NPL Premier Division – Page 60 – Mickleover Football Club

SPORTS TOP THE LEAGUE AFTER NANTWICH MAULING

by Peter Scherer

Mickleover extended their unbeaten run to seven as they tore the previously unbeaten Nantwich Town apart for a dominant 4-0 victory.

Hot of the back of the 5-0 FA Trophy win against Dereham, Mickleover made the short trip up the M6 to Nantwich Town.

Manager John McGrath went for his trusted line-up of 1-Callum Hawkins 2-Jake Bennett 3-Alex Morris 4-Kemy Agustien 5-James Butler 6-Phil Watt 7-Goerge Milner 8-Andrew Wright 9-Paddy Webb 10-Stuart Beavon 11-Mason Warren. Subs: Anam Verma, Josh Satchwell, Ben Gowing, Pablo Mills, Joe Slinn.

Nantwich kicked off and strangely lobbed the ball straight towards goal and safely into Hawkins hands, before a more logical attack was intercepted by Milner.

The hosts could easily have gone one up in the third minute when Hawkins called for the ball, but Wright’s back pass fell short, was collected by Scott McGowan whose shot was just wide.

Webb had a half chance a couple of minutes later, when Morris put a dangerous cross into the box. The Nantwich defence had trouble clearing it and Sports fired it back in from the right, before it was eventually punched away by keeper Greg Hall.

McGowan then got a break for the home side, but his shot was saved by Hawkins, close to his left hand post.

But Sports were straight back into attack themselves, firstly with a Morris cross finding Beavon, whose shot from just outside the area was saved, and then Wright put Webb through, only to be flagged offside.

There was a weak appeal for a Nantwich penalty after Sean Cooke went down, then a Caspar Hughes free kick was chipped to Matty Devine, whose cross was easily taken by Hawkins.

On the 15 minute mark Bennett intercepted as Nantwich pushed forward, then Webb picked out Beavon on the left. His shot passed the face of the goal, before being pushed out for a corner.

But Sports only had to wait another minute, as following a well saved header from Beavon, sustained attacking and a crowded box combined for the ball to break left to Watt, who slid the ball passed Hall into the right hand corner 1-0.

Nantwich continued to try and push forward, after another attack was blocked, Webb got clear and Warren found space, but the striker tried himself to no avail.

Although the Dabbers had a number of free kicks, they created little from them, Watt and Morris had to join forces in the 23^rd minute though to clear the danger.

Milner, Wright and Warren were continuing to find runs from midfield, with Agustien the calming influence of experience and skill.

28 minutes in and one of Milner charges upfield picked out Beavon, whose shot was deflected onto the left hand post by Hall. Two minutes later Webb lobbed over, one on one with the keeper.

There could easily have been a second goal for Mickleover when Milner’s shot in the 32^nd whistled across the front of the goal and out just wide of the right hand post.

With Nantwich pushing for an equaliser before half time, they left themselves wide open at the back and Beavon found space again on the left and had his shot saved, after a longer spell of Nantwich pressure.

Cooke then tried a shot from well out, which cleared the stadium wall and just before half time Mickleover skipper Warren had picked up an interception and had a go himself, which was well wide. So 1-0 at half time but could easily have been 4.

There were no changes for Sports at half-time, but within a minute of the restart Webb had a great chance in front of goal, but barely connected, as Hall picked the ball up.

But the second goal soon arrived with Milner again the creator. His strong run put Bennett through, who placed a firmly shot into the back of the net from the right. 2-0.

Only a minute later Wright spied an opening in the Dabbers defence, fired in one of his signature rockets, which was partially blocked on its way over the bar.

Milner was then booked for bringing down Mwasile, but the free kick was wasted yet again, with Cooke’s effort well wide.

Nantwich were in the game more, but still unable to create much, as Watt and Butler stayed solid in the centre of defence, with Bennett and Morris covering the wings.

Just after the hour mark another good run from Wright found Beavon, and his cross from the right found Webb unmarked and with time, before firing passed Hall 3-0.

Wright fired another opportune shot over from well out, just before Mickleover made their first substitution, Verma for Agustien.

Sports attack was firing on all cylinders and after 74 minutes a Warren chip was easily saved, before Webb broke, with Milner and Morris waiting in the box, but put in a weak shot himself, easily saved.

Even with chances Nantwich were off target, with shots both wide and over.

Cooke was in the referee’s book after hacking down Morris and the following free kick had Hall at full stretch again.

Ben Harrison then had to clear another attempt off the line, before Gowing came on for Wright.

Then came number four, Milner had placed another telling through ball to Verma on the left, who made no mistake for 4-0. “I had to put that one in,” he said.

Satchwell was a late sub for Milner, but after two minutes add on, the whistle blew for a totally convincing win, which takes Mickleover to the top of the NPL before Lockdown but leaves us with an uncertain future.

So what did the gaffer think of the nights performance? “Superb, from the first minute to the 92^nd. Four great goals and the work rate was phenomenal.

Real quality football and with that amount of work rate, you have to be in with a chance every time.

George Milner was my stand out player, just exceptional tonight, but really good team performance,” John McGrath.

MILNER GOAL KEEPS SPORTS AT THE TOP

by Peter Scherer

Mickleover extended their unbeaten run to six games with a hard fought win against a robust defending Hyde United.

The starting line-up was the same as last Saturday’s win over Grantham, but it was a welcome back for Mason Warren and Aman Verma on the bench.

The full line-up was 1-Callum Hawkins 2-Jake Benett 3-Alex Morris 4-Kemy Agustien 5-James Butler 6-Phil Watt 7-George Milner 8-Andrew Wright 9-Paddy Webb 10-Stuart Beavon 11-Declan Bacon, Subs: Josh Satchwell, Mason Warren, Pablo Mills, Anam Verma, and Joe Slinn.

Mickleover were on the attack from the opening minutes, with Milner the integral part of a build-up including most of the team.

An early Agustien free-kick was cleared and after six minutes a Beavon cross was headed out for the first corner of the game. It came to nothing and after the clearance there was a free-kick to Hyde.

Four minutes later and Agustien was busy with another free kick after Wright was fouled, but the initial clearance ran loose, was picked up by Milner, whose shot was just over.

Beavon was the next to be fouled, so it was another Agustien free kick, before the Curacao midfielder played a nice ball through the middle, for Milner to flick on a header which wasn’t picked up.

Hyde then started to come out more and after a Tom Pratt effort was easily blocked by Watt, Liam Tongue shot straight at Hawkins, with his shot comfortably held.

Sports then broke out again with a strong running overlap from Morris, but his cross was too near to keeper Joe Green.

Tongue had a good effort again for Hyde on 15 minutes, but Hawkins dived to his left and had it covered.

Then Watt was first in the book for Sports and yet another free kick and Hyde’s effort was straight into the wall, before Morris went in the book for a late challenge too.

The next free kick was Hyde’s again and nearly got through the Mickleover defence, before being put out for a corner.

The book was out again for Paddy Lane’s late challenge on Morris, only two minutes later Tom Pratt was in there too after a challenge on Butler and Bradley Roscoe followed after taking down Beavon, as the referee’s whistle began to dominate the game.

In between the stoppages Hyde managed a weak shot easily taken by Hawkins, and another effort from Tongue was blocked.

With 10 minutes to go in the first half Beavon almost found space in the box, before a Bacon cross was cleared by the visitors defence.

There was another Mickleover free kick after Milner was taken down just outside the box, Agustien’s shot was then just tipped over by Green.

Hyde then got a break through Chinedu Uche, and although it got very busy in the box, Hawkins ran out and cleared the threat before the referee finally brought a very scrappy first half to a conclusion.

There was an early corner for Hyde as the second half kicked off, but no one connected with Tongue’s effort

But it was soon evident that Sports were beginning to flow, aided by the fact the referee wasn’t stopping play every five minutes.

Butler put a testing ball over the centre of the Hyde goal, almost connecting with a charging Bennett before it was intercepted.

Webb almost put Wright in the clear but a combination of keeper and defender saved the visitors again. Beavon was next, chasing a long ball that just ran out on him.

Lane had a great chance to give the visitors the lead, but put it wide and was soon to regret his miss.

Morris to Bacon, a cross to Bennett who had made a long and forceful run towards goal. He could have shot but played it to Milner, who placed it cleanly in the bottom corner. 1-0 after 55 minutes.

“That goal was so important,” said a delighted Milner. “I played my part in that goal, as we just don’t score enough,” Bennett added.

Only a couple of minutes later Webb was almost through again, then Bacon had his cross put out for a corner.

The pressure continued with Bacon fouled on the edge of the box. The initial Beavon free kick was put out for a corner, from where Butler’s header was put out for another corner too.

Beavon was busy again with a 68^th minute cross, Webb was tripped in the area, but Wright sent a cracking shot inches over the bar.

With less stoppages the game had flowed much better in the second half, which suited Sports tactics and another promising run from Webb earned another corner.

72 minutes in and Warren came on for Bacon and Hawkins had a bit of work to do, which was all dealt with routinely.

Sports were still pushing and had most of the play when Webb had a chance of number two from a Morris cross, but he just failed to make proper contact and the chance had gone.

Back from injury Verma was on for Wright, but after 80 minutes Hyde had a great chance for an equaliser, when a telling cross across the goal face, was just missed at the far post.

Hyde pushed everything forward, including keeper Green, who had been putting up with some friendly banter from Sports fans about his shiny boots.

Hawkins had a couple of late saves to make and Warren created his own space and shot just wide. Mills subbed for Webb in the final minutes, but the whistle blew after five minutes added time, and it was another well-deserved win for Mickleover.