League: The Integro Doodson League Cup
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Mickleover Sports vs Loughborough Dynamo
by Brad Cox
Mickleover Sports score two in three minutes against Loughborough Dynamo to advance to the second round of the Integro League Cup.
Centre-back partners, Pablo Mills and Greg Young, were essential in Tuesday night’s victory. After going behind, Mills made it 1-1 in the 22nd minute. Mills’ header at the back-post ricochet back to him and acrobatically smashed the ball into the back of the net.
The Sports were forced into an early change just before half-time when Nathan Modest went down with an injury. Youngster, Karel Tvaroh replaced him and was put to work down the right-wing. An uneventful start to the second half proved to save all the excitement for the last 15 minutes.
Karl Demidh got his second of the night for Loughborough Dynamo and gave the visitors the lead in the 75th minute. The Sports reacted just the way manager, John McGrath, wanted:
Character plays a massive part in football. Whether you play in the lower leagues or the Premier League, it all comes down to character and they showed that tonight. They overcame the adversity that was presented, and I couldn’t be more of the boys tonight.
Young got the Sports back on level terms in the 86th minute. Tvaroh whipped in a cross from the right-flank which provoked a goal mouth scramble and a clearance off the line. Luckily for the hosts, the clearance fell to Young who slotted the ball home.
It got even better than that for the Sports. Yet again Tvaroh took the ball down the right-wing and got the ball into the box. This time it ended on Mill’s header that managed to lob the Dynamo keeper and complete the comeback for the Sports.
Four ex Sports players returned to the Don Amott Arena, Will Norcross, Karl Demidh, Alex Steadman and Curtis Burrows. They all put in a good shift and we hope they enjoyed their return.
The Sports get their first victory since October 5th when they beat Scarborough Athletic 1-0 and advance to the next round. The second-round draw date is to be confirmed.
Sports XI; Otoyo, Berry, Turner, Warren, Mills, Young (Captain), Scott, Wright, Hughes (Satchwell 81’), Beavon, Modest (Tvaroh 35’)
Loughborough Dynamo XI; Smith-Eccles, Thorogood, Egginton, Young, Oke-William, Scanlon, Norcross, Burrows (Captain) (Norris 71’), Demidh, Fortnam-Tomlinson (Owusu-Nepaul 71’), Steadman
Mickleover Sports FC 3-2 Loughborough Dynamo
Tuesday 19th November 2019
Don Amott Arena
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Mickleover Sports vs Buxton
Mickleover Sports 0-3 Buxton
Tuesday 20th November 2018
Written by Sam Goldsworthy
Mickleover Sports excited League Cup on Tuesday night on a cold and wet evening as they went down 3-0 to local rivals Buxton FC.
The visitors went ahead after only five minutes when a Corner came in and was not dealt with which meant the ball fell to Captain Liam Hardy to tap in under King and put the away side ahead. Soon after the Bucks went two goals to the good after only eleven minutes. Terrible defending on the wet surface allowed Jude Oyibo to dance through and after a couple of chances to get it clear the winger struck it under King for the Bucks second. A dreadful start for Sports. Will Norcross has a strike to try and give his side a goal back but it was into Roberts hands and soon after Buxton killed the game and went 3-0 up before half time. A corner into the box was not dealt with and it was a free header for Scott Sephton who looped it over King and into the net. The final chance of the first half fell to Victor Sodeinge but once again the effort was soft and saved easily by the keeper to bring an end of a horrible and poor Sports performance.
Nathan Jarman and Adam Prusa were thrown on for Kyle Clamp and Victor Sodeinde at half time and it was Jarman who almost had an immediate impact as he ran through 1v1 but the effort was saved. Jarman then had another excellent chance after Head had a long range effort from for Buxton which was palmed away by King. Jarman’s second effort was also saved after a defensive mix up by the Bucks back four. The only other two efforts of a dreadful game fell to the visitors as Brad Grayson dragged an effort wide before former Sports player Oli Roberts nearly came back to haunt his old side and put the icing on top of the cake with a powerful free kick. However it was well saved by King.
That was it for what will be a game to forget in every way. A cold, wet and horrible cold evening was followed by a tiny attendance of only 85 as it was a performance and a result to forget and move on from.
vs Stamford vs Mickleover Sports
Stamford AFC 0-3 Mickleover Sports
Tuesday 18th September 2018
Written by Sam Goldsworthy
Sports progressed into the 2nd Round of this seasons Integro League Cup after a 3-0 win away at Division One East side Stamford AFC. In what was a very windy and blustery Tuesday night as Sports made the long trip down to South Lincolnshire but the small travelling continent from the away side were rewarded with goals from Nathan Jarman and Isai Marselia but were certainly made to work hard for their win as the home side certainly had chances to score but non the less it was Sports who progressed.
Sports made a few changes to the side that lost 1-0 away at Farsley Celtic the weekend before. Lewis King remained in goal but Academy and Reserve team player Harley Kozluk was given his full debut at right back. He was joined alongside Tyreece Robinson, Ben Turner and Mason Warren. In midfield were John McGrath and Jake Scott in the center with Curtis Burrows and Jimmy Phillips on the wings. Up front was the pair of Nathan Jarman and Isai Marselia.
Stamford had the first chance as a ball was fizzed across the face of goal where Sam Grouse was waiting but he could only find the side netting on the outside of the left hand post. Nathan Jarman who two efforts in two minutes next as he took the ball down well both times but one was over the bar and one was side of the left hand post with both being outside the area. After a lull ten minute period as both sides were gathering momentum Sports began to grow into the game as Marselia and Burrows has quick fire efforts before Jarman put Sports ahead with 24 minutes gone. Sports broke out from the back and after a good spell of play the ball was fed over the Nathan Jarman on the right hand side of the box. The former Gainsborough Trinity man drove into the box before striking a low and hard effort under the keeper and into the bottom left corner.
Moments after the restart Stamford hit the bar as they looked to draw level straight away. Then a Burrows cross was nearly stabbed in by the Stamford defense for an own goal but was caught by the keeper just in time. Harley Kozluk received a yellow card for a late tackle before a foul on Phillips went unnoticed by the referee which allowed Stamford to break with King having to pull off a fine save to his right hand side to keep the score at 1-0. McGrath hit the bar with a free kick and Stan Mughisa fired a rocket of a shot just past King’s left hand post.
In what was a frantic end to the first half where Stamford bombarded the Sports goal with efforts, they were made to pay for not taking them. First Marselia could have scored a few minutes before we did. His first effort went tricking over towards the line but the purposely longer grass in the 6 yard boxes made a difference as the ball lost pace and allowed Stamford to just clear away before Jarman could get there. However with the last kick of the half Marselia got his goal and Sports second of the night. A cross over from the left took a massive deflection as the ball fell into the path of the Dutchman who showed great composure to slide the ball into the bottom left corner.
The second half started with Phillips striking an effort over the bar after good play between Jarman and Marselia. Eliot Putman smashed a shot over the bar before King had to be on full alert to save a 1v1 effort with striker Liam Adams with the rebound from Sam Grouse being put wide. Sports made their first change as Jarman was replaced by Evan Garnett. Mason Warren was booked for halting a Stamford counter attack just before Garnett had his first chance forcing the defenders to block his effort for a corner. A 50/50 challenge between Kozluk and Stamford’s Armstrong left both on the floor requiring treatment but thankfully both were ok to carry on moments later.
Sports final change saw Jimmy Phillips come off for young Will Norcross. Jake Scott sent an effort over the bar but only a few minutes later Sports killed a hard game with the third of the night. A succession of corners ended with McGrath finding Marselia inside the box who took the ball down and smashed the ball into the right hand side of the net to score his second and Sports third.
That goal killed the rest of the game and the referee below straight on the 90th minute to end a very tough test for Sports who may not have played as well as the score line suggests but the target of progression into the next round was achieved and that’s all that matters in these competitions. Next its back to the FA Cup as Sports travel to Leicestershire to try and avoid a cup upset against United Counties League and Step 6 side Anstey Nomads on Saturday 22nd September, 3pm Kick Off.
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