Mickleover Football Club

Report

by Peter Scherer

There were hopes of maybe a point from the visit to Whitby Town, but second half goals from James Butler and Rhys Dolan, plus a penalty save from Arlo Doherty , weren’t enough to outdo the home sides four goals.

Starting line-up 1-Arlo Doherty 2-Ben Radcliffe 3-Rhys Dolan 4-James Butler 5-Phil Watt 6-Kemy Agustien 7-Andy Dales 8-George Milner 9-Jahvan Davidson-Miller 10-Josh Scott 11-Dexter Walters. Subs: Ethan Mann, Roger Lee, Pablo Mills, Stuart Beavon, Dempsey Arlott-John.

The hosts went close after just one minute when Macdonald fired over the bar from a free kick.

Six minutes later Hazel and Fewster then combined, before the latter’s final shot was easily held by Doherty.

Agustien was trying to lead by example, when after 11 mins he cleared up another Whitby attack, before leading a Mickleover break.

But it was the hosts making all the running and Butler had to clear away more danger when Shepherd broke through after 13 mins.

Despite the sustained pressure, Milner was trying to push forward for Mickleover. Walters, Agustien and Scott combined before passing to Radcliffe. But the promising move broke down when Radcliffe’s pass was behind the advancing Dolan.

But it all went wrong after 19 mins, when an initial clearance was picked up by Gell, before Fewster swivelled and smashed the ball home from 20 yards, 0-1.

Unlike last weeks game, Sports midfield tried to stay composed and fight back, as Agustien played the ball out again to Radcliffe, but it ended up as a throw.

Hazel then intercepted and fired over, as Whitby continued to threaten.

24 mins in and Hazel tried another long distance well off target, before Fewster broke through to earn a corner.

There was another blow for Mickleover when Dales went down. He was only able to play on for another five minutes, before being replaced by Lee.

Hazel continued his random long range and fortunately off target long shots, before a slight chance for Sports came after 34 mins, when Walters found Radcliffe, whose chip was easily caught by Bland, skipper for the day to mark his 300^th club appearance.

Milner tried his luck with a chip too, but failed to trouble Bland again, only for Whitby to earn another free kick only a minute later.

Hazel’s kick from25 yards was straight through the defence, with Doherty well beaten, so 0-2 after 39 mins.

With just four minutes left in the first half, Agustien was fouled and took the free kick himself, Burn was booked, but it came to nought.

It was very nearly another goal for the hosts however, when Fewster latched onto a corner from Hackett. Doherty was at full stretch and finger tipped it onto the bar, before Agustien headed it away and Milner finally cleared the danger.

There no immediate Mickleover changes for the second half, but Agustien tried a long shot after 52 mins, which almost caught Bland off guard, and was Mickleover’s best attempt of the game.

But as the completion of the hour approached, Whitby had a corner. The ball came off a defender’s back and while Hawkins tried to set up his own shot, Burn fired it home for 0-3.

There was a double substation as Davidson-Miller and Scott came off after making little impression, to be replaced by Beavon and Arlott-John.

Beavon soon let go with a shot, but Bland had it covered, before Fergus earned a dubious penalty for Whitby, having taken to ground very easily.

Hazel stepped up to take the kick, but diving low to his left Doherty made an excellent save.

Mickleover began to press forward and after 68 mins Agustien found Dolan, but his ball into the box was comfortably claimed by Bland again.

Both Radcliffe and Beavon were in the refs book before Mickleover pulled one back, when Butler rose to head home a corner in the 74^th minute, 1-3.

Walters then fired a shot in, saved by Bland, before he was on another run a few minutes later, finding Dolan on the overlap.

Agustien and Radcliffe combined, but the threat though brief was soon dealt with. But Arlott-John had a promising shot in the 79^th minute, but Bland managed to block it.

Hazel then picked up on another Whitby break, but his shot was nearer the corner flag than the goal. He soon made amends after Hawkins beat two defenders, before finding him again to make it 1-4.

It was into injury time that Mickleover managed a second goal too, after Dolan’s free kick managed to creep inside Bland’s near post to make the final score 2-4.