Mickleover Sports 3-6 Frickley Athletic

The Blues stormed back from 2 goals down after 27 minutes to run out 6-3 winners with an emphatic second half display.

Already without the injured pair of Alex Callery and Michael Simpkins as well as the suspended Jack Watts, the Blues were without Leon Henry who was unavailable.

Mickleover started the game strongly with Karl Ashton hitting a low 25 yard shot which beat Adam Billard and came back off the inside of the left hand post after just 6 minutes. Three minutes later Ashton had a 20 yard shot which flew just wide of Billard's right hand post.

The Blues' first real attack came after 19 minutes when a left wing corner was headed in by Peter Knox but the goal was disallowed for a push.

The home side took the lead on 22 minutes when Ashton knocked in a cross from the right from 8 yards.

Two minutes later Kelvin Bleau made a good run down the right and found Mark Whitehouse in space on the left of the box but his right footed shot was comfortably saved.

Mickleover extended their lead on 27 minutes with an excellent goal. The ball was played cross-field from right to left for Martin Smythe to head the ball down for Michael Simpson to volley into the roof of the net from the edge of the box.

The game-changing moment occurred on 29 minutes. Mickleover were awarded a penalty but Kieran O'Connell placed his spot-kick well wide of the right hand post.

Within three minutes the Blues gave themselves a lifeline as Knox beat the onrushing Damian Clarke to a through-ball to flick the ball into the path of Brad Grayson who fired into an unguarded net from 12 yards.

Knox then flicked on a throw for Whitehouse but his first time shot was saved by Clarke and on 36 minutes Whitehouse burst down the left and cut the ball back to Knox who had two close-range shots blocked on the line by Clarke.

In stoppage time Smythe turned and shot just over the bar from 18 yards for the home side whilst James Ashmore put a 25 yard free-kick over the bar for Frickley.

The Blues turned the game on its head early in the second half. Knox gave a sign of what was to come when he volleyed over the bar from 18 yards following a long clearance from Billard on 47 minutes but a period of pressure saw the Blues get the equaliser they deserved on 51 minutes when Mallon played the ball back into the box for Knox to head in from 6 yards.

Two minutes later the Blues were ahead. Whitehouse's right wing corner was headed into the roof of the net from close range by Stuart Ludlam.

On 56 minutes Ashmore's free-kick from the left was met by the head of Whitehouse at the back post but his header was cleared off the line.

Whitehouse was involved again on 59 minutes when his cross was handled inside the box and Ashmore stepped up to beat Clarke from the spot.

Knox scored his second and the Blues' fifth goal on 65 minutes, heading in an excellent cross from Mallon but Mickleover pulled a goal back on 79 minutes when Keiran O'Connell fired an angled shot past Billard from close range.

However, the Blues soon regained their three-goal lead when Knox found Whitehouse who drove towards the box before feeding the overlapping Mallon who hit a first time shot from 20 yards past Clarke.

Mickleover Sports : Damian Clarke, Jason Beardsley, John Guy (Steve Banks 45), Liam Walshe, Danny Martin (Colin Hoyle 46), Marc Strzyzweski, Eric Graves, Michael Simpson, Karl Ashton, Keiran O'Connell, Martin Smythe (Kyle Bryant 70). Unused sub Chris Dodsley

Frickley Athletic : Adam Billard, Kelvin Bleau, David Cyrus, Danny Walsh, Lincoln Adams, Stuart Ludlam, Ryan Mallon (Karl Jones 90), James Ashmore (Ben Leonard 88), Peter Knox, Bradley Grayson (Grant Darley 73), Mark Whitehouse.

Referee : Mr. A. Newbold

Attendance : 192