Pre-Season Friendly
The Moat Ground
Saturday, 30th July 2022, 3.00pm
Rovers Slip In Final Home Friendly
Mickleover Sports ran out comfortable winners at the Moat Ground as Gresley fell to defeat in their final pre-season game on home soil.
Kai Moore pounced on some poor defending early on to gift Sports an early lead, and the away side went on to dominate possession.
It took until the 88th minute for Mickleover to seal victory, however when Jahvani Davidson-Miller found the top corner with the aid of a deflection.
Rovers started the game poorly as they fell behind after just five minutes. An innocuous ball forward caught the Gresley defence off guard, and Moore was able to run through on goal. Lewis Fenney came off his goal-line to try and distract the striker, but Moore confidently rolled it past him to put Mickleover in front.
Gresley gradually regained a foothold in the game, and they looked most dangerous through set-pieces.
A long throw was won in the air by Alex Morris, who flicked it into the path of Alby Lansdowne. Mickleover ‘keeper Jonathon Hedge came out to claim, but Lansdowne beat him in the air, yet his header crept over.
Mickleover were the side creating the better openings in the opening 45 minutes however, and Elliot Walker was unfortunate to see his free-kick drift inches wide.
Fenney had to be alert to get in the way of Andy Dales’ strike from the edge of the box, whilst Jordi Gough deflected Moore’s effort wide.
Rovers almost drew level on the cusp of half-time when another long throw was headed on by Alex Morris. This time Kieran Wells touched the ball towards goal, only for a covering defender to head the goal bound effort over.
At the start of the second period the away side threatened to extend their lead. Moore produced an outstanding effort and was a whisker away from finding the bottom corner with a brilliantly struck half-volley.
Dales also came close as he forced Fenney into full-stretch as the goalkeeper tipped the forward’s strike around the post.
Carl Abbott’s substitutions midway through the second half seemed to change the momentum, however, and one of those changes made an almost immediate impact.
Kane Lee picked up the ball in the Mickleover half and left his marker in his wake as he took the ball around him before forcing Hedge to divert his effort away from goal.
Rovers’ best opportunity to pull level came after 87 minutes. Morris out muscled his marker in the corner of the box to head the ball into the feet of Wells.
The striker controlled the headed pass and struck just wide of target with Hedge sprawling.
Gresley would rue the missed chance, as a minute later Mickleover sealed victory when a quickly taken throw-in caught Rovers cold, with the ball eventually landing at the feet of Davidson-Miller whose deflected strike found the top corner.
