by Peter Scherer (Photo: John Hopkins)
Despite being two goals up at Warrington Rylands last night, Mickleover came away with a 2-2 draw.
Starting line-up: 1.Yusuf Mersin 2.Jake Bennett 3.Ryan Wilson 4.Charlie Hickinbottom 5.Danny Benson 6.George Taft 7.Dylan Edwards 8.Will Atkinson 9.Stuart Beavon 10.Andy Dales 11.Marcus Barnes. Subs. Justin Iwobi, Fin Ryder, Brandon Ferron, Jahvan Davidson-Miller.
Mersin hada busy night in the Mickleover goal, starting after just six minutes, with a save from Hardcastle, before Smith’s rebound was just wide of the left hand post.
But three minutes later Sports went 1-0 up, with Beavon latching on to a long ball over the top, to lob keeper Hurst into the left hand top corner.
It got even better when Dales cut inside to bury goal number two into the bottom right corner at close range. 2-0.
But from the 20 minute mark the hosts began a forceful fightback, with Mersin saving from Hardcastle again, following a corner.
It was Hardcastle threatening again after 26 minutes. His powerful strike from the right was held by Mersin at the second attempt.
The pressure continued to build when Daniel cut inside five minutes later, but his clear chance went high and wide.
Daniel fired another shot over the bar, before Mersin’s diving save after 35 minutes, kept out Hardcastle’s long range effort.
Mersin saved again from Hardcastle after 43 minutes, before Adeokya finally netted for Rylands 2-1.
There were appeals for a Mickleover penalty in time added on, after Edwards went down. These were ignored and so it stayed 2-1 at half time.
Sports made changes with Ferron and Davidson-Miller on for Edwards and Beavon, but Mersin was soon busy again.
He had already made multiple saves before Daniel went close again after 54 minutes.
Ryder came on for Taft and Wilson had a random shot after 63 minutes, well off target.
The equaliser finally came from Lonsdale after 66 minutes, but the hosts went close again with two minutes of normal time left, when Adekoya’s shot was deflected for a corner.
A solid away point, but for the second successive game it could have been three.