Ellesmere Rangers Reserves 0 v 3 Boldmere St Michael’s Reserves
After enduring a nightmare journey the Mikes arrived in deepest Shropshire less than half an hour before kick-off. With preparation disrupted and little time to warm up, it was no surprise to lose two players to muscle strains early on. This was the cloud over an otherwise decent performance, which brought a second successive pre-season win and clean sheet.
On a superb playing surface, Boldmere kicked off down the slight slope with a strong wind at their backs. Starting brightly, the loss of Matty Lay to injury within 5 minutes failed to disrupt the fast paced attacks down both wings. The Mikes dominated the opening exchanges, but were unable to find the right quality in their final ball. That all changed on the quarter hour when Tom Clews centred a superb ball from the right flank which just eluded Kieran Robinson at the far post. The ball was worked back out to the right where early sub Joe McGrath fed the impressive Tom Bayley, who delivered a cross that just begged to be finished off. Lee McCarthy duly obliged, converting a perfectly timed run with a pinpoint header into the bottom corner from ten yards.
Boldmere’s dominance was total, with Ellesmere struggling to get out of their own half in the face of the strong breeze and the Mikes well marshalled defence. It was no surprise when the second goal came, Scott Barker collecting a loose ball 12 years out before jinking past two defenders and coolly slotting home into the bottom corner.
The young Mikes flow was disrupted by another injury, this time to goalscorer Lee McCarthy. They seemed to take their foot off the gas a little, allowing Ellesmere into the game. However, the back-line was well marshalled by Neil Hanlon, and it was 42 minutes before keeper Rob Clarke was called into serious action with a well-timed block at the feet of the onrushing striker.
Both sides made a number of changes at the break, which made for a scrappy contest. The Mikes were less dominant with the wind in their faces, but still looked in little danger at the back, whilst posing a real threat on the break. The final ball still was letting Boldmere down from a number of good positions.
The Mikes had a let off when the ball was given away in midfield and Tim Allen ‘s instant 35 yard shot thudded back off the bar with his former Market Drayton Town colleague Rob Clarke beaten.
Ellesmere now had the upper hand with their substitutes introducing a more physical test for the youthful Mikes midfield. They stuck gamely to the task, ensuring that the goal was not largely threatened.
However, Boldmere then put the game beyond any serious doubt when Kieran Robinson curled home a rebound from the edge of the box after a block from the home keeper.
Ellesmere continued to press, Allen shaving the top of the bar with another powerful shot from distance. In the dying seconds, Ellesmere hit the woodwork for a third time, with a header clipping the bar on the way over.
Overall, this was a fully deserved victory for the Mikes. With a better final ball, the margin could have been wider, but manager John Wilson was largely satisfied with another useful workout in the build up to the Midland Combination Reserve Division season.
First Half: Rob Clarke, Tom Bayley, Neil Hanlon, Andre Calder, Matt Lewis, Matty Lay (Joe McGrath), Scott Barker, Lee McCarthy (Lee Knight), Keiran Robinson, Chris Francis, Tom Clews.
Second Half: Rob Clarke, Peter Gould, Tom Bayley, Neil Hanlon, Sean Henry-Williams, Kieran Robinson, Joe McGrath, Scott Barker, Lee Knight, Nathan Whittingham, Tom Clews (several rolling substitutions).
