The Mikes 3-0 Quorn

A blue sky in January means freezing conditions; but a measured performance from Boldmere sent the hardy crowd home happy. Charlie Emery (on dual registration from Alvechurch) appeared between the sticks, while Kiyan Baker-May (six-day work experience, from Burton Albion) came off the bench with twenty-five minutes left. Andre Brown was up front, to play a holding game, top scorer Owen Parry slotting in behind him.
The Mikes got off to an express start. Johnny Johnston was causing havoc with mazy runs in from the left, and his cross from one of these runs (having dribbled half the length of the pitch) was turned home from close in by Owen Parry, for his nineteenth goal of the season. Only eight minutes had gone when the net bulged; but by this point Boldmere could have been three up. They’d found the target with three minutes gone, to be denied by the offside flag, and then hit Quorn’s bar with a header from a long throw. With the quarter hour just gone, the Mikes were two up. A searching centre from Harry Sweeney eventually came out to Callum Ballinger, who volleyed home from twenty five yards. The visitors were playing crisp, passing football, which contrasted with their hosts ‘more fluid, freewheeling style. Truth to tell, with steadier finishing Boldmere could have been five up by the break. Parry put one wide of the post, when well sighted, fifteen yards out; Johnston whipped one across the goalmouth, which no one could quite connect with, and then blazed one over the bar, after another penetrating run; a great Sweeney free kick was shot just wide by Joe Hull. The speedy Tyrell Shannon-Lewis was Quorn’s biggest attacking threat; but Emery only had to make one serious save, pushing the ball away for a corner as Shannon-Lewis nearly forced his way through. Half time: 2-0.
Strangely, in the second half Quorn had the lion’s share of possession and territory, as Boldmere sat back to defend their lead. Despite these tactics, they rarely looked like conceding, operating as they were as a well-connected machine. Quorn strung multiple passes round the park; but at times they looked genuinely puzzled as to what to do next, as they faced nine, ten or even eleven men in stripes in front of them. Commendable concentration saw the minutes ticking inexorably away, and the icing on the cake arrived eight minutes after the recommencement. A quicksilver move out of deep defence saw Callum Gittings lay on an accurate pass for Andre Brown, who made no mistake in a one-on-one with custodian Charlie Woods. Quorn’s passing game was giving Boldmere time to get back in numbers, while their long balls were frequently going straight out for goal kicks. In an enthralling midfield contest, the Mikes were anticipating more than anticipated against. Johnston seemed to have lost his penetrative ability by now, and the diminutive Kiyan Baker-McKay came on as a replacement. An experienced referee kept things on a tight leash, and the final whistle arrived without further incident, the Mikes ending proceedings in ninth place in the table.

Boldmere St Michaels: Charlie Emery; Lewis Allison; Harry Sweeney; Joe Hull; Harry Craven; Jack Byrne; Callum Ballinger; Owen Parry; Andre Brown (Kiyan Baker-McKay, 71); Ben Usher-Shipway; Johnny Johnston (Ross Evans, 84).
Subs. not used: Tazivaishe Chibaya; Callum Gittings; Ricardo Dudley.
Quorn: Charlie Woods; Charlie Marzano; Silvio Bello (Jack Samples, 45); Kyle Bryant; Pat Zito; Jordan Gough; Ryan Beswick (Tom Hilton, 63); Paddy Webb; Tyrell Shannon-Lewis; Reece Fyfe (Ant Carnegie, 73).
Sub. not used: Courey Grantham.