by Peter Scherer

Mickleover Reserves made it two wins in four days, as they beat table topping Blidworth Welfare on Friday evening, to end the visitors long unbeaten run.

Starting line-up: 1-Fin Bowen 2-Larrel King 3-Jake Edge-Lucas 4-John McGrath  6-Pat Pugh 7-George Atwal 8-Andrew Wright 9-Josh Satchwell 10-Fin Barker  12-Ethan Mann 15-Clinton Morrison. Subs: Josh Elliott, Jude Ayetine, Pablo Mills.

It could so easily have been a goal for the visitors in the opening minute, when Pugh lost possession just outside the box and Bowen had to make an early save.

But only four minutes later McGrath, King and Atwal combined in a positive build up, but the final shot was just over. 

For a while it looked like Sports had got the opening goal when after nine minutes Satchwell went up with the Blidworth keeper after a cross from McGrath. He won the ball and put it in the back of the net, but the referee gave a foul in the keepers favour.

But it was Blidworth who opened the scoring after 14 minutes, when a poor kick from Bowen was intercepted and the incoming striker made no mistake in firing over the oncoming keeper, 0-1.

Only a minute later though Barker was in full flight when he was tripped in the box. Atwal took the penalty and it was 1-1.

The next 10 minutes were fairly end to end, before a McGrath free kick was headed on from Morrison, with Barker just failing to connect.

Blidworth then went on the attack again, but a half chance was sent well wide of the target.

29 minutes in and Satchwell scorched past the Blidworth defender on the right, fired in a shot from a tight angle, which rebounded off the post.

Barker picked it up and fed it through to Satchwell, who made no mistake, 2-1.

There were appeals for a Blidworth penalty after 36 minutes, it was a hard tackle but the Sports defender won the ball and the appeals were dismissed.

Some of Mickleover’s defending had become too casual and they had begun to give the ball away. 

But in the closing minutes of the first half it was Mickleover on the attack again. Barker had another near miss when McGrath and Morrison combined again and another Morrison ball split the Blidworth defence, but was too long for Barker.

Almost on the whistle Satchwell made it 3-1 when a long clearance from McGrath, left him challenging one on one with the Blidworth keeper in the air. Satchwell’s head proved decisive and this time the goal stood.

Only four minutes into the second half and it was back to 3-2, when more casual defending left the way clear for the Blidworth strike, giving Bowen no chance with a powerful shot.

Barker picked up the pace again and both King and Edge-Lucas were back with positive overlaps from the wing.

54 minutes in Pugh made a lovely lobbed pass into the heart of the Blidworth defence, but both Barker and Satchwell’s progress was blocked.

Only a minute later Barker was through again, but was tripped in the area. Everyone in the ground witnessed the tackle a yard inside the box, but the referee gave a free kick outside, which came to nought.

The attacks were piling the pressure on the visitors defence and after 57 minutes an Edge-Lucas’ cross  from the right was punched away by the keeper inches from Satchwell’s head.

Three minutes later Barker’s pace and drive was finally rewarded when a fine solo run in from the left made it 4-2.

Sports made a double substitution with Mills and Elliott on for Morrison and Wright.

Mills was soon in the action too, heading just over from a McGrath cross after 65 minutes, before Elliott tried a random shot well wide of the target.

Ayetine came on for Barker after 70 minutes, but it was Mills going for goal again. He had a lob over the bar from a McGrath through ball, before Ayetine fired in a great shot well saved by the Blidworth keeper.

Mills tried another lob after 83 minutes and right on time Ayetine put a cross or shot right across the face of the goal.

Mickleover now move to only two points off Blidworth at the top of the table with two games in hand.

by Peter Scherer

To use an old cliché, a game of two halves, well Mickleover Reserves Central Midlands Premier Division South game at home to Nottingham certainly was.

Starting line-up: 1 Fin Bowen 2-Larrel King 3-Jake Edge-Lucas 12-Ethan Mann 4-John McGrath 15-Pablo Mills 6-Pat Pugh 7-Fin Barker 8-Ricky Ravenhill 10-Andrew Wright 17-George Atwal.

Mickleover had their first promising attack after four minutes, but it started end to end, with Bowen sprinting off his line a minute later to thwart the visitors first attack.

Sports went close after seven minutes when a Mills free kick found Wright, who put the ball across the face of the goal.

Atwal, McGrath and Barker then combined, forcing the Notts keeper to pull off a good save.

The keeper was soon in action again blocking a point blank shot from Wright after 10 minutes.

Both King and Edge-Lucas were starting to push forward on the wings and 14 minutes in King’s run just over the bar.

Two more saves from the keeper but after 17 minutes he finally succumbed, when Edge-Lucas crossed from the left and Mills hit it home 1-0.

A few minutes later Edge-Lucas put another good cross in but there was no one top collect.

There was another good chance for Sports when Barker had a long run through the defence after23 minutes. Wright was on the receiving end but his shot was high and wide.

Notts were making random breaks, which on the whole were covered by Mann and Pugh at the back. But after 25 minutes Notts managed to hit the bar too.

Sports came charging back however and Mills made it 2-0 after 28 minutes, when a McGrath through ball left him one on one with the visitors keeper, slotting home with inches to spare.

Mills was almost there again just missing an Edge-Lucas cross into the box  and a minute later with a free kick headed clear.

Edge-Lucas went on another over lap just past the half hour, this time he took it himself and hit the post, before King fired a cross back into the box, with a Mills miss hit right in front of goal.

Notts had another rare chance after 40 minutes but shot wide and Sports rounded off a strong second half with a good build up from McGrath and Mills, before Atwal lost possession.

Mickleover started the second half unchanged and were on the attack again, with Mann trying a long shot on target. Wright then fired another attempt over after 48 minutes, before the Josh Satchwell came on at left wing back for Edge-Lucas.

Notts pulled one back after 54 minutes when Pugh lost out, leaving Bowen little chance from a well struck shot.

Ravenhill then found Mills in space and he saw the keeper off his line, tried a chip which was just wide.

Notts were starting to get into the game more and Bowen was forced to leave his line, but missed the ball, leaving Mann to clear.

But Mickleover came straight back to make it 3-1 on the hour, with Barker whipping through the defence to slot home in a solo effort from the left.

Only a minute later it was 3-2 when Bowen’s initial save saw the ball loose. With no defenders close enough to clear, the Notts striker took his chance.

Sports subbed Ravenhill with Ash Elliott and Barker with Jude Ayetine.

Ayetine managed to get a break on the left after Notts had pushed forward, the ball fell back to Atwal, but his long shot fell wide.

The flow of the game had become more scrappy as both teams tried to push forward.

Satchwell tried a cross from the left after 74 minutes, but it was blocked in the box and then Mann had a header saved.

Bowen was then forced to save again from a Notts break, before King went on the attack and had a 81^st shot saved.

In the final five minutes Ayetine cut inside and got a strong shot in, but the deflection ended the last chance of the game.

It was a tough game with Mickleover doing just enough to keep Notts at bay for the win, after a much improved second half from the visitors.

On Friday it’s an even tougher game, when Mickleover face top of the table Blidworth at home, kick off 7.45.

by Peter Scherer

Following the 1-0 defeat at home to Long Eaton, Mickleover FC Reserves returned to winning and goal scoring ways last Saturday.

Currently second in the table with a game in hand, they don’t have another game until Ashland Rovers visit the Don Amott Arena and Saturday September 18^th.

Report from Central Midland League premier South.

“Mickleover Reserves also hit half a dozen as they beat Holbrook St Michaels 6-1. There were two for George Atwal and Larell King and one each from Will Robinson and Jude Ayetine while Alister Broughton got a consolation for Holbrook.”

by Peter Scherer

Unbeaten in their first three Central Midlands League Premier Division South games, Mickleover Reserves visited Mansfield Hosiery Mills last night.

The starting line-up was 1-Fin Bowen 2-Dan Williams 3-Kyle Sharp 4-George Atwal 5-Ethan Mann 6-Will Robinson 7-Lewis Benjamin 8-Jake Edge-Lucas 9-Devon Smith 10-Josh Satchwell 17-Fin Barker. Subs: Cameron Anthony, Ash Elliott, Ted Stevenson, Zach Robertson.

From the kick off sports were straight into attack mode and when Atwal, Sharp and Smith went on a long run after only two minutes, they were just should of making the first telling shot.

Mansfield had a brief response which Bowen dealt with by a long clearance, which just overshot Barker’s run, but gained the first corner of the game.

A mix up in the Mansfield defence left Smith with the ball a couple of minutes later, his pass found Barker, whose first time shot was just over.

A free kick and corner followed in close succession for Mansfield, but the latter was followed up with a weak shot, that failed to trouble Bowen.

Some of the Mansfield tackling was excessively hard, none more so than when Mann was flattened just inside the hosts half after 14 minutes. The resulting free kick was then headed clear for a corner.

From the corner Smith picked the ball up and sent Barker clear through on goal, he was foiled and almost had his shirt ripped off, but the referee gave neither a free kick or more importantly and obvious penalty.

Sports normal flowing game started to become stifled by the raft of free kicks given against for the hosts intimidating tackles, more concerning that so many were from behind.

After 24 minutes a break down the left, saw Barker follow with a shot just wide again, before the battling Edge-Lucas found his way through the melee to earn a corner 28 minutes in. Williams was then brought down, and another penalty appeal after he had another nice interchange with Barker.

Atwal had a free kick but it went straight at the keeper and after 36 minutes Smith’s run found Barker again in the middle, but he was forced out wide unable to get a shot in.

The best chance of the first half came three minutes later, when Barker put a low cross in from the right, as Smith slid into connect, it was inches wide.

Sports pushed hard in the closing minutes of the first half and after a corner, Williams crossed and Sharp created space for his own shot just off target.

The hosts keeper then had to pull off a double save as Satchwell’s initial shot found Smith, whose effort was pushed away with the keeper at full stretch.

Benjamin was then booked for clash with a dramatic defender, after he had a strong down the left, bringing to an end an ill disciplined and scrappy first half.

As the second half got under way Mickleover came out with all guns blazing, gone was the apprehension of the strength overcoming skill, and they even learned to overcome some of the poor officialdom too.

Satchwell had a shot saved from a Sharp pass after 47 minutes and a minute later Barker was fouled yet again and a strong run.

With Edge-Lucas, Atwal and Benjamin driving forward, Satchwell, Barker and Smith all began to threaten more.

Barker worked the ball through to Smith, his shot was blocked, similarly Satchwell’s rebound and then Smith had an overhead kick over the bar.

But just before the hour was up the deadlock was finally broken. It was a fairly scrappy build up but came down to Smith and the hosts keeper in a fairly hefty clash.

As the keeper made contact, Smith still got his head not only above the keeper, but got enough contact on the ball to find the net, 1-0.

Within the next few minutes Satchwell was through on goal and despite being incorrectly flagged offside, by the refs assistant who was well behind play, it was chance gone. Smith then had another shot just wide a few minutes later before Barker had a try saved following a corner.

Barker then found himself in the refs book, which was still unusually devoid of Mansfield names.

Mann and Robinson continued rock solid at the back, with the almost redundant Bowen looking on, but the attacks continued with a Williams cross deflected interestingly close to the Mansfield goal.

After a couple more incorrect offside decisions, one following a clear a play on from a Mansfield defender, Satchwell finally got through again without being flagged, but his final shot was blocked.

The push became more intense as they looked for a second goal, and Edge-Lucas went close with a chip into the area, before Robinson blasted well over the bar.

But there was another free kick after 36 minutes. Atwal lined himself up and fired it straight into the Mansfield net 2-0.

Ash Elliott came on for Smith for the last seven minutes and Ted Stevenson competed the last few minutes after Satchwell came off, but the final whistle went and Mickleover returned home 2-0, having overcome a battling, sometimes over the top clash, with officials likened more to the Three Stooges than three wiremen.

by Peter Scherer

Fresh from their first Central Midlands Premier Division South home game of the year, Mickleover Reserves again ran riot again in their visitors defence.

This time it was Wirksworth Ivanhoe on the receiving end of an 8-1 trashing.

Following on from his five goals against Hilton, Devon Smith hit another hattrick, with George Atwal adding two and further goals from Jake Edge-Lucas, Fin Barker and Jude Ayetine, with Dan Walton pulling one back for the visitors.

Next game is away to Mansfield Hosiery at 7.45pm on Thursday. Mansfield are currently 12^th in the table, after losing at home last Saturday 4-2 to Linby Colliery Welfare.

by Peter Scherer

With last Saturday’s opening day win at South Normanton still fresh, Mickleover Reserves had their first home game in this seasons Central Midlands Premier Division South campaign  last night against Hilton.

Starting line-up 1-Fin Bowen 2- Larrel King 3-Ben Lewin 4-George Atwal 15 –Ethan Mann 6-Will Robinson 7-Lewis Benjamin 8-Jake Edge-Lucas 9- Devon Smith 10-Bobby Battisson 17 Fin Barker. Subs: Ash Elliott; Ted Stevenson; Pablo Mills.

It was hard to even count the seconds before Smith opened the scoring for Mickleover, maybe 10 if we are generous to Hilton, 1-0.

But the visitors tried to respond quickly, with skipper Lewin clearing the danger after three minutes, before the game started to settle.

It could easily have been a second for Mickleover when only the visiting keepers legs saved them , after good ball in from Battisson created Barker’s shooting chance.

A minute later and it was 2-0 after Battisson found himself one on one with the Hilton keeper, before successfully chipping  over his advancing rival.

Mickleover were playing the ball around the field with growing confidence, with King and Lewin free to roam on the wings, as Robinson and Mann coped with Hilton’s advances relatively easily.

Edge-Lucas poured loads of energy into his midfield role, while Atwal, Battisson and Benjamin were more tactical in their approach.

Lewin had a shot just wide after 23 minutes, but the ease of Mickleover’s game, with both skill and pace was just too much for the visitors.

Battisson almost sent Barker clear after 24 mins and a minute later after Battisson was fouled on the edge of the box, Atwal’s free kick was well-saved by the Hilton keeper, tipping over for a corner.

King then tried his luck after a slow build up, his shot was just wide too, while only two minutes later he was almost through again, but a last minute tackle came in before he was able to shoot.

After Barker had a shot straight at the keeper well held, Lewin the tested him too with a low drive at the right corner.

But Hilton did get a break after 32 mins forcing Bowen to race off his line to clear the danger, setting up another Barker attack, before the striker lost possession just outside the box.

A couple of minutes later and Mann had a shot too, from outside the box he fired just over the bar.

Hilton then had a yellow card after a second attempt to foul Atwal, took the midfielders legs  from beneath him. 

Mickleover’s third goal had only been a matter of time and it came after 38 mins, after Battisson hit the post. Edge-Lucas’ shot went close and then after hitting the bar, Robinson made it 3-0 from the rebound. The Hilton keeper must have felt like a ping pong ball, as the shots had reigned in from all angles.

It was nearly half time but still time for one more. Barker had broken through again and hit the post, Edge-Lucas then picked it up and charged for goal, only to brought down for a penalty. Atwal made no mistake from the spot, to send the team in for half time  with a comfortable 4-0 lead.

As the second half got underway, Mickleover were soon on the attack again. Although Barker’s input was more visible, Smith’s play caused havoc for the Hilton defence. 49 mins and he got his second and Mickleover’s fifth 5-0!!

5 minutes later and it goal number six and Battisson’s second. He created his own space with time on his side, before placing a perfectly weighted shot over the top of a dormant Hilton defence into the roof of the net.

Smith’s hattrick soon followed 7-0, before the first of the subs came on with Mills and Elliott for Battisson and Benjamin after 59 mins, with Stevenson soon following.

Hilton had a rare chance after 71 mins, but a clear shot was well wide of Bowen’s goal, but play at both ends had started to show signs of casualness.

78 mins and Smith smashed in another, having been almost unchallenged by the defence, but two minutes later a rare mistake in the Mickleover defence left Hilton clear to pull one back, after Bowen was given no chance at close range, 8-1.

Possible double figures were on the cards and the shots came in thick and fast over the last 10 minutes. Barker shot just over on 80 mins, then Mills similarly seven minutes later.

Hilton had another shot just wide with two mins left, before Smith got his fifth after low cross in from Lewin founds him totally free in space, 9-1. In the final minute he could so easily have had a sixth, but his effort went straight across the front of an open goal.

An outstanding  performance from such a young team, so if you can’t travel to South Shields on Saturday, get down to the Don Amott Arena on Saturday, with Wirksworth Ivanhoe the visitors at 3pm, you are sure to entertained and it’s £4 on the gate!

by David Mackenzie, Reserves Manager

 A youthful team headed up the A38 for the season’s opener. As usual the pitch was in great condition which would suit our passing game. The average age was 17.7 years.

There were no surprises that South Normanton would be strong and try and put us under pressure however we settled well and the S. N. keeper made an excellent save to stop the first goal. Shortly afterwards Ben Lewin rattled the upright for the second time as we started to exert steady pressure on the S.N. defence.

A rash challenge on George Atwal ended with a skirmish in the middle of the field with several players involved. When the dust had settled South Normanton’s #9 got his marching orders on the advice of the nearside linesman.  Half time saw the teams go in level although we could say we were a bit unlucky.

The start of the second half saw a S.N. defender sin binned having observed verbally that the linesman was a lady’s front bottom.

During the sin bin time Mickleover took the lead with a crisp left foot drive from 18 yards by George Atwal who was imposing himself all over the pitch.

With S.N. restored to 10 Mickleover continued to press with both full backs wide and 3 attackers through the middle. Several opportunities were carved out but SN continued to hold firm until Fin Barker was fouled in the box and George Atwall struck home the resulting penalty with aplomb.

Fin Barker, Devon Smith and Jude Ayetine were causing all sorts of problems and from one such run Fin cut inside and a sweetly struck shot to the bottom corner gave the keeper no chance.

A fine performance with each player playing their part and young Ethan Mann and Will Robinson outstanding.

by Peter Scherer

Mickleover Reserves travelled to Newark Town last Saturday for a friendly match, as they prepare for their first game in the Central Midlands League Premier South Division, away to South Normanton on August 7^th.

It was 0-0 at half time, but Academy Graduate Fin Barker broke the deadlock, with Mickleover returning home 1-0 victors.

by D.Mac, Reserves Manager, Mickleover F.C.

Having come through the group stages, a quarter-final against Dinnington and a tough semi-final against Rowsley, the reserves should have seen us in good shape to face the challenge of Retford Utd in the final of the Chairman’s Cup. 

Unfortunately, the cumulative fixtures of the Academy, Reserves and First team took its toll and we went to Sheffield with several players carrying injuries or knocks and also Jacob Ferdinand had a previously booked engagement.

The team that started the final was Tom Smith, Larrel King, Matt Fuertado, Tom Eccleshall, Ash Elliot, Jacob Lucas, Lopes Massampo, Surafel Tefera with Will Monteiro and Jude Ayetine up top. On the bench were Fin Barker, Devon Smith, Josh Satchwell, Bobby Battisson and George Williamson.

The team started off strongly and only brilliant agility and fortuity from the Retford goalkeeper maintained the stalemate. Good chances were being created almost every time Mickleover went into the Retford half. Will, Jude and Surf all thought they had scored but for the aforementioned quality of the goalkeeper. Tom Eccleshall then put in a great cross met by the head of Jude Ayetine, only for the ball to connect with the underside of the bar and clear.

It seemed that a goal would come soon and it did, sadly at the wrong end for us. It was a similar goal to the one we lost at Rowsley, with a player dribbling across our box and striking a shot low into the corner at the left-hand post. A good goal to score but defensively one that could have been prevented.

Worse followed! You ask for consistency from referees and we certainly got it on Saturday. Retford took advantage of leniency on the referee’s part by stealing several yards at throw-ins. The ball went out of play right beside the right-hand side corner flag but the throw-in was actually taken almost in line with the 18 yard line. From that point Retford worked the ball well up the park and an excellent cross was put in from the right-wing. The cross was met with a great header back across the goal high into the side of the net. A goal of great quality.

Into the second half and Mickleover continued to press without creating the same level of chances. Then Ash Elliot drove into the box beating a couple of players and was brought down by a desperate challenge – penalty awarded. Surf unceremoniously struck the ball low to the keepers right 2-1 game on. 

Five minutes later Ash again was in the box and in the action of shooting was caught from behind – a stonewall penalty in the eyes of everyone bar two- the ones that mattered. Ash said afterwards that the second challenge was worse than the first. 

Mickleover made another couple of chances which we snatched at which was understandable given the pressure.

Missing fouls was to prove the final nail when Tom Eccleshall was fouled some 30 yards out. The game carried on and what followed was a goal good enough to win any cup. The Retford sub found himself to the right side of our penalty box and hit a sweet ferocious drive into the roof of the net.

The game finished with a well struck shot that missed the target – the story of our match.

If football mirrored life there would have only been one winner but it’s a cruel game and whilst Retford scored three excellent goals and in the main defended well Mickleover should have won the game in the first 20/25 minutes. Congratulations to Retford Utd and also thanks to Sheffield FC for their organisation and hospitality.

 

by D.Mac, Mickleover F.C., Reserves Manager
with additional words from Jon Battisson and Peter Scherer

Rowsley 86 v Mickleover F.C. Reserves – Chairman’s Cup – Semi Final

The Mickleover Reserves team headed back up the A6, unless you went up the A38 and across the A615, to the scenic setting of Rowsley, situated in a little Swale at the edge of the Peak District. 

This semi-final was the third time we have made acquaintance with them in the last month, having been paired with them in the group stages and playing our home game there as well.

 I also went up and watched their quarter-final win over Bentley and now my Sat Nav thinks my home address is Peaktor Lane, Rowsley! The results of the first two games were one win each, however being the tactical geniuses that Aaron and I are, we inveigled a 2-1 defeat in the last game, so as we would get an away tie in the quarter-final and not have to pay the officials!

But one thing guaranteed at Rowsley is a friendly welcome and post-match.

The team, showing a couple of changes from the quarter-final win at Dinnington Town, was Tom Smith, Lopes Massampo, Jacob Ferdinand, Matt Fuertado, Tom Eccleshall, George Milner, Clinton Morrison, Bobby Battisson, Surafel Tefera, Jude Ayetine and Will Monteiro. On the planks of wood were Ash Elliot, Jacob Edge-Lucas and Devon Smith.

Mickleover started really well with some crisp passing and good movement supporting players on the ball. The central defensive pairing of Ferdinand and Fuertado were solid and well balanced, making good decisions on when to play out or give it the wellie. 

With the stability of Morrison in front, it allowed the industrious pairing of Battisson and Milner to pressurise Rowsley into errors, so we got the ball back. 

After 15 or so minutes Mickleover had fashioned chances for Monteiro, Ayetine and Tefera, with the home keeper being called into action.

Prior to the game, we talked about the importance of set pieces – corners and free-kicks and how having a plan would work in our favour. It was therefore pleasing that from a free-kick from our right side, just to the right of the penalty box, about 21.5 yards powerfully struck by Eccleshall between the posts that we took the lead. 

Monteiro had gone close in the opening minutes, after a fine ball from Ayetine on the left. Then Tefera found Ayetine, but his effort was saved by the Rowsley keeper, before Milner put another telling ball into the box, from a Massampo feed.

15 minutes in and Battisson lofted a corner in, finding Milner in space, but the final header was over. Both Battisson and Milner went close again as the pressure built on the home defence and it was no surprise when Tefera opened the scoring.

It was a free kick from Edge-Lucas after Monteiro was fouled, but the keeper did well to parry the shot and his next action was to fetch the ball out of the net, after Tefera had controlled the high spinning ball and guided the ball carefully into the corner.1-0 Mickleover.

Only five minutes later Monteiro was on another run, beating players to pile more pressure on the Rowsley defence.

The tails were up and in the next period we played some sumptuous impressive football and not much later followed a goal of quintessential beauty.

The ball got played out to Monteiro just in our half, he set the ball back to Tefera, who spun with one touch and slotted an exquisite through pass in front of the onrushing Monteiro. There was still work to be done as their centre backs had come across to close down the danger, but Monteiro took them both out, sidestepping inside before bending the ball to nestle in the corner of the net. 2-0.

Monteiro continued to run rampant through the defence, ably supported by Ayetine, Morrison, Battisson, Tefera and Milner, but after 35 minutes Rowsley had their best chance of the game, when Smith had to charge off his line to try and retrieve a short back pass. The striker was their first but his shot was wide of an almost open goal.

There were penalty appeals after Monteiro was fouled again, but it was still virtual one-way traffic.

Just before half time however Rowsley pulled one back, with a shot from 10 yards out, which Smith misjudged 2-1.

To Rowsley’s credit, they continued to fight and it was a good goal from their point, but one which we should have stopped. 

Collecting the ball about 30 yards out on our left he ( the scorer) drove into the centre area and got away a shot that went through Morrison’s legs and trundled with a wee bit of pace into the net near the left-hand post. If there was a good time to lose a goal when 2-0 up, the minutes before halftime as the momentum they could have gained was stopped by the interval.

There was still a chance for one more shot from Mickleover before the half time whistle, as yet another foul on Monteiro, saw Battisson shoot over.

We started the second half well but the game developed into a tousy affair with a spate of bookings. I suspected that the referee had left his cards in the changing room first half, as he allowed a few robust challenges to go unheeded.

Tefera was booked for pushing a defender after being kicked from behind and then Monteiro flew into a tackle that merited the yellow that he received. 

Worse was to follow for the Rowsley centre half when he got a yellow to match the one he had just got previously so he had to go.

On the positive side, Eccleshall had a free kick saved and just after the hour, Rowsley had a shot hit the underside of the Mickleover bar, before Battisson tested the keeper, after nice build up between Morrison and Tefera

In the last period of the game the Rowsley keeper made three very good saves from Tefera twice and Monteiro.

 However, there were other opportunities squandered which would have made the game safe, when we either were slow in getting a shot away or took the wrong option.

One thing we knew was that Rowsley would keep playing and were very unlucky on three occasions. 

In the 73^rd minute Morrison used his experience to be in the right place and cleared off the line and luckily for us a Rowsley player snatched at a shot from six yards and squirted the ball past the post.

In the final minutes Ayetine had a shot well saved, but in time added on, Rowsley were handed the chance of an equaliser, but put the shot wide with a open goal, before Monteiro lost out in a final one on one with the Rowsley keeper.

A good first half followed by a dip in the second with excellent performances coming from Ferdinand and Fuertado, with Battisson and Milner in midfield and Monteiro and Tefera taking their goals well. 

There was also a display of ball retention and simplicity that would be hard to match from Morrison, added to his goal-line clearance, making make him motm. (I won’t mention the ‘swinger’ of an attempted shot in the first half though)

We now look forward to a final with Retford at Sheffield on Saturday, at the end of a strange season and thank Rowsley for their hospitality and wish them well for the future.