by Peter Scherer
Not one but two penalty appeal rejection’s cost Mickleover dearly, as they went down 0-1 to Coalville Town.
Starting line-up: 1-Yusuf Mersin 2-Jake Bennett 3-Ryan Wilson 4-Will Atkinson 5 -Kyle Rowley 6-Ethan Mann 7-Ben Sault 8-Will Trueman 9-Tyrell Waite 10-Ethan Fitzhugh 11-Oli Greaves. Subs: Marcus Barnes, Stuart Beavon, Will Tamen, Dan Bradley, Will Bapaga.
Mickleover earned a corner in the opening minute and made a lively start as the light rain began to increase. But Coalville were on the attack too, with Mersin the first keeper in action, making an easy stop from Ndukwu.
Coalville Tyrell Pennant’s pace started to cause problems for Mickleover’s defence and he had his first shot after four minutes, with Mersin pushing his effort away from his near post for a corner.
McManus went close from the following header, before Sports broke out and charged up the field again. They earned another corner and there were some good technical build-ups, but the final ball seemed to be lacking.
After 10 minutes a loose ball in midfield was picked up by Coalville, but Pennant’s shot was high and wide of the target.
But four minutes later Mersin made a great save again from Pennant, after he had been set up from a McGlinchey break.
There was another Coalville shot blocked after 16 minutes, before Sault split the defence with a cross field ball from the right. Greaves picked it up and cut inside, but his cross was into the side netting.
The home side were quick to retaliate but blazed another shot well off target from just outside the box. They had started to keep Mickleover pegged back in their own area, with a barrage of shots following.
McGlinchey’s effort was over the bar again and fortunately for Mickleover accuracy was missing from almost every attempt.
Sault’s determination sent him on a long run but was tackled before he could shoot and then Greaves, Wilson and Fitzhugh combined, before the final shot was blocked.
Rowley managed to find Greaves, but his shot was blocked again too, but it was 32 minutes before Sports had a shot on target. Sault had almost broken through again, but his final effort lacked pace and was straight at White in the home goal.
Waite had a shot saved after 35 minutes and was briefly on the deck two minutes later, after colliding with White after a corner.
But 38 minutes in and Sault had out paced his defender on the right, head down and heading for goal, he was pulled back by his shirt and shoulder and fouled. It was a clear-cut penalty as both offences were in the box, but neither the referee nor his assistant seemed to see it.
Coalville were ahead possession wise and had more shots, albeit mostly well off target. But after 41 minutes McGlinchey took a corner on the Mickleover left, McManus met it and headed home to Mersin’s left, 0-1.
A disappointing first half with Mickleover often struggling to break out of defence. The attack looked toothless and midfield crowded and disorganised, but the penalty rejection still weighed heavy as the half time whistle went.
There were no immediate changes as the second half got underway, but the defence were soon being challenged again by our hosts. Pennant ran at them after 50 minutes, set up Hart, who shot straight at Mersin and then McManus collected and his shot blocked.
Almost on the hour Mickleover had fought back and were bombarding the Coalville goal. The ball came out to Atkinson, who shot was clearly patted down by a Coalville defender. It was a clear penalty again with hand to ball, rather than vice versa, but as in the first half neither the ref nor assistant reacted positively, despite vociferous appeals.
But Mickleover continued to just give the ball away repeatedly, but despite their possession and pace, Coalville failed to make it count fortunately.
Fitzhugh had a shot after a gradual build-up and earned a corner, but Coalville were still getting the breaks and still shooting over the bar.
Barnes came on for Fitzhugh after 66 minutes and almost immediately earned a corner. Then Greaves cut in from the left, but the ball was just deflected for another corner before it reached Barnes.
A minute later the ball landed at Greaves feet, but in the wet mud his effort was blocked by White after 72 minutes, before his next effort was deflected for a corner two minutes later.
Coalville made another break as Mickleover tried to push forward, but McGlinchey’s effort was once again over the bar.
Beavon replaced Atkinson for the final 11 minutes, which turned into one way traffic as Mickleover bombarded the home goal.
Sault shot over after 83 minutes, but two minutes later there was a double corner, going close on both occasions. Rowley had come up and his effort landed on the top of the net, but at the second time of asking White collected.
Time was running out and despite a right hand cut in from Bennett earning a late corner, there was to be no equaliser and Mickleover, despite a great improvement in final 30 minutes, returned home empty handed.
