Two In A Row & Another Clean Sheet

by Peter Scherer

After last weekend’s home win against play-off hopefuls Rushall Olympic, it was off to relegation threatened Hednesford Town last night.

There were a couple of changes in the attack from last weeks team, with Stuart Beavon and Will Trueman back in for Elliott Reeves and Marcus Marshall.

Line-up: 1-Oliver Bosworth 2-Ethan Mann 3-Rhys Dolan 15-Joe Bateman 5-James Butler 6-Phil Watt 7-Andy Dales 8-Mason Warren 9-Stuart Beavon 10-George Nunn 11-Will Trueman. Subs: Pablo Mills, Marcus Marshall, Elliott Reeves, George Atwal, Ryan Wilson.

With Mickleover hitting the bar in the first five minutes, hopes were high of an early goal. The early pressure was intense, and after eight minutes Dolan instigated a positive move, which split the home defence. Both Dales and Nunn tried to get a shot in, but both had their paths blocked.

Only a minute later there was a telling ball into the Pitmen’s box again, Nunn turned to find Beavon, whose slightly deflected shot proved out of reach for home keeper Luke Jackson, 1-0.

Hednesford kept their heads up and Todd Parker had a good shot palmed away by Bosworth to his right. They continued to create half chances, but struggled to follow them up. 

A free kick on the edge of the box was fired straight at the wall by Max Brogan and then Jordan Graham had a great chance to equalise, but wanted too much time and fired his shot over the bar.

It should have been a second for Mickleover after eight minutes, when Dales curled the ball into the box from the right. Nunn collected it perfectly, but with the almost clear goal beckoning, he hit the bar, before Beavon put the rebound wide. Nunn then peeled away using his shirt to hide his shamed face.

Dales was having so much freedom on the left, but the Mickleover midfield fail to maximise. But he did find Trueman , whose first shot was blocked, and his follow up went just over.

Having the occasionally lapse in their supremacy, Sports started to attack again. Butler started come forward and being unchallenged he continued to find Beavon, but he failed to get any power behind his shot.

Dales again showed a clean pair of heels to Mark Derricott  after 27 minutes and cut inside himself, before letting fly with a shot aiming for just under the bar until Jackson tipped it over.

But a slip in defence gave Graham another chance to equalise, but a diving save from Bosworth saved the day again, five minutes before half time.

Hednesford really pressed hard to get back into the game and Bosworth rose to the challenge again with a save from Asomugha, before Parker’s rebound shot was blocked.

Almost on the half time whistle the hosts did have the ball in the net, but only after fouling Bosworth.

Hednesford were quickly on the attack as the second half got underway, with keeper Bosworth in action early again. For about 15 minutes though Mickleover struggled to break out of their own half.

Brogan had a shot blocked, but gradually Sports began to move out and the threat from our hosts began to diminish.

Bateman headed wide after a free kick was given for a foul on Dales on 56 minutes, shortly afterwards Wilson then replaced Trueman.

Almost on the hour though Warren burst through down the centre and fired a shot at the keeper, and as the rebound opportunity fell to him too, in it went for 2-0.

Wilson then fired a free kick just wide of the post after Dolan was fouled and then after 69 minutes Jackson tipped another goal bound effort over the bar, this time from Nunn.

Both Mann and Dolan had started to push forward more  and Mickleover were actively seeking a third goal, but a 70th minute goal mouth scramble failed to provide the chance of a clear shot.

Reeves came on for Nunn and soon had a chance himself. Dolan had gone on another charge, cut inside and fired the ball across the goal face, but Reeves only needed a toe poke for the third goal, but stayed rooted.

With four minutes left the third goal finally arrived. Again Dolan had carved through the defence after being set up by Dales, he found Reeves whose effort hit the bar, but Warren followed up to hit the rebound home again, 3-0.

Marshall replaced Dales for the final minutes, but there was still one more chance, when Beavon found Reeves in the box. The striker had Warren to his left in space, but tried himself and fired over.

So it was three more points for Mickleover and back into the top six, against a side who are not only fighting against relegation, but for their survival too.

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