League: NPL Premier Division
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Whitby Town vs Mickleover F.C.
by Peter Scherer
There were hopes of maybe a point from the visit to Whitby Town, but second half goals from James Butler and Rhys Dolan, plus a penalty save from Arlo Doherty , weren’t enough to outdo the home sides four goals.
Starting line-up 1-Arlo Doherty 2-Ben Radcliffe 3-Rhys Dolan 4-James Butler 5-Phil Watt 6-Kemy Agustien 7-Andy Dales 8-George Milner 9-Jahvan Davidson-Miller 10-Josh Scott 11-Dexter Walters. Subs: Ethan Mann, Roger Lee, Pablo Mills, Stuart Beavon, Dempsey Arlott-John.
The hosts went close after just one minute when Macdonald fired over the bar from a free kick.
Six minutes later Hazel and Fewster then combined, before the latter’s final shot was easily held by Doherty.
Agustien was trying to lead by example, when after 11 mins he cleared up another Whitby attack, before leading a Mickleover break.
But it was the hosts making all the running and Butler had to clear away more danger when Shepherd broke through after 13 mins.
Despite the sustained pressure, Milner was trying to push forward for Mickleover. Walters, Agustien and Scott combined before passing to Radcliffe. But the promising move broke down when Radcliffe’s pass was behind the advancing Dolan.
But it all went wrong after 19 mins, when an initial clearance was picked up by Gell, before Fewster swivelled and smashed the ball home from 20 yards, 0-1.
Unlike last weeks game, Sports midfield tried to stay composed and fight back, as Agustien played the ball out again to Radcliffe, but it ended up as a throw.
Hazel then intercepted and fired over, as Whitby continued to threaten.
24 mins in and Hazel tried another long distance well off target, before Fewster broke through to earn a corner.
There was another blow for Mickleover when Dales went down. He was only able to play on for another five minutes, before being replaced by Lee.
Hazel continued his random long range and fortunately off target long shots, before a slight chance for Sports came after 34 mins, when Walters found Radcliffe, whose chip was easily caught by Bland, skipper for the day to mark his 300th club appearance.
Milner tried his luck with a chip too, but failed to trouble Bland again, only for Whitby to earn another free kick only a minute later.
Hazel’s kick from25 yards was straight through the defence, with Doherty well beaten, so 0-2 after 39 mins.
With just four minutes left in the first half, Agustien was fouled and took the free kick himself, Burn was booked, but it came to nought.
It was very nearly another goal for the hosts however, when Fewster latched onto a corner from Hackett. Doherty was at full stretch and finger tipped it onto the bar, before Agustien headed it away and Milner finally cleared the danger.
There no immediate Mickleover changes for the second half, but Agustien tried a long shot after 52 mins, which almost caught Bland off guard, and was Mickleover’s best attempt of the game.
But as the completion of the hour approached, Whitby had a corner. The ball came off a defender’s back and while Hawkins tried to set up his own shot, Burn fired it home for 0-3.
There was a double substation as Davidson-Miller and Scott came off after making little impression, to be replaced by Beavon and Arlott-John.
Beavon soon let go with a shot, but Bland had it covered, before Fergus earned a dubious penalty for Whitby, having taken to ground very easily.
Hazel stepped up to take the kick, but diving low to his left Doherty made an excellent save.
Mickleover began to press forward and after 68 mins Agustien found Dolan, but his ball into the box was comfortably claimed by Bland again.
Both Radcliffe and Beavon were in the refs book before Mickleover pulled one back, when Butler rose to head home a corner in the 74th minute, 1-3.
Walters then fired a shot in, saved by Bland, before he was on another run a few minutes later, finding Dolan on the overlap.
Agustien and Radcliffe combined, but the threat though brief was soon dealt with. But Arlott-John had a promising shot in the 79th minute, but Bland managed to block it.
Hazel then picked up on another Whitby break, but his shot was nearer the corner flag than the goal. He soon made amends after Hawkins beat two defenders, before finding him again to make it 1-4.
It was into injury time that Mickleover managed a second goal too, after Dolan’s free kick managed to creep inside Bland’s near post to make the final score 2-4.
vs 
Nantwich Town vs Radcliffe FC
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Bamber Bridge vs Scarborough Athletic
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South Shields vs Hyde United
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Gainsborough Trinity vs Warrington Town
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Buxton vs Scarborough Athletic
vs Warrington Town vs Lancaster City FC
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Mickleover F.C. vs Grantham Town
by Peter Scherer
Mickleover went into their home game against Grantham Town in a must win situation, but after dominating the play, it was only two late goals that salvaged a draw after Grantham led 0-2.
Starting line-up: 1-Arlo Doherty 2-Ben Radcliffe 3-Jordie Gough 4-James Butler 5-Phil Watt 6-Kemy Agustien 7-Andy Dales 8-George Milner 9-Josh Scott 10-Stuart Beavon 11-Dempsey Arlott-John. Subs: Jahvan Davidson-Miller, Roger Lee, Pablo Mills, Dexter Walters, Rhys Dolan.
Mickleover started with strength and commitment, with Arlott-John firing the first shot of the game just wide after two minutes.
Grantham managed a retaliatory attack but failed to get a shot in, before Butler had another shot just wide of the left hand post after good work from Arlott-John.
But another run from the Sports striker was thwarted on the halfway line, giving Grantham a chance, before Smith missed the ball and it rolled out of play.
Both Radcliffe and Gough were pushing forward on the wings, with Milner’s runs as Mickleover sought the opening goal.
After 14 minutes Dales twisted and turned on the right to fire in a cross, with Scott connecting but shooting just wide again after a deflection.
Arlott-John and Beavon battled hard in the box but couldn’t get a clear shot in, before Dales was taken down on the edge of the box after 16 minutes.
Dales recovered to take the free kick, bringing out a spectacular diving save from Grantham keeper James Pollard, earning another corner.
Grantham had a slight foray at the Mickleover end, but Butler headed clear and the Sports attack was on again.
The chances continued to flow for Mickleover, as Radcliffe dropped a teasing cross into the box after 21 minutes, with Gough’s header just wide, but the wing back had taken a knock to his head.
Only a minute later Dales had a long run intercepted, before Beavon’s shot hit the post.
Beavon tried a chip from outside the box, saved by Pollard, before Grantham managed to take the lead against the run of play.
It started with a cross, which Doherty came out for but failed to collect. Miller put in a header just over, before sustained Grantham pressure saw Doherty make a partial save, before the ball was cleared off the line, only to fall at Smith’s feet who hit a powerful shot for 0-1 after 31 minutes.
Mickleover continued to try and push forward, but the midfield suddenly seem to collapse and left the defence looking very vulnerable.
Only three minutes after the opening goal, Gough was beaten on the left but the shot went high and wide.
The frustration was showing in attack as despite the dominance of play, Mickleover couldn’t find the net.
Arlott-John tried his luck again from outside the box, firing just wide to the right, but there was much worse to come.
Gough was beaten again and this time the low cross into the box, found Clark, who comfortably made it 0-2 as the first half came to a massively disappointing end.
Only minutes into the second half Milner had a shot just wide again, before Radcliffe’s cross found Dales unmarked, but his free header went over the bar.
The possession was still in Mickleover’s favour, with no real impact, but the capitulation of the midfield from the first half, had fortunately not re-occurred.
Dolan had come for his first team debut to replace Gough and Dales managed to put in a nice cross, but no one was in the box to receive it.
Two more substitutions followed just after the hour with Walters and Mills on for Arlott-John and Scott.
Dales then tried a long range shot which was over the bar and after 71 minutes he was on another run when he was hacked down on the left.
Walters free kick was well saved by Pollard, as the constant rain and wind intensified too.
Milner received a yellow car after pulling back a Grantham attack and despite the increasing push forward, there was still no sign of a goal for Mickleover.
Pollard’s confidence in the Grantham goal even saw him run well out of his area like an extra defender to thwart an attack. But with 10 minutes left on the clock his confidence was soon to be tested.
Walters fed in a tight corner after 81 minutes which the keeper managed to punch away, only for the visitors to make a break, before it was cleared following a scramble in the box.
Having impressed on his debut, Radcliffe was placed just right to volley between Pollard’s legs to make it 1-2 after 87 minutes, but there was more to come.
Straight from the kick off the next attack was on. It was headed away as the Grantham defence floundered and Milner found the ball at his feet and made no mistake in making it 2-2.
Grantham still scented a win, but the final attack of the game was comfortably cleared by Mickleover skipper Watt and it remained 2-2.
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Morpeth Town vs Gainsborough Trinity
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