by Peter Scherer
Mickleover travelled down the A38 to Stapenhill for last nights Derbyshire Senior Cup tie, returning home 4-0 winners.
Starting line-up: 1-Yusuf Mersin 2-Brandon Ferron 3-Toby Smith 4-Curtis Weston 5-Harry Atwal 6-Danny Benson 7-Dylan Edwards 8-Ryan Wilson 9-Stuart Beavon 10-Tyreace Palmer 11-Edimond Oppong. Subs: Justin Iwobi, Will Atkinson, Bernard Nsiah.
Mickleover were soon on the attack on a bitterly cold night, when Ferron went down the left to find Beavon, who set up Edwards for the first shot of the game after just two minutes. Keeper Cannon did well to block it with his feet.
After a random shot went high and wide from Stapenhill after eight minutes, Edwards outpaced the defence on the left again, finding Palmer in the middle, who was able to tap the ball in to make it 1-0.
Sports were well on top and 15 minutes in it was nearly a second goal, when Oppong sent in powerful strike, again well saved by the home keeper, before Edwards missed the rebound as he was flagged offside.
Oppong was thwarted in another run after 18 minutes when he was fouled, but Wilson’s free kick came to nought.
Wilson and Weston were stroking the ball about in midfield, with time to spare, but Edwards and Palmer then combined before a final header from a corner was taken by the keeper.
Oppong then skimmed the left hand post after 29 minutes, before Beavon’s rebound went just wide on the right.
Just a minute later Oppong’s cross from the right found Palmer and Edwards in the box, but Cannon made a double save before the danger was relieved.
Stapenhill had probably their only real chance of the game after 34 minutes, when they broke through the middle, forcing Mersin into a diving save as a distance shot came in.
Palmer then had a long shot saved, before Edwards cut in from the left, but Cannon was in fine form in the Stapenhill goal, and saved his attempt too.
Despite the barrage, the home defence were just about holding on. Oppong set up Beavon again 38 minutes in, but his strike was over the bar.
The hosts had another shot from outside the box after 40 minutes, but well wide, before Oppong once again put Palmer through as half time approached. He had a clear target on goal, but the shot was over, much to his own disgust.
Palmer was almost through again with the whistle for half time poised, but his run was intercepted for a corner and it remained 1-0.
It looked like Sports had added a second a goal after 47 minutes, when Oppong’s charge down the left ended with a scorching shot, yet again well saved by Cannon. The net rippled as Edwards came in for the rebound, but it was the side netting.
There was another home attack 49 minutes in, but the final effort failed to trouble Mersin, who was able to play the ball back out through Benson and Atwal in the middle of the defence.
Both Smith and Ferron were attacking on the wings, but Edwards had another shot four minutes later, just wide of the mark, before Wilson tested the keeper again with a scorching drive from the edge of the box.
But Oppong picked up the rebound and this time made it count, his first goal for the club and Mickleover’s second, 2-0 after 57 minutes.
Play was briefly held up too when Cannon to had be released from his net, having caught his foot in his attempt to make another save.
Mickleover made their first change as the hour mark approached, with Atkinson and Nsiah on for Ferron and Edwards.
Stapenhill then had a header just wide, before Oppong made it 3-0, a rocket shot giving Cannon no chance as it almost burst the net.
Wilson then fired another shot just wide on the left, before a similar effort from Palmer.
Iwobi replaced Beavon after 67 minutes, followed by another Oppong run, which was just intercepted by the advancing home keeper.
70 minutes and it was 4-0 when Iwobi went clear on the left. Cannon did his best to block, but the young striker took his time and placed it nicely out of reach into the bottom right hand corner.
Nsiah then went close too after 77 minutes, as Cannon put it out for a corner. There was a penalty appeal too in the final minute, when Oppong was brought down, but 4-0 on the night and we now await the draw for the next round.
