Boldmere St. Michaels 2-1 Racing Club Warwick
The Mikes returned to action after more than five weeks with a deserved 2-1 victory over Midland Combination Premier Division side Racing Club Warwick, securing an away tie at Massey Ferguson in the Quarter-Finals.
The tie had been previously postponed six times due to the weather, which presented a team selection headache, as competition rules dictate that players must be signed before the first scheduled date. The Mikes were also unable to call upon any players who had appeared in the first team in the Birmingham Senior Cup, which ruled out a number of players, including leading scorer Johaine Thompson.
The Mikes showed no sign of the lay off as they started at a terrific tempo, penning the visitors back and playing the first 20 minutes almost exclusively in the Warwick half. Lewis Fenney was enjoying a quiet opening, while Paul Hawkins in the opposite goal. Hawkins made a series of solid saves, the best of which denied Adam Morton’s curling effort.
The Racers found their feet later in the half and took a foothold in the game, probably looking the more likely to break the deadlock. Fenney’s workload suddenly increased, as he contributed two excellent saves in quick succession, while also sweeping up well behind his defence.
Half Time: 0-0
The Mikes repeated their opening charge, beginning the second half firmly on the front foot. Warwick still posed a threat, but weren’t creating anything clear-cut. The Mikes were being let down by their final ball, but made their pressure count and took the lead with a superbly worked goal.
Fenney took a short goal kick to Will Hutt, to set up a break down the Mikes’ left. The ball was worked to Jorma Seabourne, who delightfully nutmegged his marker in the corner. Before advancing in along the goal line. With defenders advancing, he coolly pulled the ball back for Mark Mason to stroke past Hawkins into the bottom corner.
Youth team skipper James Walker replaced Seabourne, but he had barely taken the field before it was 2-0. Cam Fowler slotted through a delightful ball for Adam Morton, who left his marker for dead before rounding Hawkins and walking the ball home for the goal his tireless performance deserved.
The Mikes looked comfortable and were looking to add to their lead, but were stopped in their tracks by a quick reply. A free kick was flicked on and finished neatly at the far post, giving Warwick fresh hope of getting back in the game.
The Mikes threw fresh legs on in the shape of Danny Jones to ensure that there was no loss of energy in the midfield engine room. Despite some limited pressure, the Mikes finished the stronger team, running down the clock to secure a deserved passage into the quarter-finals.
Full Time: 2-1
Team:
1 Lewis Fenney; 2 Andy Lewis; 3 Will Hutt; 4 Jack Stone; 5 Jorma Seabourne; 6 Ceiran McLean (Captain); 7 Cam Fowler; 8 Jamel Wilson; 9 Mark Mason; 10 Adam Morton; 11 Andre Gonzales.
Subs:
12 Rob Clarke (not used); 14 Danny Jones (for Mason 75min); 15 James Walker (for Seabourne 65min); GK Louis Connor (not used).
Scorers:
Mark Mason, Adam Morton
