by Peter Scherer
After two home defeats Mickleover secured their first home point of the season in a fairly dour goalless draw against Lancaster City.
Starting line-up: 1-Usuf Mersin 2-Callum Moore 3-Ryan Wilson 4-Curtis Weston 5-Will Atkinson 6-Charlie Hickingbottom 7-Gabby Adebambo 8-Toby Smith 9-Stuart Beavon 10-Andy Dales 11-Dylan Edwards. Subs: Brandon Webster, Brandon Ferron, Marcus Barnes, Luke Cox, Dylan Scott.
Mickleover took the kick off and could have taken the lead in the opening minute, when Dales picked up a high ball and fired it at keeper McClenaghan, who need both hands to make the save, as the visitors looked for offside.
Then Lawson led a Lancaster attack just a minute later, his cross was met by Dagnall who headed over. The visitors then won the first corner, but that was headed clear by the home defence.
Moore was then pulled up for a foul on the right, but although the free kick was wasted, the pressure continued to be on the home defence.
Seven minutes in and Lancaster had another chance, when Kilifin crossed from the left, only for Bennett to shoot wide, after failing to get a proper connection on the ball.
Lancaster skipper Charlie Bailey then tried his luck from just out of the box, but a diving save from Mersin kept it out, as Sports were struggling to break out of their own half.
There was danger again after 13 minutes, when Smith managed to clear a Lawson cross on the left, but after Weston fouled Lawson, Lancaster’s Bennett wasted the free kick, by sending it well over.
Atkinson was the kingpin of the defence and was also trying to play the ball out to be creative, but in midfield the possession continued to be lost and a Bennett shot was just wide.
Lancaster had another effort blocked after 23 minutes, but two minutes later Smith had a speculative shot easily saved by the keeper.
When Mickleover played on the ground they started to show promise, but after 39 minutes Kilifin created space for his own shot, which was fired straight at Mersin.
Dales then had his first real run at the visitors defence, but a hard tackle from Beeden stopped hm and gave Sports a corner. Atkinson managed to get a foot to the ball, but was unable to direct it.
After two minutes of added time were completed, the whistle went for half time and it remained 0-0.
From the kick off of the second the pressure was on the home defence again. Bennett picked up a short corner in the 51st minute, but a Lawson flick just missed the waiting Allington. Ikpakwu then sent Lawson on a run, Weston challenged, but it was a corner.
Approaching the hour mark Adebambo and Dales combined, before a ball over the top found Moore, but his shot was blocked.
Mickleover then brought Barnes on for Beavon and Ferron for Smith, but Dales led the next attack, but by the time he was able to shoot, his effort had been tamed.
But Sports had started to play again and work themselves forward positively, with Ferron starting to run at the defence too.
Scott then replaced Edwards, but 75 minutes in and Lancaster had the ball in the net, but play was brought back for a free kick.
Weston continued to have a busy game roaming the midfield, with Adebambo looking much more effective than in the first half. But Fleming sent a cross in from the right, which Mersin had to get a hand to clear the danger three minutes later.
Fleming then caught out Moore on the right but with the goal directly ahead, he fired his chance over the bar. 81 minutes and it was close again, but Evangelinos’ cross just missed Coulton, and the ball rolled just passed Mersin’s left hand post.
Adebambo was replaced by Webster after taking a knock with four minutes on the clock and then a corner by Bailey found Evanagelinos, who fired another shot over the bar.
Right on the 90 minute mark, Barnes found Ferron but his cross went out and three minutes later Barnes shot over the bar, after dispossessing Moonan.
Lawson then had a header saved after a goalmouth scramble, but it then fell to Byrne who headed over, so it was five draws out of six for Lancaster at 0-0 and a home point for Mickleover.
