10 MEN SPORTS BATTLE TO HARD FOUGHT FRIENDLY DRAW

by Peter Scherer

It was already a weakened side as Mickleover FC visited Frickley Athletic, with Stuart Beavon and Paddy Webb both out action and Phil Watt joining them pre-match too.

Joe Slinn 2-Jake Bennett 3-Alex Morris 4-John McGrath 5-Pablo Mills 6 James Butler 7-Mason Warren 8-Andrew Wright 9-Tyrell Shannon-Lewis 10 Ben Gowing 11-George Milner Subs: Callum Hawkins, Will Monteiro, Ricky Ravenhill, Joss Satchwell, Marcus Calderone, Darius Smith.

There was an almost instant shock for Mickleover as the game kicked off, when after only two minutes Frickley picked up the ball just over the halfway line and split a napping Sports defence, before burying the ball into the left hand corner for a 1-0 lead.

The shell shocked defence then faced an early corner, with a shot well wide.

Although the Sports midfield started to make progress, there were no clear breaks and each attack was thwarted, before Frickley came back to earn another corner which went straight out of play.

The first real break for Sports came after about 12 minutes, when Wright put a good ball through, only for Shannon-Lewis to be flagged offside.

A few minutes later McGrath sent a long pass in Bennett’s direction, but his attempt to cross was blocked and earned Sports first corner.

Shannon-Lewis pressed hard at the front but became somewhat isolated, as a succession of good build-ups failed to provide a positive final ball.

With Warren starting to take control in midfield, he sent Shannon-Lewis on a run after 20 minutes, but the strikers shot was blocked.

The attacks started to gain intensity as Sports sought an equaliser and Butler headed just over from a Wright cross.

On 25 minutes Wright tried his luck and shot just wide of the post, before Milner found Morris in space and the defender put his attempt just wide too.

But after a counter attack by Frickley was foiled, Shannon-Lewis broke away again and yet another shot was just wide. But as he started to cause more grief to the home sides defence, he was held by one of the defenders, but the following free kick came to nought.

Sports looked to be getting closer and closer to an equaliser, but Frickley were quick on the beak. 

Gowing got a shot in from a Warren pass, and McGrath’s corner was blocked before he was fouled and another free-kick went to waste.

But after 36 minutes Bennett went on a run and was tripped in the area, so it was 1-1 as Warren made no mistake from the penalty spot.

Frickley reacted positively to the equaliser, but a couple of random shots were well wide.

After 40 minutes though Butler made a hard tackle which was adjudged too hard by the referee and he was on the receiving end of a rather harsh red card.

A quick reshuffle pushed Gowing back into the defence alongside Mills, but Mickleover continued to press forward with Warren just wide from a good pass from Bennett.

So 1-1 at half-time but manager McGrath made, three substitutions, taking himself off along with Slinn and Gowing and bringing on Ravenhill. Hawkins and Calderone.

There were further problems in the Sports defence when Mills was hurt after pulling off an overhead clearance. He continued after treatment, but was later substituted.

Despite being down to 10 men, Mills, Morris and Calderone combined at the back to repel the Frickley attacks. But the home side still managed a couple of shots from outside the area, both well wide.

Milner was penalised for challenge on the Frickley keeper, just before he went off to be replaced by Bobby Pattison.

Pattison’s pace soon got him clear for a shot in the 18^th minute, but his attempt was well wide. Three minutes later Frickley made a quick break with Calderone the last man back, saving the day.

Frickley had started to come back into the game and after Warren and Ravenhill both lost possession in the middle, the following shots were straight at sub goalkeeper Hawkins though.

Once Mills had been replaced by Smith, plus the absence of Butler, the Mickleover defence began to look fragile, but Frickley’s following goal attempts were equally weak.

Monteiro came on for Shannon-Lewis and Satchwell for Wright for the last 20 minutes, but it was Frickley who went close with an overhead kick just wide of Hawkins post after 34 minutes.

Strength of character came through for the Mickleover squad, but Frickley had a few more near misses before the final whistle. Morris headed clear on 38 minutes and in the final seconds the home side put an attempt just around the post.

In the light of the knocks and the red card, it was a strong and positive performance, looking forward to the next friendly match at home to Guiseley on Tuesday evening.

Final score: Frickley Athletic 1 – 1 Sports

Frickley Athletic 0 – 4 Mickleover Sports

Tuesday 24th July 2018

Written by Sam Goldsworthy

Mickleover Sports continued their 100% pre-season record with their fourth win in as many games as they came way from South Yorkshire with a 4-0 win over their Step Four opponents Frickley Athletic. A first half strike from manager John McGrath gave Sports the lead at half time in a competitive and even first period where both sides created good chances. But as the second half progressed Sports were able to find more space and proved more clinical in front of goal as two fantastic goals from new striker Nathan Jarman and a second in two games for the Trialist from The Netherlands meant a comfortable victory in the end for Sports but they were certainly tested by Frickley Athletic in a good pre-season game ahead of the new season.
Sports had the first two good chances of the game. First Will Norcross had an effort blocked before he picked out Nathan Jarman a few minutes later from a cross, but the former Gainsborough Trinity forward’s header went over the bar as he was flagged offside anyway. The next two chances went to Frickley as Connor Smith hit the side netting then former Sports player Jacob Hazel then going close but his effort was well saved by Sports keeper Lewis King. Next neat play by Jarman as he turned his defender after receiving the ball inside the box but the strike was not powerful enough to test the Athletic keeper who saved comfortably. Sports Boss John McGrath then went close as he rattled the bar with a ferocious strike from outside the box which rebounded away from danger.

A couple of set pieces the threatened the give the hosts the lead but it was in fact Sports who drew first blood a couple of minutes before half time. After receiving the ball from the right hand side outside the box John McGrath cut inside on his left foot and curled a lovely effort past the keeper and into the bottom left corner to give Mickleover the lead at the break. But not before Jarman had a chance to make it 2-0 as his curling effort into the corner was blocked and saved by the keeper.

One change for Sports at half time as Will Norcross was replaced by Evan Garnett and straight away the former Burton Albion academy striker had an immediate impact. Garnett was played through but as the keeper came out to try and clear the ball, it fell to Jarman who wasted no time in lobbing the ball over the Frickley back line and keeper and straight into the net down the middle to rack up his first Sports goal and double the away sides lad. Two efforts from Jarman and Garnett came and went before Frickley got a foothold back in the game and started creating problems for the Sports defence again. Lovely work by Connor Smith set up Athletic midfielder Jack Burton but his shot was deflected wide for a corner.

Clinton Morrison made way for Trialist later on around the hour mark to add some extra pace up front and it helped as Sports bagged another goal. A beautiful first time effort from Jarman as he dinked the ball over the keeper and clipped off the left hand post found the net and just showed the quality that he can bring to Sports’ attacking line this season.

A lot of changes then happed for both sides. Sports took off Pablo Mills, Jake Scott and Niall Doran to be replaced by Trialist, Tyreece Robinson and Lewis Belgrave. Sports had the lion share of possession towards the end of the game and after two efforts from two Trialists threatened to add a fourth goal that moment eventually arrived on 82 minutes. The Trialist from the Netherlands was played in behind the Frickley defence and produced a delightful chip over the diving keeper and into the bottom left hand corner. That was his second goal in two games for the club on trial so must be catching the eye of McGrath as the season draws ever closer.

This turned out to be the last major action of the game as the referee blew time on the 90 minute mark to end a fantastic night for the club on and off the field. With the news that former Stalybridge Celtic midfielder Oliver Roberts has now joined up with the squad ahead of the new campaign after playing in America for New Orleans Jesters, the build up to the season is looking great ahead of the next friendly as we travel back to Worksop to take on Handsworth Paramore’s tenets and former Evo Stik side Worksop Town on Friday 27th July with a 7:30pm Kick Off.