Northern Premier League Division One South - THE MATCH

Mickleover Sports 3-3 Willenhall Town

Alex Steadman 8

Lee Chilton 37

Jamall Pinnock 47, 78

Karl Ashton 79

Tony Law 91

'Chill in the name of Law' - Official Match Report

Mickleover and Willenhall shared out a thrilling 3-3 draw last night, with Mickleover leaving it until stoppage time to grab the equaliser.
The game started brightly for both sides, for the home side, some good play from Keiran O’Connell saw him cross the ball into the Willenhall area, but a shot was well blocked by Tangeni Nghishidimbwa. Whilst up front for Willenhall, a great through ball from Sam Wills saw Jamall Pinnock have a shot well blocked by keeper Chris Dodsley.
The deadlock was broken on 8 minutes. A cross was fumbled by Willenhall keeper Steve Jackson, and the ball fell kindly for Alex Steadman who tapped in from close range. Steadman almost doubled his tally a minute later, but his header was straight at Jackson.
Willenhall came close to equalising on 15 minutes, a good lob over the top saw Dodsley out well to clear from the path of Pinnock, whilst on 30 minutes, a strong run down the left by Nghishidimbwa saw him cut in from the left but Dodsley was on hand to palm his shot away.
As the game continued to go from end to end on a superb sliding challenge from Anthony Nicholls stopped Steadman from almost certainly doubling Mickleover’s lead, whilst Jackson did well to tip a low effort round his post.
A contender for goal of the season pulled Willenhall level on 37 minutes. With Lee Chilton running back towards his own goal he executed a superb Cruiff turn to get away from two defenders, he then skipped past another challenge before hitting a 20 yard shot beyond the reach of Dodsley.
Pinnock tried to copy the example of his teammate on 43 minutes. Nghishidimbwa did well to play him into space and he cut inside before shooting just over the bar. And with the last chance of the half Mickleover should have gone ahead, but substitute Ricky Law shot over the bar from close range with the goal at his mercy.

Half time: Mickleover 1 Willenhall 1

The second half picked up where the first left off and Willenhall went ahead on 47 minutes. In a one on one situation on the edge of the Mickleover area, the ball bounced away from a defender, Pinnock managed to lob the ball over Dodsley and the ball span into the net after hitting the inside of the post.
As Mickleover upped the pressure, Karl Ashton put the ball over the bar from 6 yards, with Jackson on the ground, and a minute later Jackson had to alert to punch the ball clear after it had bounced off a player.
Despite this Willenhall went 3-1 ahead with a well executed counter attack. A fine through ball from debutant Keenan Meakin-Richards set Pinnock clean through, he kept his nerve to round Dodsley and slot the ball into the net. But a minute later Mickleover were back to 3-2 when a ball into a crowded area fell to Ashton, who poked past the oncoming Jackson.
After Pinnock shot over the bar, Mickleover through the proverbial kitchen sink at Willenhall, and only some brave goalkeeping from Jackson kept Willenhall ahead. Firstly Steadman hit a perfect volley from 8 yards which somehow Jackson managed to push away from goal, before a minute later, Jackson threw himself at a header across goal to bravely clear.
The resistance ended a minute into stoppage time, when a cross from the right fell to Tony Law, who fought off the attentions of several Willenhall defenders to stroke the ball in from close range.
Jackson still had to be called into action to preserve the point, as he bravely went to ground to grab the ball from two oncoming Mickleover attackers.

Mickleover line-up: Dodsley, S. Carter, J. Carter, Sowter (Everett-Elliott), Wilson, Strzyzewski, Graves (T. Law), O’ Connell, Ashton, Steadman, Fell (R. Law)

Willenhall line-up: Jackson, Roofe, Robinson, Brown, Porter, Wills, Nicholls (Meakin-Richards), Boswell, Nghishidimbwa, Pinnock, Chilton

Attendance: 141