by Peter Scherer
It was a poor all round performance from Mickleover Reserves, as they went down 0-2 to mid-table Cromford & Wirksworth at the Don Amott Arena last night.
Starting line-up: 1-Josh Maher 2-Zac Sandhu 3-Brandon Ferron 4-Jred Cholerton 5-Will Robinson 6-Harry Atwal 7-Josh Carter 8-Chris Palmer 9-Sam Tomlinson 10-Bobby Battisson 11-Josh Powell. Subs: Toby Smith, Dean Ironmonger, Sam Johnson, Mason Tudgay, Mason Hoult.
In a scrappy start it was the visitors first into the attack, earning a corner after two minutes. Only eight minutes later Maher had to race off his line too, when a visiting striker tried to chase down a loose ball.
Sports earned a free kick when Powell was hacked down in full flight on the left, but that came to nought. While a few minutes later Ferron put a cross in from the same wing, with Tomlinson just failing to connect.
Mickleover went close after 16 minutes when Palmer’s free kick was saved by the visitors keeper diving to his left, after Battisson had been fouled on the edge of the box.
From the following corner Battisson almost scored, but the keeper managed to tip the ball over for another corner.
For a while Mickleover looked to be taking control, as Battisson fired over the bar after a nice build up on the left, but as the half hour mark approached Cromford tested Maher too, but it was a relatively easy save.
Up front for Mickleover Tomlinson was virtually on his own, with most of the team crowding midfield. There was plenty of build up but no final result, but Battisson managed another shot after 32 minutes, following a Ferron cross, but that was blocked.
Cromford had a header just wide, but Mickleover were struggling trying to play the ball out from the back and were giving the ball away, handing more and more opportunities to the visitors to strike.
The inevitable came after 42 minutes, when more passes had gone awry and Robinson lost possession to striker Declan Jenkins. He was clear and unchallenged and placed it neatly beyond Maher’s right hand into the far corner 0-1.
Just before half time Cholerton went off injured, he was replaced by Smith and Sandhu moved into the middle of defence with Robinson.
Tudgay came on for Carter in the second half and only a few minutes in he was hacked down by a Cromford defender on the right wing. Last man, it should have been a straight red card, but the referee saw yellow.
The visitors had another good chance, but fired well off target after 55 minutes and then a 59th minute free kick was sent straight into Maher’s hands.
Battisson found Tomlinson on the hour, but his close range shot was wide and he was the replaced by Ironmonger.
Maher had to pull off another save after 67 minutes, from which Battisson made a positive break, but was brought down yet again.
Johnson came on for Palmer and into the final 15 minutes Battisson was on the receiving end of yet another foul, but Atwal’s free kick was over the bar.
Time was already running out when after 84 minutes, Maher made a poor clearance, the defence couldn’t gain control and Jenkins fired his and Cromford’s second goal, 0-2.
Only a minute later the defence gave it away again, but this time Maher was the saviour, but we were still waiting for Mickleover to have a shot on target from open play.
Into time added on Tudgay almost got around the back of the defence from a free kick, and in the final minute Ferron cracked in a superb shot, saved again by the keeper as it remained 0-2.
