by Peter Scherer (Images: Steve Ingers)
Hopes of matching last seasons target of reaching the FA Cup Third Qualifying round, with an early goal from visitors Anstey Nomads.
Starting line-up: 1-Yusuf Mersin 2-Callum Moore 3-Ryan Wilson 4-Curti Weston 5-Charlie Hickingbottom 6-George Taft 7-Andy Dales 8-Dan Bradley 9-Jahvan Davidson-Miller 10-Cieron Keane 11-Marcus Barnes. Subs: Luke Cox, Lejo Davidson, Justin Iwobi, Dylan Edwards, Stuart Beavon.
The last time Mickleover played Anstey Nomads in the FA Cup, it was a 7-1 win back in 2018. But the NPL Midlands Division team had already knocked out Alvechurch in the last round, and are a renowned Cup team.
The decisive moment came early on, when the visitors played the ball back into defence from their left, before setting up an attack down the right. As the cross landing centrally in the box, the defence failed to clear and Leo Brown was left virtually unmarked, beating Mersin just inside his left-hand post from close range. 0-1after 16 minutes.
Mickleover made two early changes with Edwards and debutant Iwobi on for Dales and Bradley at the end of the first half, before Beavon came on for Davidson-Miller just after the hour, as Sports pushed for the equaliser.
Davidson was then a late sub for Barnes and Cox for Moore, but time ran out to seek the elusive equaliser and for 24/25 dreams of further FA Cup progress are over.
