by Peter Scherer
Mickleover dug deep in an outstanding second half comeback, to earn a home point in a 2-2 draw against former table toppers Rugby Borough.
Starting line-up: 1-Oliver Bosworth 2-Jake Bennett 3-Louis Bonser 4-George Wilkinson 5-Brad Gascoigne 6-Ashton Offler 7-Ali Mohiuddin 8-Wil Atkinson 9-Stuart Beavon 10-Andy Dales 11-Archie White. Subs: Michael Holingsworth, Paddy Webb, Harry Wood, Josiah Dyer, Thabang Dube.
Rugby were first try their luck on goal, with a shot well over the bar in the opening minute. It was fairly even opening 10 minutes, with Dales tending to look for any breaks for Mickleover.
Most of the play became settled around the middle of the pitch, with an excess of passing back and forth without any real progress.
White had a shot after 24 minutes from distance, which was the first shot of the game for Sports and it came after a positive few minutes of possession.
Bosworth was called into action three minutes later though, when a Wilkinson clearance rebounded back, forcing a dive to the keepers right.
Dales outstripped the visitors defence on the left on the half hour, but no one had managed to break with him and shortly afterwards another Dales run almost found Wood, but the through ball was just too long.
Rugby tried another shot after 34 minutes, but with no pace on it, it failed to trouble Bosworth.
The home defence had looked solid and well drilled under Gascoigne’s guidance until a 38th minute disaster. Under no real pressure Offler went to push the ball back to Bosworth, but the keeper had already come of his line, and the ball agonisingly rolled over the line and into the net, 0-1.
With two minutes left on the clock Rugby won a corner on the right. It was taken short and found Cristofaro on the edge of the box, one touch and he fired home their second, making it 0-2 at half time.
Mickleover made three changes for the second half, with Hollingsworth, Dyer and Webb on for Beavon, White and Atkinson.
Two minutes in and Bosworth made another save, but although a more open game than the frustrating first half, it was still a very even game.
On the hour Rugby had the ball in the net again, but were ruled offside, but for Mickleover the introduction of Dyer and Webb was certainly causing more issues for the visiting defence, which also allowed Bennett and Bonser more freedom on the wings.
64 minutes and Webb had an effort blocked, Bennett then created space. He could have shot, but set up Webb, but his shot was just wide f the right-hand post.
Rugby were now relying on breaks rather than a composed build-up, but tested Bosworth again from the edge of the box after 65 minutes.
Dube then replaced Offler and Wood came on for Mohiuddin.
The pressure had begun to build from Mickleover and after 69 minutes they got their reward. Bonser crossed from the left, rather than trying a shot himself, he found Webb, who tapped it into Dyer’s path to hit home 1-2.
Rugby came straight back with a dangerous shot from outside the box, Bosworth had it covered though as it skimmed just wide of his left-hand post.
Only four minutes after our first goal, Sports were back level. Bosworth had made a long clearance, Webb layed it off for Dales who couldn’t get a shot in. It was then pushed out to the right wing, where Dube sent in a perfect cross for Webb to head home 2-2.
Sports then had a couple of corners which failed to create any threat and Rugby wasted a free kick too, putting well wide of the target.
Dales and Bonser then worked together on the left, before the referee gave a non- existent foul. But it was Mickleover with a scent of victory that kept piling pressure on the visitors, until there was a lengthy stop after Gascoigne had a head injury.
In the final minutes Dales was hacked down on the halfway line, before Bonser broke. This time he tried a shot himself, but it was well wide f the far post.
So it was shared points at 2-2 after an impressive recovery, which in the end could easily been another victory.
