by Peter Scherer (Images: Steve Ingers)
For the second successive week it was an injury time winner that secured the three points for Mickleover, but this time it was skipper Ethan Mann on target AGAINST Bromsgrove Sporting.
Starting line-up: 1-Lewis Ridd 2-Jake Bennett 3-Rhys Dolan 4-Will Atkinson 5-Will Tamen 6-Ethan Mann 7-Andy Dales 8-Dan Bradley 9-Tyrell Waite 10-Stuart Beavon 11-Oli Greaves. Subs: Marcus Barnes, Brendon Daniels, Blaine Rowe, Will Trueman, Will Bapaga.
After a pacey start it was Mickleover first to test the keeper, when Dales cut in from the left after four minutes, to fire in a close range shot, well saved by Bromsgrove keeper Ollie Taylor.
Cooper then tried his luck for the visitors, but his attempt was blocked four minutes later. But Cooper was tending lead the Bromsgrove attacks, and 13 minutes in his deflected cross was safely taken by Ridd in the Mickleover goal.
Both sides were continuing to try and push forward and Greaves tested Taylor again from a tight angle after 15 minutes, but once again the keeper had it covered.
White and Shaw combined to challenge the home defence again, but Shaw’s final effort was just over the bar with 20 minutes gone.
There was a blow though for Mickleover though when Dolan went off injured after 23 minutes, replaced by Daniels, who was making his debut for the club.
Mann and Tamen had things covered at the back for Mickleover, but with 10 minutes of the first half left, Shaw managed to close down a promising Mickleover attack.
Newall had a volley blocked just before half time for the visitors and Beavon had a header just off target, so as the half time whistle went it remained 0-0.
Barnes came on for Dales as they re-appeared for the second half and only seven minutes into the half debutant Bapaga came on for Atkinson too.
Daniels managed to test keeper Taylor again with a free kick after 55 minutes, but he palmed it away, before the action moved to the other end, as Shaw had a shot just wide, before trying narrow angled shot after 67 minutes, but Ridd had it covered too.
Both sides had continued to have chances, but nothing was manging to find the net. Waite latched onto a cross after 74 minutes, but headed wide, and another header went over the bar five minutes later.
Time was running out, but with the customary add on, the deadlock was finally broken. Daniels free kick on the left came into the box, and Mann had a clear run in from the right to fire it past Taylor, and after 93 minutes it was 1-0.
Rowe had one last shot for Bromsgrove, but it was game over and another valuable three points for Mickleover.
