Goalless Draw For Reserves

by Peter Scherer

Having gone down 0-2 to Wirksworth Ivanhoe earlier this season, Mickleover Reserves were looking for revenge last night at the Don Amott Arena, in their Central Midlands Premier Division South clash.

Starting line-up: 1-Josh Maher 2-Jake Bennett 3-Brandon Ferron 4-Ronnie Bonser 5-Daryl Powell 6-Zac Sandhu 7-Jack Leighton 8-Fin Ryder 9-Declan Brown 10-Kai Moore 11-Marcus Marshall. Subs: Dean Ironmonger, Owen Parr.

The game started at a frenetic pace, with both teams seemingly keen to make an opening impression.

Wirksworth had their first corner after two minutes, but  that and other early forays were comfortably dealt with by Bonser and Powell in the middle of the home defence.

Brown had the first shot for Mickleover after three minutes, but it was just wide after a deflection, to earn  a corner.

Although both sides were attacking, Mickleover seemed to have more direction, with Brown and Moore both having early shots blocked, before Bennett fired a rebound, which again was blocked.

Moore then played a lovely cross field ball for Brown to chase, but it just outran him for a goal kick.

Whereas Mickleover’s gameplan seemed more gradual and constructive, Wirksworth were happier with the long ball and more random shooting, but 11 minutes in and a long run from Marshall, just failed to connect with Brown again.

Marshall then fired a free kick over the bar a minute later, but seemed to be relishing showing his experience and trickery in midfield. But after 26 minutes he lost possession and sent Wirksworth on a break, they earned a corner, which was easily dealt with.

Just after a couple more corners for our visitors, Moore went close on the half hour, with the keeper tipping his shot around the right hand post for a corner, with the following shot then wide.

Marshall continued to put some telling long balls through the defence, but they continued to be too long for Brown to connect. But Marshall had the ball in the net after 32 minutes,  but was ruled offside.

Ferron had been fairly quiet on the left wing, but easily outpaced the defence 34 minutes in. His cross was then just a whisker from finding Moore.

Ryder had his first shot of the game two minutes later, but was wide, and then 38 minutes in the Wirksworth keeper had to make the first real save of the game, when he saved a Marshall effort with his legs, following a corner,

Maher had to make his first save a minute later too, when a deflected shot was pushed away.

Wirksworth tried another random longshot after 40 minutes, which Maher caught easily and then Bennett and a positive break down the right, timing his cross to perfection. Brown miskicked, but the ball fell to Moore, but his shot was wide of the left hand post.

Moore went close again with two minutes of the first half left. His close range effort was well saved by the Wirksworth keeper though.

There was an early scare for Mickleover when only a minute into the second half Powell lost possession and left a striker one on one with Sports keeper. But Maher dashed out of his goal and bravely blocked at the strikers feet.

But the visitors were pushing forward and for a while Mickleover were pegged back in their own half. Although Wirksworth got a few shots in, they were way off target.

Mickleover finally came forward again as the hour mark approached, as Ryder and Moore combined before Brown picked up the cross. His shot was deflected for a corner and Sandhu then shot over.

Wirksworth then had a shot just wide of the left hand post, before Moore beat a number of defenders to cut in from the left. His final ball went across the goal face, but no one connected.

Parr came on for Leighton after 67 minutes and was soon involved in the play, but six minutes later a Brown chase saw him collide with the keeper and a defender, but all three continued after treatment.

Into the final 15 minutes and it was still stalemate, but having had fairly good game so far, the referee started dishing out free kicks that no else saw.

Marshall was jinking through and was well tackled, but the ref gave a free kick. Moore followed up with a shot, but had no power and failed to trouble the keeper.

Another high and wide effort from Wirksworth came after 80 minutes, but then a corner for Sports ended with another imaginary foul against Sports.

Then a another free kick after 84 minutes for a non foul, before Maher had to dive at a strikers feet again, following  long throw,

Ryder had found Brown as time ran out, but the young striker failed to get a shot in. Dean Ironmonger was then on for Brown, before the strangest decision of the night. Moore was almost wrestled to the ground by the Wirksworth right back, but the ref gave a free kick to the visitors and booked Moore for querying the decision,

In time added on Moore had a final shot blocked, before the game concluded for Mickleover’s first 0-0 of the season.

They have two local Derbies over the next week too, visiting Graham Street Prims next Saturday, before hosting Mickleover RBL on Tuesday night.

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