by Peter Scherer (Images: Steve Ingers)
Mickleover go to the top of the league after starting their home league campaign with a convincing 4-0 win over St.Ives.
Starting line-up: 1-Aaron Chapman; 2-George Wilkinson 3-Sam Sanders; 4- Will Atkinson 5-Hamza Bencherif; 6- Dwayne Wiley; 7- Kane Richards; 8- Josh Ashman; 9-Manni Norkett; 10-Jude Taylor; 11-Theo Rowe. Subs: Andy Dales, Charlie Hickingbotton; Terry Hawkridge; Yerim Zoko; Josh Carter.
Mickleover came straight out of the traps fighting and put the St.Ives defence under immediate and sustained bombardment.
Rowe earned the first corner after two minutes and a couple a minutes later he tested keeper Alex Fisher, who made a fingertip save following another corner.
It then came as no surprise that Norkett opened the scoring after five minutes, firing the ball home into the bottom right-hand corner and well out of Fisher’s reach 1-0.
With Wilkinson, Bencherif, Wiley and Sanders making a formidable line at the back for Sports, the visitors were struggling for put any sort of attack together, as Atkinson and Ashman kept midfield tight too.
Nine minutes in and St.Ives tried to catch Chapman off guard, but not only did it not test the Sports keeper, the shot was wide too.
But Chapman did have to make decisive clearance when the home defence failed to get the ball away, after a scramble in the Mickleover box after 16 minutes.
It continued to be all Mickleover though and just a minute later a great build-up of skill and determination saw Norkett seek out Taylor. He then layed it off for another strike from Rowe. But Fisher made a great save, as the ball curled in heading for the top right-hand corner.
Despite the constant pressure the visiting defence were still holding on, mainly thanks to keeper Fisher. He made another reflex save after 20 minutes, when Rowe picked the ball up from a St.Ives corner, before sprinting the length of the pitch. As he cut inside he unleashed a great curling shot again, only to see it tipped away from a tightening angle.
It came down to time added on in the first half for goal number two to finally arrive. Richards had broken free into the box and was brought down by the keeper. Norkett then stepped to successfully convert the spot kick and then the whistle went with Mickleover 2-0 up.
With no changes at half time Richards and Rowe were soon tormenting the visiting defence down the wings again. Just two minutes into the second half Rowe forced Fisher into another excellent save.
But just before the hour mark Norkett was wreaking havoc in the box. He was fouled and another penalty was awarded, which he duly converted, making it 3-0 after 55 minutes and completing his hattrick.
Dales was the first sub to be used coming on for Taylor and just six minutes later Fisher saved St.Ives yet again, tipping another Rowe strike over the bar.
Richards was next on the scoresheet, after 66 minutes, with a thundering strike from the edge of the box, straight into the top right-hand corner, which even Fisher’s heroics couldn’t stop. 4-0.
Hickingbottom and Carter then came on for Richards and Atkinson, and a few minutes later hattrick hero Norkett made way for Zoko.
Chapman had to make one more save in the 92nd minute to seal the clean sheet, but it was another dominant Sports victory, in charge for the whole 90 minutes, as we now look forward to the visit of Barwell to the Vibrant Doors Arena on Tuesday night, before the return fixture in the FA Cup just four days later.
After the match Manni Norkett was awarded the Man of the Match award sponsored by Mickleover Padel.
