by Peter Scherer
Mickleover faced a strong Barnsley youth team in their final pre-season game of the season and came away with a 1-1 draw, to finish the campaign unbeaten.
Starting line-up: 1-Yusuf Mersin 2-Jake Bennett 3-Ryan Wilson 4-Curtis Weston 5-Charlie Hickingbottom 6-George Taft 7-Dylan Edwards 8-Will Atkinson 9-Marcus Barnes 10-Stuart Beavon 11-Brandon Ferron, Subs: Brandon Webster, Fin Ryder, Trialists.
It was a fairly lively start from both sides, with Barnes firing in a dangerous cross from the left, just missing Edwards’ head after two minutes. Then just two minutes later a cross field ball from the left had Edwards running onto it, firing his first time shot high and wide.
But there was an early drama for Mickleover, when Taft came off to be replaced by Webster. “I felt a slight twinge in my knee so came of rather than risk it,” he said.
Sports had the ball in the net after seven minutes, a header following a corner, but was narrowly given offside.
The strike force of Edwards, Barnes and Beavon were keen to push forward at every opportunity, and it was Edwards again setting up a move down the right, but Barnes had already moved forward and the ball fell loose.
Barnsley took a little while to settle, but after 15 minutes they were starting to push forward more and were on the end of a number of free kicks, some questionable.
17 minutes and the visitors had their first real shot, going just over Mersin’s bar, but two minutes later they were on target, forcing MersIn to make a save diving low to his left. Ferron then outpaced the defence on the left, earning a corner after a good build up.
Following Taft’s departure, Hickingbottom was playing solo in the middle of defence, with Bennett and Webster as wing backs. Wilson had moved into more of a roving role, while both Atkinson and Weston alternated between defensive midfield and defence itself.
Barnes was fouled after 25 minutes, but Wilson’s free kick came to nought, then the Mickleover skipper was wrestled to the ground in a challenge, but again the free kick failed to threaten the Barnsley goal.
Having dealt with the pressure, Mickleover began to push forward again in the latter part of the half. Bennett’s cross from the right after 38minutes, was headed on by Edwards, but just too high for Ferron to get his head to it too.
Then Wilson dropped a dangerous ball into the Barnsley box, with Ferron just being beaten to the ball by the advancing keeper.
Barnsley finished the half with a shot straight at Mersin, but it remained 0-0.
There were no immediate changes for the second half, and five minutes in the Barnsley keeper was in action, saving a Beavon effort following a Barnes and Edwards interchange.
But Barnsley were quick to make a break and forced Mersin to race off his line, but the final shot went wide of his right hand post.
Beavon had a shot palmed away by the keeper as the hour mark approached, before Barnes and Edwards came off to make way for Dales and Ryder.
Mickleover were beginning to take charge and forcing more errors from the visitors. 65 minutes and Ferron crossed to find Hickingbottom’s head, whose effort was just wide, while just a minute later there was an effort cleared off the line.
The goal finally came after 70 minutes following another Ferron attack. The ball fell nicely to Weston, who hit the ball home from just outside the box, 1-0.
It should have been number two for Mickleover four minutes later, following some Dales trickery on the left. The ball came across the goal face, the defence beaten and Ryder appeared set to tap it home, but just failed to make the connection.
Dales continued to cause havoc and set up Wilson a couple of minutes, but that shot was just wide . But it was looking comfortable for Sports and after a Webster run on the left, Beavon sent a curling effort just beyond the left hand upright after 80 minutes, with the keeper rooted to his spot.
Ferron made way for a trialist in the closing minutes, but up front Dales and Beavon had a quick one two, but the keeper saved the danger and Sports continued to take command.
Suddenly though there was a split in the home defence though, totally against the run of play, but it handed Barnsley an 82nd minute equaliser 1-1.
But a rocket shot from defence almost gave Mickleover the lead again, as it bounced off the bar and with five minutes left Dales forced a finger tip save from the keeper again.
Beavon sent Dales through yet again for a late attempt just wide, but it ended all square and now we look forward to the league action, starting next weekend.
