by Peter Scherer (Photos: Steve Ingers)
Mickleover came away from Hyde Utd with a hard-fought point on their return to the Northern Premier League.
Starting line-up: 1-Yusuf Mersin 2-Jake Bennett 3-Ryan Wilson 4-Curtis Weston 5-George Taft 6-Charlie Hickingbottom 7-Dylan Edwards 8-Will Atkinson 9-Fin Ryder 10-Stuart Beavon 11-Brandon Webster. Subs: Andy Dales, Brandon Ferron, Luke Cox, Callum Moore, Dylan Scott.
Our hosts had finished sixth in the league last season and soon started to put the Mickleover defence under pressure. A long throw from Ditchfield after 10 minutes, was flicked on by Hall, before Redshaw had a header well saved by Mersin in the Mickleover goal.
Only a minute later Mersin was the hero again, with a magnificent save from Quadri’s distance shot, as the pressure continued, with Quadri’s 15th minute effort just wide.
Beavon was yellow carded for a foul 20 minutes in, but Sports defence was then breached a minute later, when a Redshaw shot was cleared initially, but headed back to him. At the second attempt he buried it in the bottom corner with a precise volley and it was 0-1.
Webster joined Beavon in the book for a late challenge after 25 minutes, but Sports then tested keeper Hiddleston with a Hickingbottom header after a corner.
But the home side continued to have the upperhand with Mersin saving a touch from Redshaw after a Scanlon free kick.
Taft became Mickleover’s third yellow card. But Heath’s following free kick was well off target and it was Sports that ended the opening half with a flurry, ending with an Atkinson shot just wide, so it remained 0-1 as the whistle went.
“We were a bit too open and some communication let us down. But we made a tactical change after 30 minutes, which restricted their passing ability more,” said Sports manager Gareth Holmes.
Mickleover made one change for the second half, with Dales on for Ryder, before Cox replaced Taft six minutes into the second half.
Hyde went close again after 52 minutes, when Heath just missed a Quadri cross.
But it was a more positive second half for Mickleover, with Dales making an immediate impact, bursting in from the wing after 52 minutes, his shot just wide.
Hickingbottom had another header just wide from a Wilson corner after 58 minutes, before Bennett went in the ref’s book too for a late tackle.
But another Sports attack finally paid dividends after 68 minutes, when Edwards was brought down in the box. He stepped up to take the penalty, which Hiddleston initially saved, before his quick response hit the rebound home for the equalise, 1-1 with 69 minutes gone.
Wilson went close too, hitting the bar with a free kick, with the keeper caught out, but the final 20 minutes it was Mickleover pressing and Dales tested Hiddleston again after 81 minutes, following a telling one two with Beavon, forcing a diving save from the home keeper.
Ferron had come n for Webster too, but Bunn then shot wide for Hyde, before he set up Ditchfield, who also fired over, just before the ref indicated four minutes add on.
As the final whistle approached Mickleover almost snatched all three points, when Beavon managed to round the keeper, only for Hiddleston to make a remarkable recovery and so it stayed 1-1 with a valuable point claimed.
“It was a positive point away from home, against a team that nearly made the play-offs last season. I was really pleased how the players reacted to our half-time talk, after a disappointing first half, so lots of positive’s to take into Tuesday visit from Ilkeston,” Holmes concluded.
