With Booth and Mogford side-lined through illness, the Colts Management Team feared the worst for this cup semi-final at the home pitch of Mickleover. However, a fine, spirited and dogged performance saw them beat the high flying Mickleover 95 by 5 goals to 4.
Hunt got the team off to great start, steering his shot past the keeper at the near post, in just the first minute. With eight minutes gone, the Colts were 2-0 and the home crowd were getting fraught. Welsh fired past the keeper following good work by the midfield.
Mickleover were then allowed back into the game. Poor defensive play, let them weave their way through the tackles and the striker to side foot home from close range. Within minutes, they had levelled. Again a defensive mistake allowing the striker to slot past Bate.
The Colts continued to battle and matched their division 1 opponents all over the pitch. Vardy and Hamisi put numerous tackles in and tried to play the ball even though the pitch was heavy. Welsh then got his second after some great work inside the box, putting his left foot shot under the keeper.
3-2 and half time and the Colts were beginning to believe in themselves. Hunt was then wrongly ruled offside when one on one with the keeper.
The second half was marred by a penalty that wasn’t awarded when Bate felled the advancing striker. On another day he could have walked but the referee saw that he rightly won the ball. Mickleover were incensed and in the moments that followed, their midfielder saw red for abusive language.
Minutes later the Colts were awarded a penalty. Welsh was cleaned off his feet. He dusted himself down and blasted the spot kick home.
Mickleover picked up their game and a few minutes later, were level. A free kick was floated in from the right and deceived everyone. It sailed over everyone and as it landed on the goalline, it was poked home. With the Colts continuing to back off, Mickleover had one cleared off the line by Hardy before they scored their fourth. Bate had superbly tipped one round the post for a corner. However, he dropped the in swinging ball and again it was poked home. 4-4.
Mickleover spirits were lifted by the goal but quashed again minutes later. The keeper spilled a Hunt effort and Welsh was there to ram it home for 5-4.
The last ten minutes were nervy. The back 5 held firm and Carter was as a strong as ever. Langham clearing most balls and McLaughlin mopping up. The crowd continued to voice their opinion about the players and referee and it was a relief when the final whistle went although arguments were going off all over the place.
Hard work, desire and effort paid off.
Inbreds from the North are in the Cup Final
