Despite a fine performance, with an incredible amount of grit and determination from the Yellows, we couldn’t get any points. Once again luck was not on our side. We lined up pretty much unchanged bar one player, skipper Jake Turner replaced Joe Tarpey. So, we lined up with Bradbrook, Lewis, Oluwatimilehin, and Dickens at the back, in the middle of the park we had Brown, Hunter, Turner and Napa, with a front three of Page, Neal and Dunne. Subs: Tarpey, Bradley, and Oteng.

It was a perfect start for the Suds: a free kick won inside 10 seconds was whipped in and 30 seconds later it resulted in Joe Neal firing across goal into the bottom corner to send the MEL wild, our quickest goal of the season so far. The Yellow attack kept coming, Ben went close, but it was well stopped by the ‘keeper. There was a big let off for the Suds though, as the Mickleover attacker dragged his shot wide of the post. As half time approached, a minute of madness occurred. Joe Neal went close to doubling our lead but was denied by a super stop, before up the other James Bradbrook was sent off for a high foot. With no recognised goalkeeper on the bench, we turned to Romario Dunne who took up the gloves.

In the second half, we started well once again. Malachi dragged his shot wide as we looked for a second goal. However, two minutes later the visitors rattled the bar with a venomous effort. Then, Romario became a reincarnation of Gordon Banks as he sprung to make a fantastic save which bounced off the post and safely into his hands. With 20-minutes remaining, Mickleover thought they had scored but the linesman very quickly raised his flag. With five minutes to go, Charlie Lewis made a magnificent block, it landed to Ollie Brown who couldn’t quite get it out of his feet before making a challenge, which despite being soft, the ref deemed a foul and pointed to the spot. Another pen that hasn’t gone our way this season. Greaves took it... and scored it, putting it down the middle. As the match approached a finish, the electronic board went up showing six added minutes. Straight into stoppage time, Romario might have got a touch on a great effort which once again rattled the bar. In the EIGHTH minute of stoppage time, as two minutes had been added on for the one substitution in the allocated six minutes, Mickleover scored sending the players, fans, and coaches of Mickleover mental, with one even rushing into Romario Dunne’s face instead of celebrating with any of his own teammates or fans! There was unfortunately no time for an equaliser, and our hard work was undone by two goals in the final 10 minutes of the match.

Well, that one stung. To play so well and to get nothing from it is utterly heartbreaking. The lads did us so proud. We all know how important these next 14 matches are, and to use a football cliche we have 14 cup finals to go. If this performance is anything to go by, the lads have got something special planned for this run in, and who wouldn’t love to experience it, eh? So, let us make every match feel like it’s the world cup final, home or away, it’s what these lads deserve.

UP THE SUDS

By Isaac Mennie