by Peter Scherer
Mickleover Reserves played the second of four games due over eight days, but went down 1-2 to Derby Singh Brothers at the Don Amott Arena last night.
Starting line-up: 1-Josh Maher 2-Joe Sellors 3-Brandon Ferron 4-Ronnie Bonser 5-Pablo Mills 6-Zac Sandhu 7-George Atwal 8-Owen Parr 9-Bobby Battisson 10-Fin Ryder 11-Jayden Cozens. Subs: Declan Brown, Dean Ironmonger, Josh Powell.
Mickleover set the pace from the kick off and won the first corner after two minutes, but Atwal’s kick was soon cleared. It was only a minute later that Ferron picked up the ball in his own half, charged through the visitors defence and smashed home the opening goal, 1-0.
It was all Mickleover and they earned another corner, before the visitors made a break down the right which soon broke down.
Mills almost sent Cozens clear after nine minutes, but his efforts earned another corner, while Singh Bros continued to rely on breaks, which wasn’t getting them far.
The interpassing from the Mickleover squad dominated the possession until Mills tested the keeper with a long range shot after 15 minutes.
Singh Bros right back tried a another solo run but was tackled before he could cross, but Battisson and Cozens combined a few minutes later to test the visiting keeper.
Although Mickleover were well on top, their creativity had failed to create real chances, although Singh Bros continued to make occasional breaks, Bonser and Sandu had them covered.
Mills put a nice ball through the middle for Ryder to chase after 24 minutes, but the keeper intercepted first, before Singh Bros had a corner, possibly their first, headed away.
Sellors and Ferron had both looked effective on the overlaps and the formers cross from the right on the half hour, was again intercepted before Ryder got there.
Then suddenly the tide of the game turned, with Singh Bros hitting the equaliser from the edge of the box on Mickleover’s left, with the defence seemingly rooted. 1-1 after 34 minutes.
Atwal then earned a free kick after he was tripped. He took the kick but the Sellors follow up was easily saved by the keeper.
Two minutes after their equaliser Singh Bros seemed to have acres of space on Sports right, the striker seized his chance and it was 1-2 after 34 minutes.
As Mickleover tried to play out of their own half, another Atwal free kick was headed just over by Mills, but the visitors had the upperhand and put another shot just wide of the right hand post after 40 minutes.
Bonser was then beaten as another cross went into the box, but there was no one to receive, before Singh Bros ended the first half with a shot into the side netting.
Sports youngsters came out for the second half with all guns blazing and were close to an equaliser in a 48th minute goal mouth scramble. The keeper was out of his goal and beaten, shots fired in and were blocked until Cozens final shot struck a defender on the line and earned a corner.
Ryder then broke through to find Mills, but his shot was inches shy of the far post.
Singh Bros managed to break out of their half again after a 10 minute barrage, and were almost gifted a chance when Bonser miskicked, but the visiting striker failed to react quick enough.
After Battisson was fouled on the edge of the box, Mills free kick was saved, but as the hour mark past, the game already showed signs of fizzling out.
65 minutes Maher saved a shot straight at him and then Mills fired another free kick in, saved by the keeper.
Battisson tried to chip the keeper after76 minutes when he saw him off his line, but then Singh Bros had another chance but shot well over.
Although the second half possession had been about 75% in Mickleover’s favour, they seemed to be trying to walk the ball into the net, with reluctance to try a shot.
Subs Ironmonger, Brown and Powell all came on as late subs, but after a great start the game ebbed away into another defeat.
