by Peter Scherer (Image: Steve Ingers)
A late goal from Basford ended Mickleover’s hopes of progressing in the FA Trophy, after dominating much of the game.
Starting line-up: 1-Oliver Bosworth 2-Archie White 3-Louis Bonser 4-Danny Benson 5-Ashton Offler 6-George Wilkinson 7- Ali Mohiuddin 8-Will Atkinson 9-Stuart Beavon 10-Andy Dales 11-Paddy Webb. Subs: Fraser Corden, Steven Fikula, Michael Hollingsworth, Josh Carter, Pedro Nzau.
Right from the kick off Jordy Hallam tried his luck for the visitors, with a shot straight at Bosworth in the Mickleover goal.
Basford continued to dictate the early after their eighth minute corner was cleared by the home defence, but two minutes on and Kieran Cummings outpaced Bonser on Sports left, his cross seeming to catch the home defence flat footed and Jack Goodman was left unopposed to fire the ball home at close range, 0-1.
Mickleover were forced to try and break out and after 11 minutes Beavon had a shot blocked in the box, after a Bonser attack stemmed from Dales’ progress. Three more minutes and there was a long ball out of defence for Webb to chase, but it a bit too far.
It was back to an end-to-end game, with Cummings hitting the side netting for the visitors after a sustained period of pressure on the defence.
There was a corner for Mickleover after Webb’s 16th minute cross from the left was headed out, but Dales corner then found White, but his chip went out play.
Basford then earned a corner too, before a long shot was fell outside the box failed to test Bosworth.
It was hard work and good progress from Webb on the left again that provided the equaliser, with a neat flick from Beavon in the 22nd minute catching Matt Yates in the Basford goal off balance. 1-1.
Sports earned a free kick Ethan Stewart fouled White and received the first yellow card. But Dales’ free kick went straight into Yates’ waiting arms.
Cummings was then fouled on the edge of the box, but Bosworth was able to punch the free kick away, before the visitors fired another shot straight at the Mickleover keeper, just past the half hour mark.
Benson was then shoved off the pitch by Hynes to earn another free kick, but White’s effort was a comfortable collect for Yates again.
White got on the end of a Beavon cross after 38 minutes, but there was no forced behind the shot and Yates collected with ease again.
But with five minutes left in the first half, a Basford cross went past the face of the home goal, with no one there to connect. Dales earned another corner and in time added on Fin Armond had a shot well over the bar, as it remained 1-1 at half time.
Sports made one change for the restart with Fikula on for Offler, but it was bright start to the second half initially. Both sides had early corners which came to nought, before Dales sent Webb clear. He got his cross in from the left, but there was no one there.
50 minutes and Christie had to clear off the like when Atkinson found Benson. The defender’s flick had Yates beaten, but as on so many occasions for Sports the ball just wouldn’t go in.
Four minutes later Basford broke and earned a corner. Hallam, floated the ball into the middle and Stewart headed home, against the run of play 1-2. Three more minutes and we were level again when Benson sent in a powerful header from a Dales cross, 2-2.
Hollingsworth replaced White on the hour, but Mickleover were starting to dominate. Bonser’s cross from the left was met beautifully with Beavon’s head, but at full stretch Yates just tipped it over. Benson then sent another header just over from the following corner.
Goodman put an effort into the side netting for Basford, before Corden came on for Benson after 70 minutes. But a quick break from Sports almost broke the deadlock again after 73 minutes. It was another cross from Webb on the left that found Beavon and his toe poke once again tested Yates, who just held the shot low down.
Beavon had another shot blocked a couple of minutes later, before Webb, having changed sides, crossed from the right, just missing Beavon’s head.
Yates made yet another diving save to deny Webb with 12 minutes left on the clock. He earned a corner and Wilkinson managed to connect, but again just wide.
But the bitter blow came after 81 minutes, as Dimaio found Hallam on the edge of the box, and his curling shot was out of Bosworth’s reach 2-3.
Bosworth saved another effort a minute later, before Carter replaced Beavon. But with his first touch Carter was n a run until he was hacked down.
Sports were still leading the attacks and with two minutes later Corden carved his way through the visitors defence, with Yates pulling off yet another great save.
Fikula came up for the final corner and rose well to win the ball, but it was over the bar and time was up for Mickleover.
