by Peter Scherer
A Tyrell Waite goal almost on the hour made sure that Mickleover will be in the end of season play-offs for promotion to the National League North.
Starting line-up: 1-Yusuf Mersin 2-Ethan Mann 3-Jake Bennett 4-Will Atkinson 5-Kyle Rowley 6-Will Tamen 7-Ethan Fitzhugh 8-Will Trueman 9-Tyrell Waite 10-Ben Sault 11-Oli Greaves. Subs: Stuart Beavon, Lewis Ridd, Dan Bradley, Ryan Wilson, Marcus Barnes.
It was lively start again from Mickleover with McManus forced to make a saving tackle in the box, from Sports first real attack.
But Coalville came out fighting too, with Putnam leading a break, before Chambers cross was a little too long. McGlinchey then had a shot blocked as it headed goalwards.
Waite was proving to be particular sharp against one if his former clubs and off the back of his recent goal success. But after a collecting a poor clearance from White, the keeper redeemed himself as Waite closed in.
Chambers was heading the visitors attacks, but the defence were looking strong in the centre with Rowley and Tamen. When Putnam sent McGlinchey on a run he went one on one, but the Sports defence prevailed and the danger gone.
Fitzhugh had a shot blocked, before Pepe-Ngoma responded similarly for the visitors, before Waite tried his
luck again, firstly with a shot well saved by White, before his next attempt struck the bar from close range.
But Coalville responded again too with a Chambers header going wide, before McManus’s effort was cleared off the line.
Pennant had a late shot deflected away, which triggered four consecutive corners for the Ravens, with McGlinchey shooting wide again, just before the half time whistle.
Wilson replaced Rowley in the Mickleover defence as the second half got underway, with Mann going back into the middle. But Coalville were on the attack again with Chambers finally crowded out in the box, after a run down the wing from York.
Mersin saved from McGlinchey, before Fitzhugh was on the end of a Mickleover break. After cutting inside his shot was straight at the keeper, who comfortably collected.
Pennant then went one on one with Bennet and lost out, before another run by the pacey winger, was deflected away as Chambers waited in the middle.
With Atkinson setting up some moves to set fellow midfielders Fitzhugh, Trueman, Greaves and Sault on their way, Waite collected the ball on a break, but White saved again, before Wilson sent a header over the bar.
Waite headed another charge as the hour mark approached, but this time it was the home striker coming out on top, beating the advancing keeper to give Sports a valuable 1-0 lead.
Shortly afterwards Atkinson had a header over the bar, before Chambers miscued from a Putnam free kick and failed to trouble Mersin.
Bradley came on for Atkinson, but Mickleover were looking dangerous as they sought a second goal. With 15 minutes on the clock White saved again from a Sault effort to the near post, before the midfielder then made way for Barnes.
Coalville had a late penalty appeal waved away as the foul was deemed out of the box, while White made a couple more saves before the final whistle.
It proved to be a critical win as Sports are now guaranteed a place in the play-offs.
