League: BetVictor NPL Premier Division
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Mickleover Sports vs Nantwich Town
Mickleover Sports 0-0 Nantwich Town
Saturday 13th October 2018
Written by Sam Goldsworthy
In very tough windy conditions on Saturday afternoon, Mickleover Sports fired a blank as they drew 0-0 with 6th placed Nantwich Town. The weather certainly played a part in what was in large parts an uneventful match. A few crunching tackles and a second half penalty miss from Sports striker Nathan Jarman were the main highlights of a pretty drab affair but with plenty of positives as Sports did have chances to win it and a clean sheet can be taken into the upcoming matches.
Lewis King started in goal with a back four of Jake Scott, Pablo Mills, Tom Burgin and Mason Warren. John McGrath and Ricky Ravenhill started in midfield with Jimmy Phillips and Oliver Roberts on the wings. Nathan Jarman and Evan Garnett started up front. On the bench were Ted Cribley, Harley Kozluk, Isai Marselia and Curtis Burrows.
The game started with Nathan Jarman going into the referee’s notebook after catching the goalkeeper with his foot whist he was clearing the ball up field. The first Sports chance came as a ball over the top from McGrath found Evan Garnett running through only for Spiess the Nantwich keeper getting there first before the Sports striker could get a foot to it. Jarman had a chance next as he found some space on the left hand side of the box but his effort was deflected for a corner. The next chance fell to the visitors as a curling effort from Sean Cooke was seen all the way into his gloves by King. Next Cooke had a free kick deflected off the Sports wall and again the ball fell kindly to King. Nantwich were having a really good spell in the game and the next chance came and went as a Louis Barnes cross was caught by the wind and went over everyone inside the box and out for a goal kick. Craig Lindfield then let fly from distance which King had to save for a corner, from which Sports were given a free kick after a foul on King from the resulting corner. The final two chances of the half again fell to the Dabbers as Lindfield and Matthew Bell were next to try their luck but again due to the high winds but went wide of the mark.
Into the second half the game sparked into life when soon after Saunders went close for the visitors, Sports were awarded a penalty kick. From a free kick into the box Jake Scott was brought down inside the area and the referee showed no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Up stepped striker Nathan Jarman who unfortunately had his strike saved in the bottom right corner by the keeper and round the post for a corner. But from the resulting Sports could have made up for the miss but it was not meant to be as a succession of saves and blocks resulted in an overhead kick from Ricky Ravenhill inside the box resulted in the Dabbers keeper tipping the ball over the bar. Next Sports did get the ball into but Evan Garnett was adjudged to be offside by the linesman on the far side. Sports then made a change as Oliver Roberts made way for Curtis Burrows. As Sports piled pressure on Nantwich had a chance on the counter attack as Sean Cooke was played in 1v1 but Lewis King stood strong and saved the effort and pounced on the second ball afterwards straight away. A second substitution for Sports came and went as Evan Garnett came off for Isai Marselia. Next a free kick from Barnes was deflected onto the wall and was heading into the left hand side of the net. But Lewis King showed great reactions to change his direction at the last second and save the ball onto the post and caught the rebound into the safety of his gloves. The final chance of the game fell to Nantwich as Cooke went close again however his strike went wide of the mark. A final chance for Sports for forced in stoppage time as Tom Burgin had to come off with an injured hamstring which looks like keeping the Sports defender out for a long period of time. On came young player Harley Kozluk. However it was too late for any real impact to be made as soon after the referee blew for Full Time. John McGrath felt it was two points dropped but the old saying is if you can’t win it then don’t lose it and Sports held firm to keep a clean sheet and pick up a point. Next up it’s a local Derby with rivals Matlock Town on Tuesday 16th October with a 7:45pm kick off back at The Don Amott Arena.
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Whitby Town vs Warrington Town
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Nantwich Town vs Hednesford Town
vs Stafford Rangers vs Farsley Celtic
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Buxton vs Grantham Town
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Gainsborough Trinity vs Basford United
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Matlock Town vs Marine
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Stalybridge Celtic vs Scarborough Athletic
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Witton Albion vs Mickleover Sports
Witton Albion 1-2 Mickleover Sports
Tuesday 9th October
Written by Sam Goldsworthy
Mickleover Sports had a huge weight lifted off their shoulders as they got their first away win of the season on Tuesday night as they came out 2-1 victors on Tuesday night in Cheshire. Sports dominated the first half and goals from the gaffer John McGrath and striker Nathan Jarman were reward for a first half in which Sports could have been 3, 4 or even 5 goals to the good at half time. Witton were always going to come out the blocks fighting in the second half and they got a goal back through Rob Hopley in the 70th minute. But despite the increased pressure and six minutes of injury time Sports held firm to take three points back down the road to Derby for the first time in the league this season.
Lewis King started in goal with a back four of Jake Scott, Tom Burgin, Pablo Mills and Ben Turner. John McGrath and Ricky Ravenhill were in holding midfield roles with an attacking quartet of Evan Garnett, Oli Roberts, Jimmy Phillips and Nathan Jarman. On the bench were Harley Kozluk, Isai Marselia, Curtis Burrows and Mason Warren.
Sports got off to a flying start as they went ahead after six minutes. A free kick on the right hand side of the box was taken by McGrath and he spotted a gap in goal to place the ball into the near post which caught the keeper out and went in just under him into the bottom right hand corner. Within ten minutes Sports dominance saw them go two ahead. A lovely ball over the top found Garnett running through who inside the box played the ball back to Roberts, who in turn spotted the gap to place in Jarman in space to slam the ball home from close range to double Sports advantage.
Witton then reacted and his straight on the attack. Danny McKenna unleashed a wonderful curling effort which looked destined for the top right corner. However King managed to get a finger on the ball to tip it onto the bar and out for a corner. Next James Foley produced a powerful effort from the left hand side of the box but it went over King’s bar. A few minutes later Witton were nearly gifted a route back into the game. Jake Scott played the ball back into King who’s clearance was blocked by the Witton striker and almost went over the line but thankfully Pablo Mills got back just in time to clear it away for a corner. A big chance then fell for Sports as Roberts had an effort saved before Jarman had his rebounded strike cleared off the line via the defenders head. Garnett had two chances before the break to increase Sports lead further but sadly couldn’t take them with one saved and one blocked away to see Sports go into the break two goals up but certainly should have had more.
When the second half got underway Witton changed formation and made a substitution to try and get back into the game. They could have got a goal before they actually did as a free kick found its way into the Sports box and after a few headers the ball fell to Rob Hopley who managed to blaze a first time effort over the bar and out of the ground from only a few yards out. He made up for it later on though as he scored in the 70th minute to give the hosts the momentum for the final section of the game. A corner was taken short, crossed in and the header hit the bar but the ball dropped down into the path of Hopley who made no mistake heading the ball in from a yard out to give Witton hope of getting back into the game.
Sports made a change a few minutes later as Oli Roberts came off for Curtis Burrows to add some more speed down the right flank. Sports then had their final chance of the game as Garnett was played in on the counter attack and got just inside the box but his shot was saved by the Witton keeper. Sports then made their second change as Nathan Jarman came off to be replaced by Mason Warren to sure up the defence.
Despite the dominance in possession and many balls into the box Burgin and Mills were heading and clearing everything that came their way and despite the six minutes of added time that came and went Sports didn’t allow Witton Albion to create any real concrete chances in the final moments of the game. As the final whistle went the joy and relief of all connected with the club could be seen and heard as Sports won and got their first away win of the league season. Sports now have a huge weight off their shoulders and can hopefully now push on and move further up the table in the weeks ahead. Sports are next in action on Saturday 13th October back at The Don Amott Arena as they take on Nantwich Town on Non League Day with a 3pm Kick Off.
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