by Peter Scherer (Images: Steve Ingers)
Two second half goals following corner kicks made sure all three points came to Mickleover last night.
Starting line-up: 1-Aaron Chapman; 2-George Wilkinson; 3-Sam Sanders; 4-Will Atkinson; 5-Hamza Bencherif; 6-Charlie Hickingbottom; 7-Theo Rowe; 8-Josh Ashman; 9-Harvey Smith; 10-Andy Dales; 11-Josh Carter. Subs: Manni Norkett; Kane Richards; Jude Taylor; Darryl Powell; Stuart Beavon.
Right from the first whistle Mickleover were on the attack and ready to test the visitors defence. In the first minute a dangerous cross into the Boldmere box, could have been productive, but no one was able to get a shot in.
But only four minutes later Dales got a break down the left and as he started to cut inside he fired a shot just wide of the right-hand post.
As the game started to settle, the Sports midfield began to push forward with Atkinson leading the way. After 13 minutes he broke clear and sent Smith on a chase, but keeper Harrison just managed to intercept and conceded a corner.
Two minutes later a similar move tested the Boldmere defence again, but this time it was Carter’s cross from the right, desperately close to connecting with Smith again.
It was 20 minutes into the game before the visitors showed any real attempt to push forward and for a while both defences were challenged. But with Wilkinson, Bencherif, Hickingbottom and Sanders forming a solid back line for Sports, it was looking like a quiet night for Chapman in the Mickleover goal.
Dales had another shot blocked after 21 minutes and Carter then went close on the half hour, just missing the connection in the box after Rowe had fed the ball in from the left.
For the final minutes of the first half Mickleover pushed forward to try and break the deadlock with Carter on another run, finding Smith with his cross, only to be blocked, before Atkinson’s follow up was blocked and Dales finally shot wide.
Smith had another header just wide, but it remained 0-0 at the break.
Just as in the first half Sports started strongly with Smith earning another corner four minutes into the restart. Just a minute later he was on the receiving end of a Rowe corner on the right, and the deadlock was finally broken 1-0.
There still seemed to be little attacking creativity from Boldmere in response and on the hour Rowe, Dales and Smith combined to threaten the visitors again.
While Wilkinson and Sanders both pushed forward on the wings, Ashman and Hickingbottom alternated between centre back and defensive midfield, which seemed more than effective in thwarting any threat.
63 minutes in and Dales almost put Smith clear again, but keeper Harrison was quick off his line again, as his defence put him under more pressure with some risky passes.
Boldmere had their first real shot after 66 minutes, from the break on the right, the shot was wide of the right-hand post. The visitors defence also began to show more aggression, with Carter taken out on a right wing charge. Dales’ free kick then bounced around in the box before being finally cleared.
Mickleover’s first change came after 73 minutes with Richards on for Rowe. There soon followed a succession of corners, before Richards put the ball precisely into the box, finding Hickingbottom’s head and it was 2-0.
Taylor was the second sub to be used, but with six minutes left, Chapman raced off his line to intercept a rare Boldmere attack. A couple of minutes later Smith was clattered from behind by a defender who had no intention of playing the ball. For a while the referee lost control, failing to show a deserved yellow card, before Mickleover skipper Bencherif took charge.
Richards was then yellow carded for a legitimate tackle, before the game ended with Taylor on a great run, until a final interception, but a well-deserved win for Mickleover.
