by Peter Scherer (Images: Steve Ingers)
Following last Saturday’s defeat at Coventry Sphinx, it was hoped that Mickleover would rise to the occasion of a first home league game of the season and against local rivals Long Eaton Utd.
Despite a great improvement in the second half, two first half goals from our visitors left Sports both goalless and pointless again.
Starting line-up: 1- Jack McDowell 2-Louis Bonser 3-Toby Smith 4-Harry Wood 5-George Wilkinson 6-Ashton Offler 7-Josh Carter 8-James Matthews 9-Paddy Webb 10-Andy Dales 11-Archie White. Subs: Fraser Corden, Stephen Fikula, Liam Carter, Ali Mohiuddin, Stuart Beavon.
It was a fairly even start, but Long Eaton were first to try a shot, as Pace fired in from just outside the box, fortunately over McDowell’s bar after seven minutes.
Sports quickly responded after picking up the ball following a mistake in midfield by our visitors. White picked it up, rounded keeper King, only for Betts to get back and clear it off the line.
Wood then crossed from the right, but it was just a little too high for Webb, whose header went over the bar. But Long Eaton went close again 10 minutes in, when a cross from the right beat the defence and Thompson-Matthews’ shot ricocheted off the post and bar before going clear.
Mickleover were starting to get forced further and further back as they struggled for possession, but a wild 13th minute effort from our visitors failed to test McDowell.
Three minutes later former Mickleover loanee Dexter Walters opened the scoring for Long Eaton, after a long and sustained build-up. Sports had plenty of players back but lacked co-ordination, allowing Walters’ final strike to hit home after a quick one two with Garnett, 0-1.
Matthews was yellow carded after 18 minutes, before Bonser tried a speculative shot was just outside the book.
Long Eaton wasted another opportunity after Betts got around the back of the defence, only to put his cross straight into McDowell’s hands after 22 minutes.
Wood joined Matthews in the refs book but shortly afterwards Long Eaton made it 0-2. The defence was once again beaten on the left, as the first shot came in McDowell saved low, but the ball fell loose and with no response from the defence, Shaw fired it home, 0-2 after 26 minutes.
Our visitors earned a couple of corners which were both wasted, but on the half hour Smith, Carter and Dales combined in a nice build up on the right, but Wood’s final shot lacked any pace to challenge the keeper.
Dales had a good run through after 35 minute, but Webb’s following shot was straight at King, before the visitors earned another corner which went to waste.
Smith had a good overlap on the right but lost possession when he hesitated and then White became the third Sports player in the refs book.
As we entered the closing minutes of the first half, there was a slight spark from Sports after an overall poor performance. They won a 39th minute corner and had another promising build up a minute later, with Wood firing in a shot at a tight angle to earn another corner.
White hit a great shot which King tipped away but couldn’t hold, but no one was on hand to pick up the pieces.
Webb then went down with appeals for a penalty, which clearly wasn’t. But in time added on Carter went in one on one with the keeper on a break. King’s burly stature saw him take out the teenaged winger, prompting an early sub as debutant Mohiuddin came on, as the half time whistle blew at 0-2.
Mickleover made two changes for the second half with Liam Carter and Fikula on for Bonser and Matthews.
It restarted with an attacking flourish from Mickleover and just three minutes into the half Webb just missed out with his effort hitting the side netting.
Wood then had a strong run down the right, firing in a powerful shot just wide, but a very promising effort as the visitors were pegged back in their own half.
But Long Eaton managed a break after 57 minutes, the danger was cleared though with Wilkinson’s saving tackle on Shaw.
Sports wasted a 67th minute free kick when White put his shot well over, and four minutes later our visitors reciprocated with an effort well over the Mickleover bar.
Dales had just won a corner after another good build up, when he then left the field to be replaced by Corden after 73 minutes.
Corden was straight into the action, but wasted the ball with a cross from the right, when a cut in from the right looked on the cards. He then tried to chase the ball but was physically dragged back by a defender, with the referee failing to respond.
Time was beginning to run out, which obviously hadn’t gone unnoticed by the visitors defence, who started to hurl themselves to the ground at the first opportunity, supported by the colourfully vociferous keeper and captain King.
82 minutes and Corden sent Carter on a good run, he crossed from the left but once again Webb found the side netting, but it was so close.
Carter had another late attempt just over and Webb was sent on a chase for a late long ball, but King got their first and hoofed it clear.
It was certainly a game of two halves, sadly the goals came in the first when Sports were at their worst and we remain without a point or goal in the league as we now look forward to FA Cup action.
