by David Mackenzie
Mickleover FC, Reserves Manager
Mickleover FC Reserves 3 Nottingham 1
The Reserves got back to winning ways on Saturday against a dogged Nottingham FC side who fought until the final whistle.
The hardest part though was getting people conform to the guidelines put in place to keep people safe and separated for as much as possible.
The team went out with instructions to start with a high tempo and in the first 10 minutes had four really good chances to take the lead.
Will Monterio back in action after 6 months got into some excellent positions and was unlucky on a couple of occasions.
With Clinton Morrison pulling the strings in midfield ably aided by wee Louis Pennington and the two full backs Lopes Massampo and Tom Etheridge raiding down the flanks, it wasn’t long before the deadlock was broken. a good move was finished off with a crisp strike by Jude Ayetine. Unfortunately, the tempo dropped and some of the passing was not of the usual standard, and the half finished with no further damage to either teams defences.
The words at half time were that an improvement was needed as Nottingham had shown that they had some quality and could hurt us if we didn’t respond.
The play improved somewhat and from one of several corners we netted again.
The ball from the corner was low across the box, about 3 yards out and clever movement from Bobby Battison tricked their keeper, as he dummied the ball allowing it to reach Jude at the back post for a clinical finish.
It was good to have Bobby back from injury and his introduction brought a higher level of energy and intensity.
A third goal was on the cards and it duly arrived via the cultured left foot of Adam Prusa. He gathered the ball on our right about four yards outside the box and drove into the box sidestepping a challenge and the curving the ball delightfully around the next defender and into the far corner of the net.
That should have been game, set and match however Nottingham’s left winger had other ideas, stepping past two players, he was central and about 20 yards out when he unleashed a screamer that left Tom Smith with no chance.
Overall a decent performance from the aforementioned players with the central defence of Clarence (baldy) Clark and Gus Williamson solid.
MOTM came from the high energy and quality of Lopes Massampo playing at right back due to illness to Larrrel King.
They now move up to sixth in the Central Midlands League South Division and are next in action away to Arnold on Tuesday 27th.