by Peter Scherer
Having beaten St.Ives on the opening day of the season, Mickleover will be looking to do the double in this Saturday’s return fixture at the Don Amott Arena.
Sports are looking for their third successive league win, but so are our visitors, having beaten Nuneaton and Leiston in their last two home matches, scoring eight goals without reply.
St.Ives are currently 14th in the table with five wins in the last 10 matches, but lost 2-4 to Stamford in their last away game.
Manager Ricky Marheineke has been in charge at Westwood Road for nine years and apart from a number of changes of goalkeeper, has managed to keep a settle side of late.
Loanee Eddie Brearey had been first choice keeper, but has now returned to Oxford Utd. He has been replaced by another loanee, James Dadge from Northampton Town, who was with the club earlier in the year too, as well as having a spell at Harborough.
But last weekend it was debutant Arber Grosha between the sticks, ex Forest Park and Wolves junior player.
Right back Ben Mensah started out at Aston Villa, but came to St. Ives in November on loan, after just over two years with Peterborough Utd.
Fellow right back George Joyce came from Rushden & Diamonds. He was previously with Kempston, Boreham Wood, Aylesbury Utd , Hitchin Town and Leighton Town.
Centre back Jordan Williams is an ex Cambridge Utd Junior. He joined Brackley following his release in July 2017, and was at Cambridge City, Stratford and Stourbridge, before returning to Stratford for the 20/21 season, from where St.Ives signed him for the start of last season.
Sam Tessler is a centre back too. He grew up in the USA playing for LA Galaxy and Pateadores Academy and represented the USA in Israel’s Maccabi Games in 2022. He played for Yaxley against the Ives in last seasons Hunts FA Senior Cup Final and had been a regular with Northern Premier League East side Grantham Town this season before his move to our visitors in October.
Defender Paddy Casey started out at Northampton Town. He arrived at the Saints part way through last season from Harborough Town, but has also played for Rushden & Diamonds, Cogenhoe Utd and Bugbrooke St.Michaels.
Captain Michael Richens is a midfielder who started out at Peterborough Utd. During his Posh spell he was loaned to Histon, Nuneaton, Whitehawk, Bishop Stortford, Stevenage, and Farnborough, before a permanent move to Stevenage on his release in 2015, after making two first team appearances at London Road.
After another loan at Farnborough, he moved to Hemel, Bishop Stortford and Biggleswade, before a four year stay at Kettering preceded his St.Ives move in July 2021.
Ed Hottor is a midfielder that has spent most of his career in Italy. AC Milan signed him from Triestina for £1.2 million and loaned him to Virtus Lanciano, ASG Nocerina and Unione Venezia, before his release in 2015.
His next stop was Inter Milan, who loaned him to Atletico CP in Portugal, Olibia in Italy and Fafe in Portugal, before a permanent move to Maltese club Sliema Wanderers. He first arrived in the UK with Kettering and was at Banbury before coming to St.Ives in December 2019.
Striker Jonny Edwards has been with our visitors since the beginning of last season. As a Peterborough Utd Junior he was loaned to Bishop Stortford and St.Albans, before a permanent move to Hull City.
Further loans at Accrington and Woking were followed by a move to Halifax, moving on via Maidstone, Biggleswade, Royston and FC Romania.
Greg Kaziboni is a midfielder who came from Nuneaton at the start of last season. A former Northampton Town youngster, he has played for Corby, Brackley, Banbury, Tamworth, Rushden and Stratford too.
Defender Aaron Smith was a new arrival for this season from St.Neots. He started out at Peterborough Utd and also had a spell at Mildenhall.
Striker Khris Oti arrived from Corby Town in November and has played for Whitehawk, Coggeshall Town, Brackley and Colchester Utd.
Midfielders Luke Harris and Myles Cowling spent the second half of last season on loan, Harris from Peterborough Utd, and Cowling from Cambridge Utd, both have now made their moves permanent.
Ives have Dan Barton on loan from Cambridge Utd too, a striker he had also been loaned out previously at Dereham and St.Neots.
Defender Josh Tomlinson and strikers Theo Alexandrou and Torin Ntege are all on loan. Ntege from Peterborough Utd, Alexandrou from Stevenage and Tomlinson from Northampton Town.
Kick off will be 3pm as usual, with all the regular bar and refreshments facilities available.