by Peter Scherer (Images: Steve Ingers)
Just when the duel with fellow strugglers Bamber Bridge looked to be heading for a goalless draw, a heavily disputed goal went in the visitor’s favour.
Starting line-up: 1-Yusuf Mersin 2-Brandon Feron 3-Kwaku Donkor 4-Kieran Brown 5-Will Atkinson 6-Danny Benson 7-Ryan Wilson 8-Samson Hewett 9-Stuart Beavon 10-Andy Dales 11-Chris O’Grady. Subs: Toby Smith, Stefan Galinski, Curtis Weston, Amarn Robinson, Deylan Edwards.
It was a fairy strong start for Mickleover, earning a corner after two minutes, from which Benson’s effort went over the bar.
But the visitors were soon on the attack too, with Will Russ heading over a cross from Adam Dodd four minutes later. Hewett was then fouled, but Wilson’s free kick failed to test the visiting defence.
Ferron had his first positive charge down the left after 12 minutes, but ran out of space as it went for a goal kick. Shortly afterwards Russ put another header over the bar for Bamber Bridge too, after a positive build up down the Mickleover right.
The visitors had started to show more in attack and began to test the home defence, with Mark Cullen going close with a low header at the near post 16 minutes in.
Mickleover responded with a positive play down the left, between Ferron, Beavon and Dales, before O’Grady sent a powerful strike just over the bar.
Atkinson and Benson had ably coped with the Bamber attack but after 21 minutes Atkinson lost possession and set up a break for the visitors. The cross came in from the right, but Brown rose well above any challengers and headed clear.
After Russ had put his third effort over the bar, Ferron again broke free on the left for Mickleover. Dales and Beavon then worked together to put Hewett through, but Charlie Casper was quick to respond, narrowing the angle as the shot went wide of the right-hand post.
Back in Sports defence, Benson’s pass to Donkor was too short and created another break for Bamber Bridge, but fortunately Chris Churchman’s strike missed the target again.
Benson had to clear a dangerous ball into the box after 26 minutes, before Michael Potts beat the defence, but fired straight at Mersin who took it well.
Cullen put another strike over the bar after 32 minutes, before Jack Baxter followed up a minute later, with a weak shot that failed to test the Mickleover keeper.
Although still fairly even, it was the visitors ahead on shots, though many at random, fortunately virtually all off target. But Mickleover appeared to struggle for some midfield creativity.
But Dales then tried his luck with a long shot, after an early build up from Brown and Ferron, but it was well over the bar.
Just a minute later it was Dales again, cutting in after a lay-off from O’Grady, but his effort was comfortably taken by Casper again.
It was now Mickleover pushing forward again, with Wilson’s through ball almost finding Ferron on the overlap. But the visitors then made another break, with Mersin making a one-handed save from Churchman at close range.
Cullen went close after 41 minutes, after he was left almost clear on the right, but he shot just beyond the left-hand post as the half time whistle approached.
Ferron and Brown had swapped position for a while, but with three minutes of the first half left, Brown limped off and was replaced by Edwards, but it remained 0-0.
There was another change for Mickleover as the players came back out, with Weston on for Beavon, which pushed Edwads into more of a striking role.
Almost from the kick off Sports had a half chance, when Donkor had the ball down the right and the cross missed Edwards by inches in the box. 54 minutes in and Edwards almost connected again, after O’Grady and Dales had worked together on the right.
But Bamber Bridge were still fighting too and after Robbie Cleary missed a telling cross, Potts skimmed Mersin’s right-hand post, before the ball finished in the side netting.
Just on the hour mark Edwards and Dales linked up on the right again, but Dales final shot lacked power and failed to challenge Casper.
It was still fairly wide open, but 67 minutes in and Hewett had another chance. It was another right-hand build-up with Dales, Ferron and O’Grady, before Hewett had the chance to shoot. But a deflection took the sting away and the chance was gone.
For a few minutes though the pressure was on the visitors defence again, with Ferron and O’Grady setting up another un for Dales. But as he took on the defence the ball bobbled and the chance was lost.
As Dales went for another break from his own half, Lewis Hey went in the book for pulling him back and following the free kick Ferron earned another corner.
Hey then had a chance himself, but shot well wide after a dangerous cross from the left.
Robinson replaced Hewett for the final 15 minutes, but the visitors were still shooting on sight, and Potts put another effort just wide of the right-hand post after 76 minutes.
But Casper then made a great save to palm away Edwards’ close range shot, after Dales had run through again. Probably the closest to a goal in the whole game.
80 minutes gone and Bamber Bridge were on the attack again. Mersin saved the initial effort, a header from Simon Grand, but the flag was up as the ball ran loose. Russ then appeared to tap the ball back into the goal, but the expected offside decision wasn’t given. The flag went down again and the referee awarded the goal, without apparent consultation, but to the clear confusion among the Mickleover players and surprise among the visitors.
But Sports went close when Grand cleared off the line from Dales, but the rebound was safely taken by Casper, before Bamber ended the game with another shot over the bar almost on time, but thanks to the disputed goal they went home with three points 0-1.
