by Peter Scherer
It made not have been a win, but we’re still undefeated, thanks to goals from Ethan Mann and Ben Sault.
Starting line-up: 1-Oliver Bosworth 2-Jake Bennett 3-Ryan Wilson 4-Will Atkinson 5-Fin Delap 6-Ethan Mann 7-Andy Dales 8-Dan Bradley 9-Marcus Barnes 10-Ben Sault 11-Oli Greaves. Subs: Stuart Beavon, Callum Chettle, Brandon Ferron, Fin Ryder, Joe Bateman.
Early Mickleover pressure saw visiting keeper Harrison tip an early effort around the post, with the following corner resulting in a deflected shot, just flicked away.
Sault then burst through the Redditch defence after eight minutes, but couldn’t get the better of keeper Harrison.
Sports defence were kept on their toes too, when only a minute later, Bosworth managed to save an effort from way out from Flanagan, pushing it away for a corner.
It remained level pegging until 23 minutes, when Alex Cameron latched onto a long ball over the home defence, slotting it past Bosworth, 0-1.
As in last weeks game at Bromsgrove, Mickleover had the possession, but were unable to make it count, which left Redditch looking dangerous on the break.
Mickleover came close again after 27 minutes, when Barnes fed Dales, who managed to get around the defence, before his final shot hit the side netting.
Four minutes later however we were level again, when a Greaves free kick was met precisely with Mann’s head and it was 1-1.
Barnes went in the book after kicking the ball away after being flagged offiside, but a 37th minute corner almost brought a second for Sports. A short corner then saw a telling cross floated in, with Mann’s header clipping the post.
There were shouts for a penalty too almost on half time, for a foul on Dales. The appeals were quickly ignored and it remained 1-1 as the whistle went.
Visibility started decrease early into the second half, as fog came in. But on the hour Dales went close again, beating the defence to play it across goalwards, just inches away from connecting with the incoming Barnes.
Redditch continued to look for the break that successfully got them the early lead, but Delap and Mann at the back for Mickleover had it covered, ably supported by Bennett and Wilson.
Bateman came on for Bradley after 65 minutes, but there were penalty appeals from both teams, equally failing to convince the referee.
Greaves had continued to look dangerous in midfield and 74 minutes in, another sprint down the wing found Sault, who made it 2-1.
Redditch sub Rowe then sent in a cross come shot from the left to test Bosworth, who pulled off a great save to claw it back from the right hand corner as it looked like it was heading for the back of the net.
Delap was the second Mickleover player to receive a yellow card, for obstruction, before Chettle replaced Barnes for the closing minutes.
The clock was running down but the referee decided to add on another five minutes, which was to prove critical in the final outcome. Melbourne’s cross found Wollacott on the far post, who headed home to make 2-2 after 93 minutes, before Greaves headed just inches wide in the 95th and final minute.
So still defeated after 13 matches, but we now take a break from league action, as we face Worksop Town away on Saturday in the FA Trophy.