Mickleover and FC United of Manchester played out an entertaining 3-3 draw at a packed Don Amott Arena this weekend.
It only took three minutes for the first goal of the day to come and it came for the visitors through Regan Linney. A big kick forward from keeper Dan Lavercombe was not dealt with by the Mickleover defence allowing Linney to get the ball out on the left before cutting back onto his right and curling it into the top corner.
Mickleover's first chance of the game came after six minutes but Andy Dales was forced too wide and his shot did not trouble the keeper.
It was then a very quiet half hour or so with both teams struggling to carve out any decent chances and shooting opportunities were limited to long shots until the game burst into life in the 37th minute when Sports were awarded a penalty for a foul on Dales.
Dales knocked it past his man down the left before being tripped in the box and Shaquille McDonald converted the penalty to make it 1-1 in front of the boisterous travelling fans.
Mickleover then went ahead for the first time three minutes from the break thanks to a Dales screamer that found the top left corner from the edge of the area following Stuart Beavon's lay off.
Paul Ennis should have equalised straight away for The Red Rebels but he shot wide of the far post when one on one with the keeper, but Mickleover survived and went in at half time 2-1 to the good.
It only took four minutes of the second half for the scores to be level again thanks to an Ennis penalty after Pablo Mills' clumsy slide tackle on Linney.
Manchester were then inches away from taking the lead three minutes later but Jonathan Hedge did brilliantly to tip an Aaron Morris header onto the bar.
But it was Mickleover who went 3-2 up thanks to a quick break from Beavon, McDonald and Dales. Beavon picked up a loose ball and played it out wide to Dales who spotted McDonald in acres of space at the back post and put it on a plate for him to get his second and Mickleover's third.
The lead was short lived however and the away team equalised just five minutes later thanks to a Curtis Jones volley into the side netting following a corner.
Hedge was forced to make an excellent save down to his left to keep a Ewan Bange shot out in the 69th minute.
Beavon thought he won it for Mickleover in the 86th minute but his celebrations were cut short as the ref deemed there to have been a foul on a Manchester defender.
Phil Watt and Elliot Walker managed to deflect two crosses onto their own post in the closing stages but despite these scares the game ended 3-3 and the points were shared.
A draw was the fair result on the balance of play and it meant Mickleover finished March off unbeaten.
Mickleover's next game is away to Warrington Town on Saturday April 2.
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