Sports Head East For More Cup Action

by Peter Scherer

This weekend Mickleover head over to East Anglia again to face Stowmarket Town in the Third Qualifying round of the FA Trophy.

Paul Musgrave’s side are currently seventh in the Isthmian League North and have already knocked out Bury Town and Chatham Town in the FA Trophy.

He has been in charge since November 2020, having previously been assistant since 2017.

They started their season with a 4-1 home win again Hullbridge Sports and have also beaten Hashtag Utd, Wroxham and Basildon, suffering one defeat away to Lowestoft.

Keeper James Bradbrook came from Brightlingsea Regent in June 2019, having previously been on loan during 2017/18 from Needham Market. He has also played for Bury Town.

Central defenders Tom Bullard and Joe Jefford were a double signing from Leiston in June 2019, where Bullard was captain and played over 220 games, after coming from Bury Town in 2014.

Jack Ainsley is a former Ipswich Junior, who was signed from Felixstowe in June 2019. He had loans at Rushden & Diamonds, Histon and Chelmsford before joining Lowestoft on his release from Ipswich. He had a spell at Leiston too before joining Felixstowe in 2018.

Chris Casement is a Northern Ireland International at Under 17,19,20, 21 and full. A very experienced defender he played for Ipswich in the Championship, and was loaned to Millwall, Hamilton Academicals and Wycombe, before a permanent move to Dundee.

He then moved back to Ireland with Linfield and Portadown, before arriving at Stowmarket in September 2020.

Left back Tommy Smith is another former Ipswich Junior, who only arrived at our hosts this summer, following his release.

Craig Parker is an experienced striker that came from Needham Market in September 2020. He started at Needham but has also played for Chelmsford City, Sudbury and Kings Lynn.

Tevan Allen is a defensive midfielder, signed in October 2021 from Coggeshall Town and has also played for Bury Town. He scored in the first league game of the season and in last week’s win at Basildon.

Fellow midfielder Luke Hipkin was a summer signing from Sudbury Town, having come through their academy.

Defender or midfielder Josh Curry came back to Stowmarket for a second time in May 2021, after spending three years at Lowestoft. He also played for Walsham-Le-Willows, Ely City and Diss Town.

Natty Stewart was another summer signing, from Mildenhall Town. A former Kings Lynn, Norwich Utd and Wroxham striker, he scored 10 goals in 24 games last season.

Left back Jack Wilkinson also arrived during the summer. He was at Sudbury Town, before moving on via Mildenhall. Lowestoft and Cambridge City.

Ed Upson started out at Ipswich too as a young midfielder. He has played over 400 games, the majority in league one and had loans at Stevenage and Barnet, before joining Yeovil in 2010.

Stops at Millwall, MK Dons, Bristol Rovers and Newport County followed, and had spent six months at Stevenage before joining our host’s pre-season. He scored a hattrick on his league debut too.

Midfielder Dylan Logan is a recent singing from Heybridge Swifts, having previously been at Biggleswade, Stotfold, St Neots and Baldock Utd. He has played two games so far and has scored in both!

Bermudan International midfielder Reggie Lambe has scored three goals so far this season. He was a junior at Ipswich Town too, along with a number of teammates. 

He was loaned to Bristol Rovers before trying his luck abroad, with Toronto FC in the US MLS and Nykoping in Sweden, before returning to the UK with Mansfield Town. He was then at Carlisle and Cambridge Utd, before coming to Stowmarket in December 2020.

Both striker Shaun Brammant and winger Jacek Zielonka came from Dereham pre-season. Brammant scored 11 goals in 39 games last season and had a spell at Lowestoft too before making a return trip to Dereham.

Zielonka spent his early career in Poland, with Pomezania Malbork, Concordia Elblag, 1920 Mosina and Lubonski 1943, before arriving at Lowestoft in 2014. He has played for Kings Lynn, Lowestoft and Dereham too.

Defender Kane Munday was previously at AFC Sudbury and Barking, having started in Colchester Utd’s Academy. 

Ryan Capon is the second-choice keeper. A product of their own youth scheme is currently dual registered with Debenhams FC to gain experience.

Kick off at Greens Meadow is 3pm and its only 154 miles away, so depending on the A14 it could take 2 ½ hrs or it could take a lot longer.

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