by Peter Scherer (Images: Steve Ingers)
Mickleover looked to have three points sewn up, after Harvey Smith had scored in the 80th minute. He then hit the post too, before Shepshed equalised in time added on, with their first real shot of the game.
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-Manni Norkett; 11-Jude Taylor. Subs: Kane Richards; Darryl Powell; Josh Carter; Charlie Knowles; Stuart Beavon.
From the kick off Sports were playing into a strong wind, which restricted Chapman’s kicking capabilities. But most of the first 15 minutes were even, with neither side able to create any real chances.
Then Rowe crossed from the left, Smith miscued his shot, but it fell to Ashman, who powered his shot goalwards, only for keeper Williams to tip it around the post for a corner.
The keeper was in action again after the corner came in, making a double save from Hickingbottom after his first effort hit the post. Norkett then piled in too as the ball was loose, before it went out for another corner.
18 minutes in Smith put Norkett through again, only to be hacked down. But despite charging passed a defender, he was flagged offside and the free kick went to Shepshed.
Samples then had a chance for Shepshed’s first shot of the game, after Medrano picked up a loose clearance, but his effort was well off target.
It was Mickleover looking strong though, continually driven forward by Atkinson and Ashman in midfield, with both Taylor and Rowe attacking on the wings.
It was another Rowe charge down the left after 28 minutes that found Norkett, his low shot was saved again by keeper Williams.
Sanders was working with Rowe on the overlap too and they almost broke through a few minutes later, before the keeper made another timely interception. It was Rowe again testing Williams 37 minutes in, after a good build up down the left his shot was saved as he cut inside.
With five minutes of the second half left, Bencherif was yellow carded, but Shepshed’s free kick in what could have been a dangerous place, was totally wasted.
Smith tried a distance shot too, caught by the keeper before Norkett was fouled as he tried to turn on the edge of the box, only for Rowe’s free kick to cannon off the wall.
With the whistle poised Smith got his head to another corner, but it came to nought and the half ended goalless.
It was Mickleover that started the second half the liveliest of the two sides again, with Atkinson close to putting Smith through, until the keeper intercepted.
After another lull in the pace of the game Norkett got a break down the right after 55 minutes, only to be flattened by the final Shepshed defender. A red card wouldn’t have been unreasonable, but the referee thought otherwise, only for Atkinson’s free kick to go straight into the wall before being cleared.
Sports first substitution came o the hour with Carter on for Taylor. He was soon in action with his 65th minute cross finding Norkett, but his shot was blocked again.
Richards then came on for Norkett, before the ball fell kindly for Shepshed sub Wyse on the right, but his feeble effort barely reached the goal leaving Chapman unchallenged.
Carter picked the ball up on the right and with head down headed for the goal after 77 minutes, but once again the keeper charged off his line and had it covered. Richards then sent in a telling cross from the right too, earning another corner.
Finally in the 80th minute a crossfield ball found Carter on the right again, he slotted the cross in perfectly for the oncoming Smith, who slotted neatly passed the oncoming keeper for his first Mickleover goal, 1-0.
Three minutes later Bencherif sent another crossfield ball to find Rowe, he cut inside but miscued his shot and it went wide.
With just two minutes left Shepshed had their first shot on target from Samples, it earned a corner then Chapman intercepted from the following half chance.
Carter almost got through on goal before the keeper got their first and on then on time Smith was clear through the middle. He placed his shot passed the oncoming keeper, but it hit the post, before it was signalled that four more minutes had been added.
Mickleover had dominated the game and were unlucky not to be at least two goals up, but then debutant Tague picked up a ball from Peart on the left for Shepshed, hitting the top corner from close range to make it 1-1.
There was one last chance for Sports when Knowles battled through on the left, but Williams beat Richards to the cross by inches and it ended 1-1.
