Report: Reds hold off Mickleover to claim long-awaited home victory
FC United, at last, claimed their first home league win of the season after they defeated Mickleover 2-1 at Broadhurst Park.
A first FC goal for new loan signing Noah Halford gave the Reds the lead at half time, before substitute Charlie Ennis added a second goal not long after the restart.
Ryan Wilson gave the visitors hope with a scrappy goal 20 minutes from time, however Mark Beesley's side held on to claim three much-needed points in the Pitching In Northern Premier League.
New signings, Halford and Charlie Hayes-Green both featured from the start following their midweek loan moves from Bolton Wanderers. Their first test, keeping out a Mickleover side who arrived in Manchester off the back of handing league leaders Macclesfield their first defeat of the season.
Mickleover had a big chance to open the scoring inside ten minutes, when striker Tyreace Palmer hit the woodwork with the visitors’ first effort of the game. A deft ball in behind the FC backline set Palmer away on the right side of the penalty area, with Palmer’s shot trickling off the foot of Conor O’Keefe’s right post.
Despite the early scare, it was FC who took the lead in the 12th minute thanks to a debut goal from Bolton-loanee Noah Halford. Good work from Gez Sithole to win a corner allowed Charlie Munro the chance to float the ball into the box, with Halford rising highest to powerfully head home in front of the St. Mary’s Road End.
FC created the majority of openings through the remainder of the first half, with Jay Fitzmartin and Sithole both finding pockets of space in threatening areas out wide. The latter’s afternoon was unfortunately cut short due to injury, with Sithole replaced by Charlie Ennis just over 10 minutes prior to the interval.
The opening 45 minutes came to a manic end in first half stoppage time. A corner for Mickleover went undealt with initially by FC, with Sports defender Will Atkinson hitting a left footed strike off the underside of the bar from just outside the six yard box. A flurry of blocked shots followed, and after protests for fouls from both dugouts were turned down, the hosts eventually cleared their lines to keep the one-goal advantage intact at the break.
HT: FC United 1-0 Mickleover
Moments after the restart, Jordan Buckley was denied by a brilliant close range stop by away stopper Yusuf Mersin. Ennis’ lofted cross from the right flank was met by the head of Buckley at the back post, with Mersin pulling off an acrobatic save to tip the ball over for a corner.
FC would not be denied a second goal, however, as Ennis went on to double the Reds’ lead in the 51st minute. In possession just outside the box, Buckley found Adam Le Fondre’s overlapping run, with Le Fondre dinking the ball across to Ennis. The FC captain opened up his body to side-foot back across goal from the centre of the box, giving Beesley’s men a deserved 2-0 lead.
With 20 minutes to play following a lull period at both ends, Mickleover managed to pull a goal back courtesy of Ryan Wilson. A header from a corner was parried initially by Conor O’Keefe, however Wilson reacted quickest to steer the ball high into the net from point blank range, giving life to a Sports side who had been largely kept at bay up until that period.
By halving the deficit, the away side were given renewed confidence heading into the final stretch, forcing FC deep inside their own half. Assertive goalkeeping from O’Keefe kept the hosts ahead amidst a wave of attempts, collecting a number of looping crosses into the United area with five minutes of normal time remaining.
Jordan Preston came close to putting the result beyond doubt as 90 minutes expired; with the away defence exposed, the substitute almost latched onto a back-pass, however Mersin was quick enough to smother whatever contact Preston made with the ball.
Any late pressure from Gareth Holmes' visitors was snuffed out by a resolute FC defence, as the hosts held on to claim their just reward for a strong performance in Moston.
Report by Finn Honeywood.
Report: Reds hold off Mickleover to claim long-awaited home victory
FC United, at last, claimed their first home league win of the season after they defeated Mickleover 2-1 at Broadhurst Park.
A first FC goal for new loan signing Noah Halford gave the Reds the lead at half time, before substitute Charlie Ennis added a second goal not long after the restart.
Ryan Wilson gave the visitors hope with a scrappy goal 20 minutes from time, however Mark Beesley's side held on to claim three much-needed points in the Pitching In Northern Premier League.
New signings, Halford and Charlie Hayes-Green both featured from the start following their midweek loan moves from Bolton Wanderers. Their first test, keeping out a Mickleover side who arrived in Manchester off the back of handing league leaders Macclesfield their first defeat of the season.
Mickleover had a big chance to open the scoring inside ten minutes, when striker Tyreace Palmer hit the woodwork with the visitors’ first effort of the game. A deft ball in behind the FC backline set Palmer away on the right side of the penalty area, with Palmer’s shot trickling off the foot of Conor O’Keefe’s right post.
Despite the early scare, it was FC who took the lead in the 12th minute thanks to a debut goal from Bolton-loanee Noah Halford. Good work from Gez Sithole to win a corner allowed Charlie Munro the chance to float the ball into the box, with Halford rising highest to powerfully head home in front of the St. Mary’s Road End.
FC created the majority of openings through the remainder of the first half, with Jay Fitzmartin and Sithole both finding pockets of space in threatening areas out wide. The latter’s afternoon was unfortunately cut short due to injury, with Sithole replaced by Charlie Ennis just over 10 minutes prior to the interval.
The opening 45 minutes came to a manic end in first half stoppage time. A corner for Mickleover went undealt with initially by FC, with Sports defender Will Atkinson hitting a left footed strike off the underside of the bar from just outside the six yard box. A flurry of blocked shots followed, and after protests for fouls from both dugouts were turned down, the hosts eventually cleared their lines to keep the one-goal advantage intact at the break.
HT: FC United 1-0 Mickleover
Moments after the restart, Jordan Buckley was denied by a brilliant close range stop by away stopper Yusuf Mersin. Ennis’ lofted cross from the right flank was met by the head of Buckley at the back post, with Mersin pulling off an acrobatic save to tip the ball over for a corner.
FC would not be denied a second goal, however, as Ennis went on to double the Reds’ lead in the 51st minute. In possession just outside the box, Buckley found Adam Le Fondre’s overlapping run, with Le Fondre dinking the ball across to Ennis. The FC captain opened up his body to side-foot back across goal from the centre of the box, giving Beesley’s men a deserved 2-0 lead.
With 20 minutes to play following a lull period at both ends, Mickleover managed to pull a goal back courtesy of Ryan Wilson. A header from a corner was parried initially by Conor O’Keefe, however Wilson reacted quickest to steer the ball high into the net from point blank range, giving life to a Sports side who had been largely kept at bay up until that period.
By halving the deficit, the away side were given renewed confidence heading into the final stretch, forcing FC deep inside their own half. Assertive goalkeeping from O’Keefe kept the hosts ahead amidst a wave of attempts, collecting a number of looping crosses into the United area with five minutes of normal time remaining.
Jordan Preston came close to putting the result beyond doubt as 90 minutes expired; with the away defence exposed, the substitute almost latched onto a back-pass, however Mersin was quick enough to smother whatever contact Preston made with the ball.
Any late pressure from Gareth Holmes' visitors was snuffed out by a resolute FC defence, as the hosts held on to claim their just reward for a strong performance in Moston.
Report by Finn Honeywood.
