by Peter Scherer
There was no shortage of goals as Mickleover Reserves visited AFC Mackworth for a pre-season friendly last night. Sports youngsters finally ran out 6-5 victors with Sam Tomlinson hitting TWO.
Starting line-up: 1-Josh Bull 2-Mason Hoult 3-Brandon Ferron 4-Toby Smith 5-Zac Sandhu 6-Harry Atwal 7-Sam Tomlinson 8-Fin Ryder 9-Dean Ironmonger 10-Josh Powell 11-Mason Tudgay. Subs: Josh Maher, Luis Mas-Hall, Will Coffen, Owen Slater, Liam Carter, Silas Donker.
It was wet and miserable as the game kicked off, but Mickleover almost scored from the kick off, with Powell and Tudgay combining to earn a corner.
The opening goal came after seven minutes when Powell fed Tomlinson, who sent a belting shot into the back of the net, 1-0. Only two minutes Tomlinson tested the keeper again, but his chip was taken fairly easily.
Ferron and Hoult were starting to attack down the wings and after 10 minutes it was a long run from Ferron with a crossfield ball, that was just too long for the chasing Tomlinson.
Mackworth’s first chance came when Sandhu slipped on the wet grass, the hosts number nine collected but Bull saved his effort initially, before a rebound made it 1-1, 11 minutes in.
Ironmonger had a chance three minutes later from a Tomlinson cross, before another Tomlinson cross set up Ryder, whose shot was blocked.
Bull had to palm away another Mackworth strike, before Ferron’s attempt on a charge ended with a crude foul. It was Sports on top though and 23 minutes down and it was 2-1, after Tomlinson again cut in front the right, giving Tudgay a tap in.
Atwal was controlling the central midfield, with the eagerness of Powell and Tudgay strong on the left and Tomlinson dominating the right wing, but Tomlinson nearly hit a second, firing just over on the half hour.
But Mackworth were proving determined opposition and when Bull was spotted off his line, a speculative lob made it 2-2. They went close again a minute later with a long shot just off target.
Both sides were trying random long shots, but with two minutes of the first half to go, Tomlinson jinked through the defence with a fine solo effort to make it 3-2 and then went close again with the whistle poised.
A number of subs came on for the second half, with rain still falling heavily. Ryder had the first shot of the second half, before Ironmonger made it 4-2 following a 48th minute corner.
Tomlinson continued to cause havoc, but after 55 minutes it was 4-3, after Bull failed to hold the slippery ball.
Sandhu then joined the scorers as the ball fell nicely from at Atwal free kick 5-3. But the two goal only lasted for six minutes, after chaos in defence made it 5-4.
It was another slip from keeper Bull that made it 5-5 with 15 minutes left, which seemed to spur on Mackworth for the final push.
But with two minutes left Mickleover sub Slater sealed it at 6-5 with a solo run down the middle.
