Reserves Reaction: The Mikes Secure Challenge Bowl Crown
Midland Football Combination Challenge Bowl Final
The Mikes Reserves 2-1 Quorn Reserves
Saturday 17th April 2010
The Mikes Reserves secured the Midland Combination Challenge Bowl for the first time, thanks to a hard earned 2-1 win over Quorn Reserves at a sun drenched Trevor Brown Memorial Ground.
The visitors took a deserved early lead, courtesy of a superb turn and shot into the top corner. The game settled into a midfield battle, with neither side looking like scoring. However, the whole game changed on the stroke of half time, when Adam Morton forced a defensive error and capitalised by racing through and firing home a curling shot past the surprised keeper.
This gave the Mikes momentum after the break and they took a grip on the game. They took the lead when Morton again dispossessed a defender and raced down the left, before his excellent cross was swept home by leading scorer Johaine Thompson.
Morton could have killed the game but was denied by the keeper. There threatened to be one last twist when the visitors were awarded a stoppage time free kick right on the edge of the box. The strike was excellent, but was matched by Adam Jenkins, who plunged to his right to palm the ball to safety.
The final whistle soon followed and the Mikes were able to celebrate a deserved success.
Joint Managers Mick Hawkins and Rob Clarke were pleased for the team. Clarke commented “I’m absolutely delighted for the lads. We won all five group games in this competition and both legs of the semi final, so no one can say we don’t deserve it. We started slowly and they got a great goal. Although they were generally on top, they didn’t really create anything clearcut. Morty’s goal turned it in our favour and it summed him up. It was all his own work and he forced the error. We were much better second half scored an excellent goal. We could have made it safe, but needed Jenko’s great save in the last minute as they had a last throw of the dice. We showed great character and the winning mentality the lads have developed shone through.”
Hawkins added “The lads deserve reward for their efforts this season. The goal on half time obviously made things different. We were much the better side in the second half and came through in the end. There was a decent crown and it was great that they got behind the lads”.
The Mikes return to league action on Wednesday, when they visit Highgate United.
The Mikes 2009/10 Challenge Bowl Record:
Group A
The Mikes 2 - 1 Bromsgrove - Law, Clews
Highgate 0 - 3 The Mikes - Hanlon, Thompson, Watkins (P)
The Mikes 4 - 0 Banbury - Fuller, Hanlon, Grosvenor, Law
Barwell 2 - 3 The Mikes - Thompson (3)
The Mikes 3 - 1 Walsall Wood - Weller (P), Francis, Hutt
Semi Final
Chasetown 2 - 3 The Mikes - OG, Seabourne (P), Brown
The Mikes 3 - 1 Chasetown - Law, Thompson (2)
FINAL
The Mikes 2 - 1 Quorn - Morton, Thompson
