By Phil Matthews
Mickleover SPORTS 2-0 Sutton Coldfield TOWN
Sports:- King, Horne, Turner, McGrath, Mills, Burgin, Dales, Scott (Hickman 68), Morris, Garnett, Phillips (Dickinson 90).
Subs:- Williams, Morrison, Tyrell.
Sutton Coldfield:- Draper, Beresford, Martin, Smith (Lovett 45), Kelly, (Probert 75), Haran, Little, Webb, Knight (Howell 63), O’Callaghan, Singh.
Subs:- Walters, Perry.
Referee Paul Tomes
Attn 230.
Mickleover Sports are on a great run of form at the moment, with impressive back to back league victories on the road – and it continued with a win against bottom of the table Sutton Coldfield Town at the Don Amott Arena.
In goal for the visitors was Nick Draper who had served the home club well last season before departing earlier this after hitting a bad patch of form. This was not a home coming that he will wish to remember for long having been beaten between the posts more times that he would wish.
Sports took the lead on the 13th minute as a superb through ball by Jimmy Phillips was collected by Andy Dales who took it round Draper before firing home.
So dominant were the hosts in the first half that it was 35 minutes into the contest before the visitors struck a shot worthy of note. Gurjit Singh struck it from the edge of the box after referee Paul Tomes awarded a free kick against Sports keeper Lewis King who was adjudged to have held onto the ball fractionally outside his area. The free kick flew over the bar.
By this stage Mickleover had already found the back of the net four times, only for the linesman to rule out three of them for various offences.
The first disallowed goal came in the 10th minute as Tom Burgin netted from close range only to have his effort ruled out for an infringement in the build up to the shot.
The other two to be annulled were by Evan Garnett, the first a shot after an Alex Morris strike had rebounded off the post, and the second a header. Both apparently ruled out for offside.
Pablo Mills completed the scoring on 54 minutes. Dales was fouled at the edge of the area and Mills took an immaculate free kick that Draper could only help into the net – although it was already over the line before he got a hand to it.
Garnett did well to forge a chance with a 58th minute cross that no one was able to get a final touch to, and Dales blazed over on 64.
Best chance to increase the score, though, fell to Ben Turner who failed to find the target from close range on 86 minutes when it looked impossible to miss.
Sports were good value for their win as their winning run continues.
#SportsRising