by Peter Scherer
Mickleover started their pre-season build up with a 4-1 win at Pinxton, highlighted by three second half goals.
Starting line-up: Aaron Chapman; Trialist A; Hamza Bencherif; George Wilkinson; Archie White; Callum Minkley; Cieron Keane; Josh Carter; Trialist B; Theo Rowe; Manni Norkett.
It was a lively start from Sports with Rowe earning a corner after three minutes. Despite having he majority of the possession though, clear cut chances were proving illusive in the hot and dry conditions.
But 12 minutes Mickleover scored the inevitable opening goal when Trialist B struck a great shot from the edge of the box, giving the Pinxton keeper little chance 0-1.
The chances continued to be few and far between despite the amount of possession. Keane put a 43rd minute free kick just wide of the post, but it remained 0-1 at half time.
There were wholesale changes as the players re-emerged for the second half and it was three of those changes that found the net. Firstly Kane Richards collected the ball on the edge of the box and chipped the keeper to make it 0-2 after 51 minutes.
Four minutes later, Jude Taylor another second half change, had a great shot just wide of the post. But Norkett had been causing havoc in the home defence and around the hour mark he had an effort cleared off the line and another just wide of the post.
But goal number three soon arrived with Dwayne Wiley heading home a Richards corner, 0-3. Andy Dales went close with a free kick too, before Pinxton pulled one back from a rebound shot 1-3.
Norkett rounded off the 1-4 scoreline though with a well-deserved fourth, and we now look forward to Tuesday night when we face Belper Utd.
