor clearance’s kept the pressure on.

Dearne had their keeper to thank for stopping Mandimutsira after 20 minutes, following another poor clearance. Then after Okunkwo had fired over from a Thompson cross after a deflection, the ball fell to Atwal in a crowded box and he made it 2-0 after 27 minutes.

Both Hoult and Brittan had the freedom of the overlap and on the half hour mark, Brittan’s telling cross from the left was intercepted. 

Dearne then made a rare attack to win a corner, but that was easily dealt with by Atwal and Smith, but Atwal’s break came to end when he was fouled on the halfway line.

Thompson’s jinking runs on the left earned another corner, but Brittan’s kick went straight out of play. But Sports keeper Bull then had a rare touch, when Dearne had a shot after 35 minutes.

It was soon goal number three though, when a great run by Hoult down the right, leaping some lurid tackles to cross for Brodie Carter to tap home, 3-0.

Dearne managed to reach the Mickleover box a minute later, but Hoult cleared, before he found Thompson in the next attack, but his path was blocked.

A fourth goal looked almost inevitable, but with a minute left, Mandimutsira ran in to have a shot blocked, before Carter’s rebound was blocked too.

Finally Thompson broke free on the right, but his cross beat everyone and it remained 3-0.

Early into the second half Mickleover made a triple substitution, with Josh and Liam Carter and Josh Powell, replacing Brodie Carter, Mandmutsira and Okunkwo.

Josh Carter had only been on the pitch four minutes, when he fired home number four from the edge of the box, 4-0. While on the hour Liam Carter crossed from the right, with brother Josh just missing out.

One minute later the Dearne keeper made a good save from Josh Carter, before Liam outpaced the defence on the right to set up number five for Josh Powell, 5-0 after 64 minutes.

The visitors went close though a minute later, with Smith having to clear off the line with Bull beaten. Josh Carter and Konane then combined and had the defence in knots, before the final shot went wide.

Stevenson then came off to make way for Shweikh, but Powell went close again, after cutting in from the right.

Smith then made it 6-0 poking home a cross from Josh Carter and just a minute later Shweikh made it 7-0, as the visitors were finding it hard to break from their own box.

76 minutes and the keeper tipped over another shot from Josh Carter, but a minute later he made it 8-0 and Sports youngsters still weren’t finished.

Josh Carter had lost out on a one on with the keeper after 79 minutes, but right on full-time Liam Carter made it 9-0 after some good work from Thompson.

Mickleover now move on to the next round, where they are due to host Harworth Colliery.

by Peter Scherer

Despite having dominated much of the game, Mickleover Reserves finished on the wrong end of a 1-0 scoreline against local rivals Graham St.Prims, in their Central Midlands Alliance game at the Don Amott Arena.

Starting line-up: 1-Josh Bull 2-Mason Hoult 3-Elliott Riches 4-Hary Atwal 5-Jared Cholerton 6-Toby Smith 7-Liam Carter 8-Hamza Konane 9-Josh Powell 10-Josh Carter 11-Luke Thompson, Subs: Silas Donker, Mikey Mandimitsura, Brodie Carter, Ted Stevenson. Marats Sudavs.

In a lively start it was the visitors that had the first shot of the game, just wide of the right-hand post after three minutes. Sports soon retaliated as Liam Carter led a break, but he took a knock as his path was blocked.

Four minutes later Prims fired in a dangerous cross from the right, but the striker couldn’t quite connect and earned a corner. That led to another corner on the other side, which ended with a shot well wide of the goal.

Although Mickleover were looking to attack, they had been losing out in midfield, but at the back Atwal and Cholerton looked solid, allowing Hoult and Riches to push forward on the wings.

Konane had just started a good run after 13 minutes, but he was fouled on the halfway line and then again seconds later on the right wing.

Liam Carter saw a chance a few minutes later, but he just lost out in the chase for the ball, to Prims advancing keeper, before the two collided and treatment was required again.

Liam and Josh Carter then combined for a short corner, before Thompson’s powerful shot brought the first of a number of good saves from the visitors keeper.

18 minutes in and Cholerton cut off a Prims break, before Liam Carter was fouled again on the right wing as Mickleover broke. 

It was one on one after 22 minutes when Thompson was fractionally beaten to the ball by Prims keeper again, but the visitors then got another break too. Having fought through the home defence after picking up a loose ball, the final shot failed to trouble Bull in the Mickleover goal.

Josh Carter then broke too, but his shot was just wide of the left-hand post.

After Thompson had been fouled Josh Carter lined up for the free kick, he beat the wall but it was wide of the left-hand post too.

The pressure was beginning to build on the visitors, with Riches on a lengthy run before a late interception ended his hopes of a shot.

Smith gave away a free kick in the halfway line on the half hour, but Mickleover were soon attacking with Liam Carter cutting in from the right again, but his shot was the wrong side of the post. But Riches made sure the ball was back in Prims box, but the defence had it covered, before they broke too, and their hurried shot was well over the bar.

During another intense spell for Sports, Hoult put two dangerous crosses into the box from the right, and Josh Carter went close again.

The chances for Mickleover had become fairly thick and fast but it was still 0-0, but after 41 minutes it looked almost certain to change. But a fantastic double reflex save at point blank range, once again thwarted the Mickleover attack.

44 minutes and the keeper saved them again, somehow managing to block Thompson’s close range shot, before Smith found Josh Carter, he found the net but was deemed offside.

In time added on the deadlock was broken not but in the direction expected. Prims made the most of a defensive slip in the left corner and initially Bull saved the first shot, diving down at his near post. But the ball was loose again and the visitors made no mistake at the second attempt. 0-1, with the half time whistle quickly following.

Thompson went close to the equaliser, after getting on the end of a Powell pass after 49 minutes, but it was deflected for a corner. Hoult then put the ball back into the box and Josh Carter almost got to the ball, but the keeper managed to intercept.

There was another diving save from the Prims keeper three minutes later, but Liam Carter followed up, but this time his shot was straight at the keeper.

Thompson fired over after 54 minutes and Josh Carter had another shot saved, but the Prims defence somehow continued to prove impenetrable.

Their had been few opportunities for the visitors to increase their lead, but they had a shot over the bar too after a goalmouth scramble just before the hour mark.

The attacks continued in Mickleover’s favour, with Hoult cutting in from the right to fire over, before Sports made their first change with Stevenson on for Konane.

Thompson had another shot over 74 minutes in, before some nice interplay between Smith, Thompson and Riches ended when the ball ran loose and became an easy pickup for the keeper.

Time was running out, but almost everyone was joining in the attacks. Smith crossed from the right found Josh Carter, but his deft touch went straight into the keepers hands, before Carter and Powell combined in the 84^th minute, thwarted again by the keeper.

Smith was busy on both wings and for the final four minutes Brodie Carter came on for Thompson. But in time added on there was one last chance to snatch a point, when the ball fell to Stevenson in the middle, but the sub couldn’t connect and it was game over with the unluckiest of defeats.