By Brad Cox

The Sports suffered their fourth consecutive loss in the league to Radcliffe United, with thanks to super-sub, Elliot Rokka.

Rokka was brought on in the 81^st minute and took just six minutes to break the deadlock. Rokka picked the ball up on the left-flank and hit a wonderful strike from outside the box which beat debutant goalkeeper, Muhammad Otoyo. A match which could have swung either team’s way, unfortunately for the Sports, went to the visitors.

The Sports can also feel hard done by today, when on the hunt for an equaliser, Nathan Modest was clearly shoved in the box and went to ground. The referee, R.Watson, waved play on and Pablo Mills had the last chance of the match, but his header was comfortably saved by Radcliffe goalkeeper, Oliver Martin.

The Sports dominated for large periods of the match, especially in the second half. Chances have been hard to come by in recent weeks, however, that wasn’t the case this week, execution on the other hand…was.

The best chance for The Sports came on the hour mark when Mason Warren got on the end of a lofted Modest cross and headed just inches wide. The Sports showed real creativity going forward and had multiple different types of chances.

John McGrath has said that: “The last three or four weeks, the performance hasn’t been good enough. The ability to go through the midfield and create chances is what we’ve lacked in the last couple weeks. It allows us to give the back-four a break and get balls up to Lee Hughes and Nathan Modest.”

When the Sports pushed forward desperate to get points on the board, Radcliffe were able to find pockets of space in behind the wingbacks. Matthew Wolfenden had a fantastic opportunity to get on the scoresheet as he got in behind and chipped Otoyo. Fortunately for the Sports, it was off target.

The Sports have now entered the bottom half of the table, they sit 13^th with 21 points. They play Loughborough Dynamo on Tuesday evening at the Don Amott Arena in the Integro League Cup 1, where McGrath has said that he’d “like” to win that cup competition.

The Sports return to league action on the 23^rd of November, where they will face Warrington Town at home and will look to pick up their first points of the month.

Sports XI; Otoyo, Berry, Turner, Ravenhill, Mills, Young, Warren, Wright, Hughes (Jarrett 69’), Beavon, Modest

Radcliffe XI; Martin, Haywood, Swaby-Neavin, Winter (Captain), Smith, Warren, Sinclair (Rokka 81’), Williams, Wharton (Wolfenden 67’), Ellis, Brown (Billington 45’)

Mickleover Sports FC 0-1 Radcliffe United
Saturday 16^th November 2019
Don Amott Arena
Attendance: 285

by Girvane Bola

Mickleover Sports suffered their third successive league defeat after a 4-1 loss to Witton Albion in the Northern Premier League, making them winless since October 5th.

The away side raced to a three-goal lead at half time thanks to goals from James Short, Billy Smart, and Will Jones. Mason Warren’s penalty reduced the deficit before Danny McKenna sealed the victory for the visitors.

The game started with Witton taking the lead in the fourth minute when Short’s strike was deflected, looping over goalkeeper Nathan Broome on its way to the net.

Mickleover try to respond immediately as the two sides traded chances. The first when Witton’s Michael Monaghan fired his volley over the bar before Lee Hughes did not hit the target from close range in the 35th minute.

Witton doubled their lead from a set piece when McKenna’s cross was met by Smart who guided his header in from inside the box.

Suddenly after kick-off, Will Jones spot Broome off his line and attempted an ambitious lob from 45 yards, lobbing over Broome and gave them a three goal lead at half-time.

The second half saw Mickleover make an encouraged start. A minute into the restart, Jiri Boula was brought down inside the box and a penalty was awarded. Warren converted his penalty, making it seven goals this season.

Things got nervy for Mickleover however on the 49th minute when Jake Scott elbowed Smart in an aerial battle.

The referee determined no wrongdoing thus showed no card to the Mickleover captain. The two sides once again traded chances but neither team could convert. Witton forward Jones came close in the 57th minute but fired over the bar.

Sports made one last push in the last minutes of the game when goalkeeper Chris Renshaw made a fantastic save from inside the box after substitute Karel Tvaroh’s cross from the near side nearly directed into Witton’s goal.

However, Witton Albion sealed the win as McKenna got his goal adding to his assist in the first half after a Broome mistake resulting in the winger firing a shot from inside the box into the far corner ending the game 4-1.

This defeat sees Mickleover now lose three in a row in the league and drop two places from 7th to 9th. John McGrath’s men will want to snap their losing streak in the next league game against Radcliffe FC at home next weekend.

But before that, they host Loughborough Dynamo at home in The Integro Doodson League Cup on Tuesday the 12th of November.

Mickleover Sports 1-4 Witton Albion
Saturday 9th November
Don Amott Arena