Boldmere St. Michaels Reserves 5 - 4 Quorn Reserves
Mikes Reserves 5 v 4 Quorn Reserves Mikes Reserves recorded their first league win in a nine-goal thriller against Quorn. The win also maintains the reserves 100% home record in all competitions.
Last year, Quorn visited the Trevor Brown Memorial Ground at a similar stage of the season, taking the spoils in an epic 6-4 victory. The smart money wouldn’t have been on a 0-0 scoreline, and the two teams managed to produce another epic contest that was equally entertaining.
For the second game running, the Mikes named a much-changed line-up, with four players included in the squad for their first appearance. It was the Mikes who started positively, passing the ball around neatly as they enjoyed the lion’s share of possession, but they could have gone behind as the defence was caught square by a through ball, but stand-in skipper Rob Clarke blocked the striker’s attempted lob.
The Mikes regained the initiative and took the lead from a training ground set piece. Jon Rutter whipped a well-flighted inswinging ball into the six-yard box. The visiting keeper - distracted by Nathan Gough’s excellent run across him – found Rutter’s delivery too hot to handle and could only help the ball into the roof of the net.
Quorn levelled almost immediately as the Mikes failed to learn the lesson from their earlier escape. This time, the finish was measured to perfection from a carbon copy move.
Boldmere were stung into action and seized back the initiative with two excellent goals in quick succession. Andre Gonzales raced onto a superb through pass and managed to touch the ball away from the onrushing keeper. He still had plenty to do with the ball on the corner of the 18-yard box and two covering defenders between him and goal, but he measured a delightful chip to perfection to restore the lead.
It was soon two, and Gonzales was gain at the heart of it. Volante won a superb challenge in midfield, before the ball was worked through to Gonzales, who raced through the visiting defence before squaring for Johaine Thompson to rifle home his third goal in three starts.
The scoring wasn’t over and Quorn brought themselves firmly back into the game with a goal on the stroke of half-time. Excellent wing play on the left saw the ball cut back from the bye line, and the ball was fired home via a deflection to reduce the arrears at 3-2. If the goals came in rapid-fire fashion in the first half, no one could have been quite prepared for the opening two minutes of the second half, as the Mikes quickly found themselves behind.
Direct from the kick off, the ball was played in behind full-back Jamel Wilson. He brought the ball down superbly, but clearly troubled by a tight hamstring, he missed his kick as he tried to stab the ball back for keeper Rob Clarke to clear. Reminiscent of Gonzales’ earlier effort, the left winger measured a brilliant finish over the stranded Clarke and into the far corner.
Wilson was immediately replaced by Jorma Seabourne, with Jon Rutter switching to Right Back. Moments later it was 4-3 to the visitors. A long ball over the top cleared Richard Dunleavy. With the Mikes bench furiously complaining that the striker has gone back from an offside position to challenge for the ball, play was allowed to continue. The striker raced through before coolly slotting home past Clarke.
The visitors looked rampant as the visitors looked to turn the screw. The Mikes dug in well and regained a foothold in the game. Matt Hawker was upended 25-yards from goal following a very poor challenge, which deservedly earned a yellow card. Andre Gonzeles stroked the kick home with the aid of a slight deflection off the defensive wall.
Both sides pressed forward in search of a winner, as the game swung from end to end. Jorma Seabourne produced two surging runs into the box but was crowded out on both occasions, while at the other end Rob Clarke has to be at his best to tip over a curling 25-yarder that was destined for the top corner.
On 80 minutes, the Mikes replaced the tiring Nathan Gough with Lyndon Weller, who has returned to the club from Atherstone Town. His impact was immediate. From Rob Clarke’s long goal kick, Weller chested the ball down with his first touch on the pitch. With his second, he laid the ball in behind the visiting defence. Johaine Thompson had too much pace and power for his opposite number and slid the ball home through the advancing keeper.
There was one scare for the Mikes before the end. In a game full of quality strikes, Quorn almost levelled with a sublime piece of skill that would have topped the lot. His opposite number lofted the ball over Richard Dunleavy’s head, before swivelling in one movement to unleash a vicious left-footed volley that clipped the top of the bar.
The Mikes were delighted to see the game through to the final whistle, claiming the points and ending the visitors’ 100% record in the process.
Boldmere Reserves:
1. Rob Clarke; 2. Jamel Wilson; 3. Jon Rutter; 4; Sam Simmonds; 5. Richard Dunleavy; 6. Ceiran McLean; 7. Simon Volante; 8. Matt Hawker; 9. Johaine Thompson; 10. Andre Gonzales; 11. Nathan Gough.
Subs:
12. Robin Keates (for Volante 70min); 14. Jorma Seabourne (for Wilson 46min); 15. Lyndon Weller (for Gough 80min); GK. Lewis Fenney (not used). Scorers: Jon Rutter, Andre Gonzales (2), Johaine Thompson (2) Next Reserve Fixture:
Saturday 12th September – MFC Reserve Division – HOME v Heather St John’s (3:00pm)
