by Peter Scherer
It’s another tough game this weekend, when we visit third in the table Belper Town.
Our hosts were without a game last weekend due the neighbouring river bursting its banks, but hopefully the weather will be kind to us this weekend. It was disappointing game at the Don Amott Arena though, where Sports lost out 2-3 to Carlton Town.
Mickleover were without Will Atkinson, Louis Bonser and Jake Bennett last week too, but hopefully all three are on the mend.
Lee Attenborough has been in charge at our hosts since January 2023 and lost out on promotion in the play-off’s last year.
Goalkeeper Kieran Preston is a former Scotland Under 19 international, having started his career at Bristol Rovers. He joined Grantham Town following his release and then spent six years at Basford before joining Belper in September last year. He has also played cricket for Mickleover.
Ben Rhodes is an attacking right wing back, who came from Worksop in the summer of 2020. He played for Stocksbridge Steels too and was dual registered with Penistone Church.
Left back Louis Keenan came back to Belper in November last year from Hanley Town, having spent the previous five years with Leek Town. He started his youth career with our hosts, graduating into the first team and has played for Hednesford and Loughborough Dynamo too.
Henry Frost is a wing back and locally produced talent from Belper’s own youth scheme. He joined the first team squad at the start of this season.
Skipper Jack Broadhead can play centre back or defensive midfield. His career started at Chesterfield, but after loans at Buxton, Matlock and Frickley he came to Mickleover in July 2015 following his release. After two seasons at the Don Amott Arena he joined Boston Utd and has played for AFC Mansfield, Grantham and Pontefract, before a four year stay at Worksop preceded his arrival at Belper in July 2024.
Fellow centre back Ioan Evans is capped by Wales at Under 17 and 19. He played his early football at Sheffield Utd, who loaned him out to Boston Utd, before joining Gainsborough on his release. He played for Tadcaster and Stalybridge too, before joining Matlock in July 2024, and came to our hosts in pre-season.
Centre back Phil Watt needs no introduction to Mickleover fans, having captained the side a couple of years ago. An ex Rotherham and Lincoln City youngster, he played for Corby, Grantham, Boston Utd and Coalville before joining Belper in October 2013.
He stayed with our hosts for five years before a move to Frickley preceded his three years at Mickleover. He then returned to Belper but spent last season at Eastwood, but is now back for his third spell.
Jonathan Wafula is a midfielder signed from Ilkeston last February. His career started with Chesterfield, before two years each at Worksop and Shaw Lane. Gainsborough, Boston Utd, Guiseley and Matlock followed, before moving to Grantham. Basford was next before a year at Ilkeston.
Midfielder Lewis Austin is a product of the Nailers own youth scheme and made his NPL first team debut in March 2024.
Curtis Burrows is another midfielder and former Burton Albion junior. He then joined Ilkeston and broke through into their first team, before a loan spell at Grantham preceded a permanent move to Coalville. Further spells at Loughborough Dynamo and Corby Town followed, before joining Belper in February 2023.
Fellow midfielder Andrew Tsolakis was previously at Dunkirk and Newark Town, before joining the Nailers in the summer of ’24.
Central midfielder Brad Munns joined our hosts at the end of last season. Ex Grantham and Stamford, he is yet to make a start this season.
Jordan Fankwe was a junior at Nottingham Forest. The midfielder came to Mickleover after his release, and then had a short spell at Watford. His next move was Salford, but quickly moved on to Basford, Anstey Nomads, Barwell and Shepshed Dynamo and joined our hosts in pre-season.
Former Derby County and Mansfield midfielder James Tague joined Matlock when his academy career ended. He’s also played for Gainsborough, Basford, Corby, Loughborough Dynamo and Sutton Coldfield, before spending last season with Anstey Nomads. He joined the Nailers in pre-season.
Right winger Jacob Gratton came from Cleethorpes in August. He started out at Rotherham and was loaned to Guiseley before a permanent move to Farsley. He first came to Belper in October 2022, stayed nine months and then had a year at Worksop before returning. Worksop and Basford were his next stops again, before starting this season with a short stay at Basford.
Kevin Bastos is a left winger and ex Nottingham Forest youngster. He has had a number of clubs in his career, including Grantham, Staveley MW, Ilkeston, Spalding, Loughborough, Tamworth and Basford, before first coming to Belper in July 2023. After a year he went to Kosovo with KF Istogu, before joining Basford on his UK return. He came back to Belper for a second spell in January.
Striker Liam Moran is a recent signing from Carlton Town. He’s played for Gedling MW, Boston Utd, Newark & Sherwood and Southwell City too.
Fellow striker Diego Edwards is a St.Kitts and Nevis international. He has spent most of his career at Notts County, but left for a spell at Mansfield Town after being loaned to Basford. He returned to Meadow Lane three years later and had further loans at Ossett, Nuneaton, Leek Town and Carlton, before joining our hosts pre-season, following his release.
Jacob Fenton is a striker too, signed from Anstey Nomads at the start of this season, He started his career at Lincoln City and has played for Bourne Town, Spalding, Bottesford and Sleaford too.
Kick off at the Raygar Stadium is 3pm, there is no parking at the ground.