Mickleover Sports 1-0 Redditch United
Saturday 27th October 2018
Written by Sam Goldsworthy
It was Evan Garnett at the death as Mickleover Sports progressed into the 2nd Qualifying Round of the FA Trophy with a 1-0 win over Southern Premier League side Redditch United at the Don Amott Arena. After a pretty uneventful first half baring couple of early substitutions for Sports, Garnett and Jarman had chances in the second half to win the tie before they did. It looked as though the tie was heading to a replay as the game went into injury time but in the dying seconds of the game Jarman’s effort was stabbed in at close range by Garnett to spark wild celebrations and book Sports place in the next round.
There was a debut in the Sports goal for Corey Addai on a month’s loan from Coventry City. The back four was Kevin Grocott, Reece Ford, Pablo Mills and Ben Turner. John McGrath and Ricky Ravenhill started in midfield with Jimmy Phillips and young Jack Walsh on the wings. Mason Warren was played in an attacking midfield role with Evan Garnett the main striker. On the bench were Harley Kozluk, Jake Smith, Tom Burgin and Nathan Jarman.
Both sides traded early blows as Nelson and Warren had efforts to score go wide, before the first injury came round for Sports as Kevin Grocott had to make way for Harley Kozluk to step in at right back. Reynolds then had a shot for the visitors saved by Addai soon after but then Sports had to make their next substitution. Another Coventry City loan player Reece Ford had a slight niggle that couldn’t be risked so was taken off for striker Nathan Jarman. Mason Warren went into the left back position with Ben Turner slotting in at center back.
Garnett had his first chance of the game with a strike wide that Jarman couldn’t get a toe to. Ahmed for United then had a header cleared off the line by Mason Warren for a corner kick. Two penalty shouts then followed for the away side as a shirt pull from Ravenhill and an elbow from McGrath were unseen by the referee inside the box. It was Redditch who had the final two chances of the first half as Leachman guided an effort into the side netting before Nelson had a strike saved by Addai to keep his clean sheet intact.
The second half started with two early chances for the visitors both of which were saved and the other cleared off the line by the Sports defense. Sports then had a penalty shout as Ravenhill went down inside the six yard box but was again not given by the officials. Nathan Jarman then had two efforts one saved by Reece Francis the other was put wide of the left hand post. Nelson for Redditch was causing a real threat and his quick fire effort went just wide of the right hand post next.
Sports then should have been 1-0 up as Garnett missed a sitter from a yard out but it was scuffed and out for a goal kick. Sports were well on top and had many chances to score all the way through the final periods of the game. But Redditch still remained a threat and could have scored but Ali’s free header was wide from a corner kick. Sports made on final chance as Jimmy Phillips came off to be replaced by young academy player Jake Smith. It looked as though the tie was going to a replay but in the dying seconds Sports pressed and found the break though. Redditch failed to clear a ball into the box and it fell to Jarman who had the initial shot towards goal but Garnett was there to make sure as he stabbed the ball home from close range to spark relief around the ground for the home fans and despair for the away fans. That was nearly the last kick of the game as the referee blew for full time straight from the restart. A battling performance that came good in the end and one that Sports can take real confidence from and hopefully take it into the league. With Buxton drawing their game Sports now have another free week with Workington AFC up next in the league on Saturday 3rd November, 3pm Kick Off.