Mickleover Football Club

Report

Hednesford Town 1-1 Mickleover Sports
Saturday 24th November 2018
Written by Sam Goldsworthy

It was a smash and grab point at the death for Sports as a late Nathan Jarman penalty meant Sports would head back up the A38 with a hard earned point. After the disappointing exit in the League Cup to Buxton last Tuesday, it was important that Sports turned their full concentration back to the league and although no a win, who knows how vital this point may well be come the end of the season.

Lewis King remained in goal. There as a debut for Karel Tuaroh at right back, another Czech International from Derby University. He was joined at the back by Ben Turner, Tom Burgin and Pablo Mills. In midfield were Ricky Ravenhill, Jimmy Phillips, Adam Prusa and Ted Cribley. Up front remained Evan Garnett and Nathan Jarman. On the bench were Mason Warren, Jiri Boula, Jack Walsh, Reece Ford and Jake Scott.

After two long range efforts from Evan Garnett for Sports and Fitzpatrick for Hednesford, it was Sports who had the first big chance of the match as Adam Parusa was sent through 1v1 with the Hednesford Town keeper but as the Czech Republic International went to go round the keeper he took a bad touch which allowed the Hednesford defense time to get back and there was Misambo to clear the effort out and away from danger. Sports then were given a real let off about ten minutes later when Cockerline dinked the ball past Mills to set Michael Howard away bearing down on goal however the Pitmen striker could only send his effort wide of the left hand post past the advancing King. But Sports did not head this warning and Howard would eventually get his goal eventually only two minutes later. Again Cockerline being a nuisance holding the ball up and feeding it to Howard who cut inside on his right from outside the box and smashed the effort off the right hand post and in off into the left corner to give the home side the lead at half time.

Into the second half and Ben Turner delivered a great cross into the box for Jarman to stick a leg out to try and make contact but he could only place the ball wide of the left hand post for a goal kick Garnett then make a darling run forward before taking a strike towards goal but sadly was blocked by Fox which took the sting out of the effort and into the hands of Bursik. Pitmen substitute Jed Davies then try to catch Lewis King out at his far post by curling a ball into the box and on target but King did well to tip the ball over the bar for a corner kick. Sports made their first chance when Jimmy Phillips was replaced in midfield by Mason Warren. Davies then had another good attempt for the home side but was well caught by King. But when King tried to lob the ball forward he was denied by Cockerline who then then indecently booked for denying the restart of play. A second Sports sub saw Ted Cribley come off for another Czech international in Jiri Boula.

The game was looking to be another frustrating one from a Sports perspective but just as five minutes of added time were awarded they won a corner kick. As the ball was floated in Charlie Gatter hacked down Pablo Mills which saw the referee point straight to the spot for a penalty kick and a lifetime for Sports. Nathan Jarman, who had missed his previous two spot kicks before the game, make no mistake this time has he smashed the ball under the keeper into the bottom right corner to snatch a point at the death. Hednesford provided two late scares from a corner and a free kick towards the end but it did not matter in the end as the referee blew and signaled full time and a crucial away point for Mickleover Sports.