by Peter Scherer

Mickleover Reserves hopes of progressing into the Abacus Lighting Floodlit Cup semi finals were dashed, when they went down 2-6 to Staveley MW.

Starting line-up: 1-Josh Maher 2-Jack Leighton 3-Brandon Ferron 4-Harry Atwal 5-Ronnie Bonser 6-Zac Sandhu  7-Declan Brown 8-Jacob Edge-Lucas 9-Dean Ironmonger 10-Owen Parr 11-Fin Ryder. Subs: Ryan McKeever-Atkins, Joseph Sellors, Jayden Cozens.

Staveley took an early lead when Mickleover lost possession in midfield. The defence failed to clear the danger and left a visiting striker in space to open the scoring.

But Sports came back fighting and managed to equalise with a great distance strike from Parr.

Leighton was then on the attack, but his cross from the right was too near the keeper, and shortly afterwards his recurring ankle injury saw him replaced by McKeever-Atkins.

The visitors were on target again when a lucky bounce left keeper Maher flat footed 1-2 and they began to threaten more and more.

Some nice play from Ryder found Brown, but he was unable to get in a telling shot, but then Edge-Lucas was penalised for an alleged trip. Although Maher got a hand to the spot kick, it still got through to make it 1-3.

Mickleover had to make another change when Atwal went off injured, to be replaced by Sellors, but as the half time whistle blew it remained 1-3.

It could have been a fourth for Staveley after 49 minutes, but having gone one on one, they failed to capitalise on the situation.

Two minutes later Brown was on target for Mickleover, forcing the Staveley keeper to tip over, when the rest of his his team mates seemed reluctant to have a crack themselves.

It was now Mickleover on the front foot, with a 51^st minute header from Edge-Lucas, after an Ironmonger cross making it 2-3.

Ferron put in a couple of good crosses from the left, but there was no one to collect, but Sports were still pressing for an equaliser.

Just after the hour Staveley had a random shot wide,  but the tide turned again after 66 minutes, with the defence flat footed as a cross came in from the left and was met with purpose, 2-4.

Parr had a shot just over from a Ferron cross, but the visitors started to take charge again as we entered the final 20 minutes.

A free kick from the Mickleover right was headed in cleanly at the far post 80 minutes in, and six minutes later it was 2-6, with the defence split wide open and Maher rooted after a deflection.

An entertaining game, but on this occasion Sports youngsters were soundly beaten.

by Peter Scherer

Mickleover Reserves were comfortably holding their own against Linby Colliery Welfare in their Central Midlands League South Division match at the Don Amott Arena, until a second half injury to goalkeeper Tom Bill turned the tide.

It was end to end for the opening minutes, before a Linby free kick had gone for a corner, but was cleared to Declan Brown , who forced a finger tip save from the visitors keeper.

Shortly afterwards Charlie Rock intercepted and pushed forward again, found Brown who made his own space, forcing another diving save from the keeper.

Sports began to show more confidence and continued to push forward, but after an easy catch for the keeper, a good link down the right between Jacob Edge-Lucas and Ronnie Bonser, helped Fin Ryder charge through the middle

Jayden Cozens broke free on the right too, but was unable to reach Brown in the box.

There was a break for Linby after a Harry Atwal corner was cleared, but Bill was on hand to allay any danger. But some sloppy defending and a poor clearance gave the visitors another chance before half time, Atwal cleared again but the final shot was over the bar.

Ryder went close in the final minutes though, as his effort went just wide of the post and it remained 0-0.

Sports started the second half fairly strongly again but there was another easy catch from a free kick for the visitors keeper. Brown then won another free kick, taken by Brandon Ferron, which saw the keeper punch clear.

Rock had a header cleared off the line following a corner, but the turning point came when Linby were awarded a free kick. The kick was straight in, but Bill appeared to have been fouled. He went off injured with dislocated finger, but the goal stood, 0-1.

Dean Ironmonger took over in goal and Sports continued to attack though. Ryder’s shot was straight at the keeper and then Atwal found Ferron, but there was no one in the box to receive.

Ferron’s pace became more effective down the left, but a rare Rock slip set up a Linby strike, but fortunately it was well off target.

Ryder had another good run but Brown’s final shot was straight at the keeper, but after Linby had added a second, they made it three when they beat the offside 0-3.

Brown managed to hit a late consolation goal, but it was a case of what might have been and finished 1-3.

by Peter Scherer

Two goals from Brandon Ferron and one each from, Jack Leighton, Declan Brown and Will Robinson gave Mickleover Reserves an excellent victory over Central Midlands League Premier Division South leaders Pinxton at the Don Amott Arena.

Our visitors had won their first meeting 0-3 back in November but this success was Sports youngsters first league win since the end of October.

Having gone 2-0 up, sloppy defending had allowed Pinxton to bring it back to 2-2. After Mickleover went back ahead, Pinxton were handed a dubious penalty, to return to level pegging, before Ferron hit his second and Robinson consolidated it following a corner, to make the final score 5-3.

Mickleover are now in sixth place and have their next game a home to Linby on January 21^st.

by Peter Scherer

Mickleover Reserves ended 2022 with a home point against a strong free-running Nottingham FC side in the Central Midlands Premier Division South.

Starting line-up: 1-Tom Bill 2-Ronnie Bonser 3-Brandon Ferron 4-Charlie Rock 5-Pablo Mills 6-Zac Sandhu 7 Fin Ryder 8-Harry Atwal 9-Declan Brown 10-Louis Pennington 11-Owen Parr. Subs: Jayden Cozens, Joseph Sellors.

Mickleover were first to threaten with a free-kick two minutes in, after Pennington was fouled. But only two minutes later Nottingham’s pacey right winger picked up a midfield interception and shot just wide of Bill’s right hand post.

Parr then went close to opening the scoring, when a defensive mix-up for the visitors saw their keeper stranded as he came out to defend on the Mickleover right, but Parr’s final shot was cleared off the line.

Ferron was having a hard time on the left wing and was in the referee’s book after 17 minutes, for a push in his rival wingers back.

Mickleover had started to edge slightly ahead in a fairly even game and just missed out again after 21 minutes, when Parr fed Ryder on the right, his cross was then met by Mills, whose shot ricocheted off the post.

A minute later it was the visitors number seven again outpacing the defence, before his cross was met by a striker, but his shot was straight at the keeper.

The visitors continued to look dangerous on the breaks, but as the rain became heavier, some of the long balls forward for Mickleover began to outrun their targets, with Brown in particular suffering as he tried to chased ball from Ryder, Parr, Pennington and Atwal.

Ferron managed to complete a run after 35 minutes, cutting inside from the left to shoot just past the left-hand post, but then a Nottingham striker tried to take the ball too far before shooting, enabling Rock to get back and rescue.

Brown was desperately close again on 38 minutes. He managed to put the ball wide to the advancing keepers right, but it was only inches wide too.

It seemed to heading into half-time goalless when Bill made a  good save from a positive strike, but with the whistle poised Ryder crossed again from the right and Mills made no mistake 1-0.

Barely a minute later the visitors number seven again had the legs of Ferron, but managed to turn him too, before firing home the equaliser as we final reached half-time, 1-1.

The second half started with the visitors showing even more confidence and once again the troublesome number seven once again went close, almost from the kick-off, before his fellow striker wasted an opportunity right in front of goal and fired over the bar.

Bonser had managed to push forward more and found Brown who crossed to Mills in the box, but the shot was just over again, but after 51 minutes there was a huge scramble in the Nottingham box, and a number of Mickleover players tried to get a shot in, but all paths were blocked. B

The visitors then went ahead after 54 minutes, with poor defending from a free kick leaving Bill beaten, 1-2.

The Sports keeper had to charge out of his area to intercept just after the hour mark too, but it was still mainly end to end action.

Ryder again made good progress on the right after 77 minutes, playing a positive through ball to send Brown on a run. He took it round the advancing keeper and slotted home for 2-2.

There continued to be half chances for both sides as the clock ran down, and Mickleover subbed Atwal for Cozens. Parr had a shot saved with five minutes left and Nottingham tried a few random shots too, which were either off target or taken by Bill, including a excellent diving save to his right deep into injury time.

A draw was a fair result, in a game that showed plenty of action and was played in good spirits too.

By Peter Scherer

It was another disappointing afternoon for Mickleover Reserves as they visited Melbourne Dynamo in the CML Derbyshire County Cup.

With a squad of only 12 players, there was little room for manoeuvre tactically.

After a scrappy start with niggly fouls, Mickleover began to work well in the box, but couldn’t get a telling shot in. But then a weak back pass left the hosts with the easy task of finding the back of the net and it was 0-1.

Fin Ryder then managed a shot across the face of the goal, but there was no one to finish it off and then Marshall crossed from the byline, but straight into the keepers hands.

Mickleover were on level terms after a clearance from Ronnie Bonser sent Marshall clear, but as the keeper came out there was a defensive mix up, from where Elliott lobbed over his head and into the net, 1-1.

Charlie Rock played the ball out of defence to find Marshall again, but his attempt was blocked. Then Sports defence failed to clear and it was 1-2.

The home keeper had made a good save from a Marshall effort, but Rock was having to work hard at the back to keep the one goal deficit.

A throw for Melbourne then brought little response from the Mickleover and left the hosts with a free shot to make it 1-3. Mickleover then had one last chance after Marshall was fouled, but the free kick was wasted and it was game over.

By Peter Scherer

Mickleover Reserves were in action over the weekend, visiting Pinxton for their first game in two weeks.

Sloppy defending from the kick off gave the hosts an early lead, 0-1, before Mickleover started to fight back and put a ball across the goal face, but no one was there to collect.

As they continued to seek the equaliser, Rock sent Marshall on a run, but the keeper saved, and then Ryder had a shot cleared off the line.

Elliott then fired over after a good strong build up, but Pinxton were then awarded a corner, which was a clear goal kick and scored number two before half-time, 0-2.

The second half started with Mickleover on the offensive and looking much stronger, they limited the hosts to just one chance, which unfortunately was converted without reply and so it ended pointless 0-3.

by Peter Scherer (Notes provided by Mickleover Reserves Twitter)

It was back to league action for Mickleover Reserves, after last week’s Derbyshire Cup win.

For the third time this season Clay Cross were the opponents, but this time it was on home soil, as the team sought to make amends for the previous two defeats.

It didn’t start well as the visitors were soon one up, after Charlie Rock’s initial clearance came back in, beat keeper Tom Bill and rebounded off the bar, straight to a Clay Cross striker, 0-1.

Mickleover’s first attack showed promise though, when Harry Atwal started a move and found Declan Brown. He layed the ball off to Ben Horleston but the shot was over.

Brown went close himself shortly afterwards, when after a good build up he beat the visitors keeper, hit the post and saw the rebound land straight into the keepers arms.

Mickleover had a couple of corners and some promising build up, but were struggling to get a final shot in.

Bill made another save from a longer distance volley and then Atwal sent Brandon Ferron on a run down the left, he squared the ball, but a defender just beat Elliott to the ball and the chance was gone.

Clay Cross were swift and direct on the break and when the ball bounced over Ronnie Bonser, the chasing striker was goal side of Rock and chipped Bill to make it 0-2.

There was another early strike in the second half to make it 0-3 for the visitors, before Atwal sent in perfect free kick for Sports, but no one collected.

It wasn’t Mickleover’s day as the game finally ended with 0-4 defeat and we now look forward to visiting Pinxton on the 26^th.

 

By Peter Scherer (Information provided by Mickleover Reserves Twitter)

It wasn’t only the Mickleover first team winning last Saturday, as the Reserve side were Derbyshire Cup action at Belper Utd Reserves, coming away 8-1 winners.

Sports had control from the start with two early shots and corners.

The Belper keeper managed to save from both Elliott and Declan Brown, before Harry Atwal put the ball across the face of the goal, with no one picking it up. Elliott then crossed from an Atwal ball, but again it was a chance missed.

Belper the had their first attack, earning a corner which the Mickleover defence failed to clear. The ball was then bundled into the net 0-1.

Owen Parr then set up Brown, who rounded the keeper. A home defender tried to clear off the line, but it was 1-1.

Elliott soon added to the tally rounding the defence to shoot over the keeper, 2-1 and then Brown hit his second to make it 3-1.

It was very one -sided but after Atwal confused the defence, his free-kick was then cleared. The keeper then saved after a square ball from Elliott to Brown had been deflected by a defender.

Charlie Rock then outwitted a defender, to find Elliott, who beat two more defenders before burying it inside the left-hand post 4-1.

There was one more before half-time too, after some great play down the right from Ben Horleston. He beat the defence and then the rebound from his effort was successfully met by Fin Ryder, 5-1.

The bobbly pitch had caused a few problems but early into the second half Rock had played the ball out of defence for Brown to collect. The ball bobbled as he made his shot, but as the keeper went to save it bobbled again and it was 6-1.

Belper then managed their second shot of the game, before Parr made it 7-1 and a lovely one-two before he fired home.

But they hadn’t finished yet and Brown had a fine solo run to score his fourth and make it 8-1 deep in the right-hand corner.

It could easily have been more as Rock played a crossfield ball to Ronnie Bonser, but the bobble beat him again and his shot was blocked.

Brandon Ferron went close with late free kick, cleared by a defender, before sub Cozens put a cross across goal face, as Mickleover pounded the defence until the final whistle.

By Peter Scherer (Information provided by Mickleover Reserves Twitter)

Although Mickleover Reserves were always on top in their Central Midlands League Premier South match at home to Mansfield Hosiery, the 2-1 final score didn’t really reflect their dominance.

Starting line-up: Bill, Leighton, Ferron, Bonser, Rock, Mills, Parr, Horleston, Brown, Ryder, Elliott.

Three early shots managed to earn an early corner for Mickleover, before the visiting keeper made his first save of the afternoon from a deflected Fin Ryder shot.

Brandon Ferron then found Pablo Mills, to set up Elliott who shot over the bar.

The pressure continued on the visitors defence, when Charlie Rock sent a cross field ball to Ferron, but the final shot was wide.

Jack Leighton had a shot wide too, before Mickleover finally found the net, with Leighton again cutting in from the right to fire past the keeper, 1-0.

With Ferron and Mills combining again, they set up Leighton once more, but the shot was wide, before Elliott had a shot tipped over, after Mills set up the move.

It could have been two just before half-time but Ronnie Bonser’s cross was just too long for Mills to connect properly.

The second half kicked off with more of the same, Mills appeared to pick his spot in the top corner, but it was just wide, but then he found Declan Brown, who fired past the keeper for 2-0.

Mansfield had managed to earn a corner, but the Mickleover pressure recommenced, with Owen Parr firing a shot from long range.

Rock then linked up with Ben Horleston and Leighton, but Mills final shot lacked pace, then a midfield mistake allowed Mansfield through down the right and it was 2-1.

Mickleover came back to earn a free kick, Mills rose above the rest, with Ferron following up. After a Mills shot was deflected, Leighton put the ball back into the box, but Rock misjudged his final header.

Mansfield looked dangerous again on the break and suddenly the one goal lead was under threat. But although the ball was kicked out of Tom Bill’s handed, a corner was still awarded, but Bill had it covered.

Leighton again led an attack, beating the offside trap, before earning a corner when the keeper saved. Then Rock found Mills, who was then flagged offside.

Harry Atwal came on for Ryder, before Leighton made a crossfield run, just failing to connect with Mills. But Brown had a chance for his second with a one on one with the Mansfield keeper. But the keeper stood tall and it was another corner.

Horleston then found Mills who put a late header just wide, but with the final minutes end to end again, Mansfield’s heroic keeper even came up for the final corner, sending a header just over the bar, as it remained a 2-1 victory to Mickleover.

Next Saturday the reserves are in action again, away to Ashland.

by Peter Scherer (Information provided from Mickleover Reserves Twitter)

A second half goal from Declan Brown secured a point for Mickleover Reserves, as they made the short trip to face Central Midlands League Premier Division South newcomers Derby Singh Brothers.

After the first minutes had been end to end, both sides had half chances after defensive mistakes.

But Sports got going and began to use both wings effectively, with Fin Ryder just about to take the first real shot, before a defender intercepted.

After the hosts hit the bar, Elliott tried a long range shot for Sports just over the bar. There were a couple more chances for Mickleover, before Singh Bros got a break. Zak Sandhu gave away a free kick, but although it split the wall, it was wide of the post.

Brown had a shot saved after an excellent build up down the right and then the first substitution was made with Ryan McKeever-Atkins on for Elliott.

But Sports finished the first half strongly with the keeper saving an Owen Parr header from a Jack Leighton cross to earn a corner, before Brandon Ferron put his shot straight at the keeper.

It was a bright start to the second half too as Ryder cut through the home defence and had his shot saved, before McKeever-Atkins fired the rebound over.

Mickleover had started to control the midfield more and after Ronnie Bonser had set up a break, Brown was then in space to collect and made it 1-0.

Keeper Bill then set up another positive move, with Charlie Rock, Sandhu and Bonser, before Brown found McKeever-Atkins who just failed to get a final shot in.

But it was soon 1-1 when Rock gave away a penalty and Singh Bros converted the spot kick.

Dean Ironmonger and Jayden Cozens came on and immediately combined, but failed to test the home keeper with the final effort.

Cozens got late break too, but a last ditch tackle from a home defender saved the day and despite a few more chances before the final whistle, they failed to convert and it remained level pegging.