by Peter Scherer
Mickleover are away from home this weekend after a succession of home games, as we visit Wellingborough Town.
Our hosts have an identical record to ours in the league so far this season, with three wins and a draw, but are one place behind in 12th on goal difference. They lost at home to Coventry Sphinx on Tuesday night too, which gives Sports a game n hand.
With Oliver Bosworth nursing a broken finger, Jack McDowell is expected to deputise again in goal, while updates are still awaited on Harry Wood and Jake Bennett.
Under Jake Stone’s managership, Wellingborough were promoted to the NPL Division One Midlands at the end of 23/24 and finished eighth in the league last season.
Goalkeeper Dean Snedker was signed a couple of weeks into the season. A former England Under 19 international, he started out at Northampton Town. He joined Brackley after his release , quickly moving on to Kidderminster, Nuneaton, Kettering, Cambridge City, St.Albans, Hemel and Rushden and more recently with Coalville.
Brandon Ganley started the season between the sticks. He is an ex Walsall and Coventry City junior who has played for Shepshed Dynamo, Racing Club Warwick and Khalsa.
Captain and centre back Jack O’Connor is in his sixth season at the club, since signing from Kettering in July 2020.
Glenn Walker is one of the pre-season signings. A left back, he started out at Banbury and has played for Corby Town, Hednesford and Brackley and came to our hosts after a two-year spell with Spalding.
Sam Warburton is a left back too and a former Northampton Town youngster. He joined Rugby Town following his release, before moving to Nuneaton who loaned him to Kings Lynn before a permanent move. Corby, Rushden & Diamonds and Bedford were his next stops, before coming to Wellingborough from Spalding in November 2024.
Centre back Callum Milne is a pre-season signing from Corby Town. He’s also played for Bedford Town, Eynesbury Rovers, Harborough Town, Kettering, St.Ives and Wisbech.
Joe Pursey plays wing back or winger and is another pre-season arrival from Coventry Sphinx, where he has spent the last few seasons.
It was a pre-season return to the Dog & Duck for defender Charlie Green. He left Wellingborough at the start of last season for Rushden & Diamonds.
Former Southampton junior Joe Curtis is a central midfielder. He moved to Brackley after being released, before his first spell with Spalding. He’s played for Rushden & Diamonds, Stratford, St.Ives, Corby and Bromsgrove, before returning to Spalding for the start of 23/24. He then came to Wellingborough for the start of last season.
Right sided midfielder Joe Draper came from Spalding too, arriving at the Dog & Duck Stadium last September.
Lloyd Buckby is the clubs longest serving player. A central midfielder, he joined the club in 2016 and has made over 200 appearances as he is now in his ninth season.
Midfielder Jordon Crawford started off at Corby Town. He has played for Kettering, Boston Utd, Peterborough Sports, Brackley and Harborough, from who he has been signed on a dual registration. He missed the whole of last season with an ACL injury.
Fellow midfielder Chris Clements has made over 200 league two appearances during his time at Mansfield Town, Grimsby and Forest Green. He started out at Crewe Alexandra and was loaned to Nantwich, Leigh Genesis, Stafford Rangers and IBV Vestmannaeyjar in Iceland, before joining Hednesford on his release.
He then spent almost five yeas at Mansfield, before moving on to Grimsby, Barrow, Forest Green, Cheltenham and Nuneaton. After a number of non league moves he has spent the last two yeas at Rugby Town, from where he joined our hosts pre-season.
Midfielder Elliot Simmons is on a dual registration with Bedford Town. An under 20 international for Canada, his junior career was spent at MK Dons, Dalkurd in Sweden, Mikkelin in Finland and Malaga in Spain.
He returned to Canada with HFX Wanderers, Cavalry FC and Vancouver, before coming to the UK with Wealdstone, moving to Bedford last January.
Romeo Ingman is an attacking midfielder who started the season with a brief stay at Rushden & Diamonds. He was previously at Bugbrooke St.Michaels.
Tre Charles is an experienced well-travelled striker who started his career with St.Albans City. Wellingborough are his 16th club, having arrived from Rugby Town pre-season. He has had two spells at Bedford Town and lists Cambridge City, Hendon and Barwell among his former clubs.
Fellow striker Will Jones first came to our hosts at the end of the 23/24 season dual registered with Cambridge City. He was previously at Sporting Khalsa.
Kobi Bivens is another striker recently signed locally from Northampton Silbey Rangers, while Taylor Franklin and George Barnell both came through the ranks with our hosts.
Kick off is 3pm as usual.