The Mikes 2-3 Corby Town

A high octane, hundred mile an hour game saw plenty of scrambling, scrappy play, extended header tennis and - some flashes of skill. A random opening period was ended with eleven minutes gone. Full back Daniel Gordon took a free kick from twenty yards out; and his absolute blaster made nonsense of a five-man wall, giving Daniel Moore no chance: 0-1! The Steelmen, from now on, started to stroke the ball around on the floor, and it came as no surprise that they began to make chances, Toby Hillard hitting the outside of the post after the Mikes’ defence was carved open, a Jordan O’Brien shot parried away for a corner after speed down the right wing had the Boldmere rearguard in frantic pursuit - not for the first time. With the quarter mark arrived, the hosts were coming into the game, though thirty-five minutes passed before they had a shot on goal. Even so, six minutes before the break, they were level. An intelligent run from Harry Sweeney rounded off an excellent four-man right wing move, his cross headed back by Lewis Allison and put home by Matthew Funge. Shortly afterwards Sweeney had the visiting keeper Ben Heath pushing a low shot round the post. In stoppage time it was Sweeney again seemingly through on goal he checked back, was dispossessed which led to the visitors raiding at pace down the right and O’Brien crossed from the goal line - and there was Kalern Thomas to nutmeg Moore from close in. A deficit at the interval when the score could and possibly should have been in the Mikes favour.

As the hour approached, it needed a reflex Heath save to prevent Owen Parry equalising, as the Mikes started to turn the screw. Anxiety was rising on the Corby bench as Boldmere pinned their guests back - and then it all suddenly went pear shaped. A throw in near half way in the Mikes was lost under pressure by Mitch Botfeld and suddenly the Steelmen were working the ball into the penalty area, a nifty one-two ending with substitute Kristopher Oti rounding Moore and stroking home to double the lead. This event woke up the visiting ultras, who’d arrived looking like the cast of “South Pacific” - it was Sam’s stag do that evening. To their credit, the Mikes didn’t give up, and their persistence was rewarded at the end of ordinary time. Defending a long throw, Corby packed their goal area, giving Heath no opportunity to grab the ball. A close-range header hit the upright and James Mace hooked home left footed from a tight angle. Thus, ended what one might term “an encouraging defeat”, which could have been a draw, had it not been for a couple of moments of carelessness….

Boldmere St Michaels: Daniel Moore; Lewis Allison; Owen Woodhouse (Harry Sweeney 33); James Mace; Harry Craven; Ricardo Dudley; Jack Byrne; Mitch Botfield (Renelle Davis-Lawrence 73); Andre Brown; Matthew Funge (James Spiers 67); Owen Parry.
Subs. not used: Tazivaishe Chibaya; Shaquille Whittingham.

Corby Town: Ben Heath; Kalern Thomas; Daniel Gordon (Jude Adebayo 72); Jack Keeble; Charley Sanders; Michael Jacklin; Jordan O’Brien; Tristan Thompson-Matthews; Toby Hillard (Dilan Edge 80); Drew Richardson; Abdul Koroma Kristopher Oti 62).
Subs. not used: Tomasz Bukowski; Hilton Arthur.