by Peter Scherer (Images: Steve Ingers)
Despite outplaying visitors Morpeth Town for much of the second half, Mickleover came away goalless and pointless in a dour encounter.
Starting line-up: 1-Yusuf Mersin 2-Kwaku Donkor 3-Ryan Wilson 4-Michael Hollingsworth 5-George Wilkinson 6-Will Atkinson 7-Andy Dales 8-Gabby Adebambo 9-Chris O’Grady 10-Stuart Beavon 11-Dylan Edwards. Subs: Tyreace Palmer, Finn Flanagan, Brandon Ferron, Cieron Keane, Josh Maskall.
The visitors tried an early run at the home defence from the kick off, before Donkor went on his first run down the right wing, ending with a goal kick.
Wilkinson made a couple of solid headed clearances out of defence, playing alongside Atkinson as Benson was missing.
Hollingsworth was playing defensive midfield in Atkinson’s more recent place, but as he tried to push the play forward he struggled to find his targets.
Mersin sent a long kick down the pitch after five minutes, headed straight back by Buddle, but a minute later O’Grady, Edwards and Beavon made some nice moves, before Robson cleared for a corner.
As the kick came in, O’Grady collected and fired a powerful strike at keeper Langley, earning another corner headed over by Wilkinson.
Hickey’s attempt to pass out of the Morpeth defence 11 minutes in went straight to Adebambo. He found Dales, before Morpeth skipper Robson cleared the danger.
Morpeth earned their first corner two minutes later, but Dowling’s cross was cleared by Adebambo, sending Dales on another break.
Both Dales and Donkor had started to press the visitors defence, before Buddle intercepted, only for Atkinson to pump it straight back into the Morpeth box.
Suddenly the game took a surprising U-turn, when Hodgson outpaced the Mickleover defence, firing low in the bottom corner of Mersin’s net, 0-1 after 15 minutes and Morpeth’s first shot of the game.
A couple more tentative attacks from the visitors fell short at the final pass, before Dales went close to picking up another long ball from defence after 20 minutes, having it whipped off his toes and the critical moment.
Morpeth followed up with a brace of corners after James’ initial cross, but after 25 minutes Mickleover were close to the elusive equaliser. Dales found Edwards following a corner, Edwards managed to turn but his shot was just off target.
A minute later it was Dales and Edwards again, but the final effort was deflected for a goal kick. On the half hour they went close again, after an Edwards and O’Grady one-two. Edwards let fly with pace from outside the box, and it was the closest yet.
Morpeth had given away quite a few free kicks, but Mickleover failed to make them pay on most occasions. Wilson then took a corner, probably aiming for O’Grady’s head, but it was straight out of play again.
Dales then picked up a weak clearance from King, but Langley in the Morpeth goal was quick to react and the danger was cleared again.
With half time approaching rapidly Sports had the advantage in possession, with Wilson firing a powerful low strike from outside the box, saved by Langley, while Edwards closed in for any possible rebound.
Bollardo managed a shot after nudging Donkor off the ball, but Mersin saved with ease, but the home defence seemed to go into panic mode after 35 minutes, when it took numerous attempts to clear. Fortunately the Morpeth attack were in similar disarray and failed to maximise the situation.
Donkor sent Adebambo on a late break but he was fouled, but with three minutes on the clock Morpeth made a weak appeal for a penalty, after O’Grady and Buddle clashed in the box.
Very few chances for either side in the first half, but Morpeth took one of their’s and that’s all that split them at half time 0-1.
Sports had an early attack in the second half when Dales took the ball inside to Edwards, he then put the ball across the box, but there was no one to receive.
For a while Mickleover seemed to struggle to clear from defence, but after 56 minutes the first changes were made, with Palmer and debutant Maskall on for Beavon and Edwards.
Morpeth’s Buddle then went in the book for hacking down Dales, but a poor free kick was easily cleared. Adebambo then had space on the hour, but his through ball went for a throw in.
O’Grady had seemed the likeliest to succeed for Sports and when he turned nicely in the box, his shot was blocked by Langley.
The subs had rejuvenated the attack a little, and Dales’ pace began to show again, when he cut inside on the left after 61 minutes, firing goalwards before Langley pushed it away.
Wilson and Dales had started to work together well and with the visitors visibly flagging, there was an air of optimism about a fightback from Sports.
Palmer and Maskall combined too and became to threaten. The Morpeth defence was beginning to show cracks, but Mickleover still lacked the finish.
70 minutes and another corner came to nought for Sports, which was followed by a random and well off target effort from our visitors.
Hollingsworth and O’Grady made way for Flanagan and Keane for the last 15 minutes, before Sports went close again, with a Palmer, Dales move finishing in the side netting.
It was all Mickleover as the clock ran down, but they still needed to score. After Donkor was fouled, Wilson’s free kick was deflected fractionally past the post, to earn a corner, easily collected by Langley.
Dales was still trying to push his men forward, but Morpeth had another break 78 minutes in, but Mersin had James’ shot well- covered again.
Mersin saved again from Dowling after 82 minutes, but pressure was virtually all on Morpeth. Maskall pumped in crosses, but nothing came from them.
Donkor’s 90th minute overlap was cut out and James’ had another wild blast way off target for the visitors. Everyone was up for a final corner, but that went straight out too and the final breath could have been another goal for the visitors when sub Foalle had a break.
So a 0-1 defeat when it should have been at least a draw, but on the second half alone, three points were in reach.
