Match Preview: Mickleover (A) - Pitching In Northern Premier League

FC United are back on the road this weekend as Mark Beesley’s side travel to Derbyshire to take on Mickleover in the Pitching In Northern Premier League.

Our Opponents – Mickleover FC, The Sports

Gareth Holmes’ side face an uphill battle to stay in the Northern Premier League, with the Sports currently nine points adrift from safety in 21st place. We face a Mickleover side looking to respond following a 3-0 defeat away at Workington last weekend, their fourth loss in five league games.

Mickleover have found success on home turf this season, however, with several impressive victories at the Dom Amott Arena including a 2-1 win over champions Macclesfield in late November. Their last home outing resulted in a 4-3 win over Whitby Town a fortnight ago. Dylan Edwards’ tally of 12 goals in all competitions leads the way for the Sports, with his last effort coming in the win against Whitby.

FC United manager, Mark Beesley on Mickleover, areas for improvement: “(Mickleover) have been strong at home this season, and will certainly be up for it with their survival at stake. Our approach stays the same, we won’t be treating them any different to Stockton last weekend despite being at different ends of the table.

“It’s our final ball that needs to improve; we played some good stuff in build-up last weekend but just lacked that bit of quality in the final third. If we can be more clinical and start making better decisions in the final third then we should start to see more results from that.”

Previous Meetings

FC will be looking to complete a league double over Mickleover, following a 2-1 win for the Reds in November. Goals from Noah Halford and Charlie Ennis either side of half time put FC in the ascendancy, with Ryan Wilson netting the Sports’ only reply 20 minutes from time as FC ran out winners at Broadhurst Park.

Since a 2-1 defeat at Station Road in October 2010, FC have won two and drawn once in their last three trips to Mickleover. Our last visit in March 2022 saw the points shared in a 3-3 draw, with Regan Linney, Ennis and Curtis Jones getting on the scoresheet for the travelling Reds that day.

On This Day – April 4, 2015

Ramsbottom United AFC 0-2 FC United of Manchester

Riverside Ground – EvoStik Northern Premier League Premier Division

FC United took another step towards promotion to the National League North on this day in 2015, as goals for Dean Stott and Rory Fallon gave FC a 2-0 victory over Ramsbottom United at the Riverside Ground.

A first half penalty was put away by Stott to give FC United the lead at the half, before Fallon headed in just after the hour mark to round off the scoring, maintaining FC’s seven-point lead at the top of the division with six games remaining.

Read: Victoria Fullen’s full match report from FC United’s 2-0 win away at Ramsbottom, on this day in 2015.