By Peter Scherer
Mickleover made it five successive wins after their 2-0 success at home to Bedford Town, moving them into fourth place in the Southern Premier League Central Division.
Gaffer John McGrath was able to name the same starting line-up that beat Basford Utd last Tuesday, 1-Jonathan Hedge 2-Lucas Yeomans 3-Rhys Dolan 4- Ryan Wilson 5-James Butler 6-Ethan Mann 7-Andy Dales 8-Mitchell Rose 9-Elliott Reeves 10-Stuart Beavon 11-Oli Greaves. Subs: Phil Watt, Lekan Osideko, Pablo Mills, Joe Bateman, Mason Warren.
The game started with a fairly swift pace from Mickleover, with Reeves going clear after five minutes, but his fairly tame shot was easily taken by keeper Alex Street.
Five minutes later Charley Sanders hit the post with a header for the visitors, before Beavon collected a cross in the box, only for the Bedford defence to clear the danger.
Sports were moving forward with pace, as Yeomans and Dolan pushed down the wings and the midfield of Wilson, Rose and Greaves looked strong.
Reeves was almost through again after 13 minutes, but Sam Dreyer cleared, before Mickleover had two successive short corners before Bedford cleared their lines.
Connor Tomlinson met a Harriman cross after 17 minutes, but his final header was over Hedge’s bar, but Mickleover retaliated in the best possible way after Bedford failed to clear a long throw. Beavon was onto it, a quick turn and shot and was inside the right post 1-0.
Bedford fought back and Hedge had to punch the ball away from a difficult Harriman cross, but then Dales went on one of his trademark runs at the defence, but his shot was wide.
Sanders and Tomlinson combined again for the visitors after 26 minutes, forcing another save from Hedge and three minutes later it was Street’s turn to save, as Mickleover earned another corner.
Bedford were still seeking the equaliser and Jarvis managed to send Sanders clear after 32 minutes, he lobbed Hedge, but Butler was on the line to clear.
Wilson tried a long-range shot but was wide of the mark and a few minutes later Alban-Jones followed suit for Bedford with a similar conclusion.
Bedford had a late corner as the half time whistle was poised, but Mickleover went into the break with their lead well intact.
The second half couldn’t have started better for Mickleover, when in the 47th minute Dales collected and lobbed the keeper successfully to make it 2-0.
The wind seemed to have gone from Bedford’s sails after the second goal and the play went fairly dormant. Mickleover made two changes just after the hour mark, with Watt on for Yeomans and Warren for Dales.
70 minutes in and Butterworth had a shot from outside the box, pushed wide around the post, followed up by a shot from Richardson again saved by the Mickleover keeper.
Reeves fired a shot across goal a couple of minutes later, just before Bateman came on for Rose.
Tomlinson had another shot blocked for Bedford, but after 79 minutes it was almost a third goal for Mickleover, but Street managed to save a diving header from Reeves.
But Mickleover collected all three points and now move into fourth place in the table, with Stourbridge next in line on Tuesday evening.