by Peter Scherer (Images: Steve Ingers)

TWO GOALS in two minutes early in the second half killed off any hopes Mickleover had of making a comeback at Coleshill, going down eventually 1-3.

Starting line-up: 1-Jack McDowell 2-Ali Mohiuddin 3-Louis Bonser 4-Brad Gascoigne 5-George Wilkinson 6-Will Atkinson 7-Archie White 8-Harry Wood 9-Josiah Dyer 10-Andy Dales 11-Paddy Webb. Subs: Fraser Corden, Oliver Bosworth, Michael Hollingsworth, Stuart Beavon, Ashton Offler.

It was a fairly even but scrappy start to the game at a breezy Coleshill, and it took 11 minutes before either side had a shot. A Coleshill strike from just outside the box tested McDowell, making the save low to his right.

Mickleover were struggling to make progress and only had a couple of attacks in the first15 minutes, both blocked before any shot was attempted.

But the hosts showed more promise when a nice build up on the left saw the cross deflected wide. Both sides then earned corners in the 17th and 18th minutes, but after Coleshill’s the ball bounced around the box before it landed nicely for Alex McKeane directly in front of goal, with a firm accurate strike he made it 0-1, giving McDowell little chance.

Two corners for Mickleover followed in close succession, both cleared but it was Sports defence that continued to look vulnerable.

33 minutes in and another Mickleover corner went straight to keeper Cameron Belford, but Wood and White then battled through into box, but White was blocked again before he could shoot.

For the last five minutes of the half Mickleover began to pile pressure on the home defence, but were still unable to create any chances.

Ben Usher-Shipway had a random shot wide for Coleshill in the final minute of normal time, just before White almost broke through again, only to be blocked at the last minute, so it remained 0-1.

Beavon and Hollingsworth replaced Dyer and Wood for the second half, with Mickleover immediately showing the determination that had lacked in the first half.

Just three minutes into the half a glancing Beavon header looked to be heading goalwards, until Belford finger tipped the ball way at full stretch to his left.

The fight was soon over however and virtual capitulation by the Mickleover defence saw two goals in close succession for the hosts. In the 54th minute Theo Rowe took his chance well, before Bassit Mandey split the defence right down the middle to fire home number three, 0-3.

Approaching the hour mark Corden replaced Webb and two minutes later a cross from Atkinson found Corden, before Dales placed a curling shot wide of the right hand post.

Corden pulled one back with a good strike in off the post after 72 minutes, 1-2, before Coleshill tried their luck from outside the box and were well wide.

Bonser had been working hard to try and make the left wing overlap work and after 78 minutes he carried on and cut inside, firing a curling shot just beyond the right hand post.

Beavon was close to his second when he picked up a long clearance from McDowell, but his shot struck the post.

Time was running out for Mickleover and despite two corners they were no nearer to scoring, both cleared with a hefty boot from the defence.

Dales earned a 90th minute corner which came to nought and in time added on McDowell had to save with his feet to deny Coleshill a fourth.

Unlike the Wellingborough game where the first half was promising, Mickleover never really looked like getting anything from a team struggling near the foot of the table and fell to a fifth defeat in nine games.