​Uttoxeter Town were looking for a result yesterday to get their season back on track following some tough results over the last few weeks. They were a team in form earlier in the season and went three matches unbeaten which included beating Brocton 2-1 away from home. They were looking to recapture that early momentum with a result against Highgate.   

It’s been a transitional season so far for Highgate United who are adjusting to a new manager with Alfie Marsden coming in over the summer. The gate picked up an encouraging 1-0 home win over Studley earlier in the season and looked competitive throughout August. It’s been a struggle of late with five consecutive losses in the league and they were looking to bounce back yesterday.

The Oldfield Sports Ground is a brilliant ground to visit for casual groundhoppers across the Staffordshire area. It’s accessible to get to through public transport with Uttoxeter bus station and train station in walking distance of the ground. The 63 bus runs from Cannock to Uttoxeter and there’s a train service that goes from Stoke to Uttoxeter so there’s some good options available.

It’s a ground full of character with a distinctive club house that catches the eye. The people at the club were friendly and helpful with any queries raised and do a lot of hard work behind the scenes on matchdays to make it a memorable experience for the supporters. The programme on offer was informative and mentioned the importance of volunteers and encouraged people to get involved. 

​Starting line ups

The starting line up for Uttoxeter Town included Jack Blood starting in goal and Micky Conlon captaining the team up front. The formation looked like a 4-2-3-1 with Micky Conlon being supported by Haydn Brown and John Atherton on the wings.

There were four changes from the team that started against Hereford Pegasus in the FA Vase with Ben Price coming into the team and playing at right-back.

Highgate United’s starting line up included George Hardy starting in goal and Dominic Savolainen captaining the team from centre back. The formation looked like a 5-3-2 with Tyree Sanusi and Kyle Hayden playing up front and being supported by Mitch Mollison from attacking midfield.

There were five changes from the team that started against Lichfield City a few weeks back with Rio Sawyers coming into the team and playing in holding midfield. 

​First Half

The opening fifteen minutes of the match were fairly cagey with both teams knowing the importance of it and looking to settle early on.  Highgate United were working hard off the ball throughout the first half and Rio Sawyers was impressing from holding midfield. He was able to break up the play and did well to give stop some of the Uttoxeter momentum.

​The first real chance of the match came when Mikey Conlon beat a few players down the left-hand side before squaring it to Haydn Brown who fired wide for Uttoxeter in the box.      

A few minutes later Highgate took the lead through a moment of quality. A flick on from a goal kick found Patrick McGrory who made a driving run from midfield before finding Tyree Sanusi on the edge of the box. He unleashed a quality strike into the bottom right corner to make it 1-0 to the visitors after twenty minutes.

Uttoxeter kept going and were patient on the ball throughout the first half in search of an equaliser. Alex Morris was impressing at centre back and made some good clearances to take the pressure off them defensively. Jason Beardsley was also doing a good job from holding midfield to break up the play and nullify some of Highgate’s attacking threat.

There was a guilt edged chance for Ben Price on the half hour mark when he was free in the box before putting a header wide for Uttoxeter. It was a warning sign for Highgate, and they were responding to the Uttoxeter pressure well throughout the first half. Jahmari Hyatt was making some big tackles from centre back and read the game well for the visitors.

Uttoxeter had a sustained fifteen-minute spell in front of goal at the end of the first half and the pressure eventually told when Mikey Conlon was fouled by James Richardson in the box for a spot kick. Lewis Dawson stepped up and took a composed penalty into the bottom left corner to make it 1-1 going into half time.

It was an even first half with Uttoxeter having a lot of the ball and passing it around well. They were creating some good chances in the final third and looked a threat in the box. Highgate looked dangerous going forward and were capable of causing problems for Uttoxeter in the second half.

Second half

Tyree Sanusi was looking a threat for Highgate United in the early stages of the second half and got a few shots off in the box. He was getting into some good positions in and around the box for the visitors yesterday.

Uttoxeter took the lead on 55 minutes when a brilliant free kick from Mikey Conlon found Ben Price at the back post who finished it well past George Hardy to make it 2-1.

Highgate responded well to the set back and manager Alfie Marsden made a proactive substitution. He bought on Randy Osei to play up front and Troy Smikle-James to play in attacking midfield on the hour mark to bring fresh energy.

The visitors were looking to invite Uttoxeter onto them in the second half so they could catch them out on the break and make the most of the available space. It was working well and a good attack resulted in Jack blood making an instinctive save to deny Randy Osei in the box to keep it at 2-1.

The Uttoxeter keeper made another impressive save when he denied a shot from Mitch Mollison and managed to tip it round the post for a corner. The visitors were having an encouraging fifteen-minute spell of momentum in the second half and were pushing for the equaliser.

A mistake at the back by Uttoxeter allowed Highgate a huge opportunity to make it 2-2. Evan Richardson struggled to clear a ball into the box and Randy Osei was on hand to capitalise and finish into the bottom right corner to make it all square with ten minutes to go.

Troy Smikle-James made a real difference since coming on for the visitors in the second half. He made a driving run from midfield on the break before squaring it to George Elwell. The midfielder took a long range shot that caught Uttoxeter off guard and the ball went flying into the right corner to make it 3-2 to the visitors.

The best chance for Uttoxeter to get an equaliser came when the ball fell to Niall Rushton from the edge of the box. He had a shot go marginally wide of the left-hand post with a few minutes to go.

The visitors did well to see the match out in the closing stages for a huge three points that lifts them above the bottom two.

Full time

Uttoxeter played well in this match and caused Highgate some problems yesterday. The main positive for the hosts is that they’ve been competitive in their recent losses and were able to create chances in this match.

There’s experience in the squad with Mikey Conlon and Jason Beardsley part of their successful team last season that led them to a comfortable mid table finish which should offer supporters hope of staying up. They have a crucial run of fixtures over the next month and play the teams around them.

Highgate United showed their quality in the box yesterday and took their chances well to get the three points. It’s a huge result for the visitors and should give the squad some confidence and belief for their matches ahead.

The Gate have upcoming fixtures against OJM Black Country (home) and AFC Wulfrunians (away) over the next week and will be looking to build on this win.                  

FT score: Uttoxeter Town 2-3 Highgate United

Man of the match: Troy Smikle-James (Highgate United)

Match report written by Rhys Beardmore for the Midland Football League 

​Pinxton were looking to continue their encouraging start to the season with a result in the FA Vase yesterday. They have adapted well to step six following promotion from the Central Midlands Alliance League last season with four wins and two draws from nine matches in UCL Division One.

Key players such as Ben Jones have made the step up from step seven. He scored 18 goals last season in Pinxton’s title success in the Premier Division South of the Central Midlands Alliance League and has scored five so far.   

Leicester St Andrews were a side in form coming into this match with some promising results in MFL Division One. They had won five out of their last seven matches in the league and were only three points off the play offs. The visitors were looking for a run in the FA Vase to add to their good start to the season.

The atmosphere around the Welfare Ground was welcoming. The people at Pinxton were brilliant with any media queries yesterday and do a lot of hard work behind the scenes to make it a good match day experience. The programme on offer was informative and included a history of both teams alongside some notes from Pinxton manager Mark Richards.

The ground is accessible to visit for casual groundhoppers across the East Midlands. Supporters can get the 9.3 bus from Derby to Mansfield and get off at the Victoria Road stop. From there it’s a seven-minute walk to the ground. It’s well worth a visit and a chance to take in step six football.   

​Starting line ups

Pinxton’s starting line up included Will Sherwood starting in goal and Harvey Ford captaining the team from central defence. The formation looked like a 4-2-3-1 with Tom Sharpe leading the line up front and being supported by Sion Green and Ben Jones on the wings.

There were three changes from the team that started against Rainworth Miners Welfare last weekend with Louis Richards coming into the team and playing in holding midfield alongside Brad Newby.

Leicester St Andrews’ starting line up included Luke McAdam starting in goal and Shaun Barber captaining the team up front. The formation appeared to be a 3-5-2 with a front two of Sean Cross and Shaun Barber being supported by Jake Warren from attacking midfield.

There were two changes from the side that started against Saffron Dynamo in mid-week with Levi Fray coming into the team and playing as part of a back three. 

​First Half

The opening stages of the match were cagey with both teams settling into it early on. Both Pinxton and Leicester St Andrews were doing well to close down the space in front of goal. The first real chance came when Brad Newby had a shot from distance well blocked by Sean Cross in the box.

Leicester St Andrews settled into the match well and their first good chance came in the middle of the first half. A well delivered corner found Shaun Barber at the back post who put his header over the bar. None the less, it was a well worked set piece that offered hope for the MFL side.

Pinxton looked like an organised side yesterday against Leicester St Andrews and they worked hard off the ball to limit the chances for the visitors. Louis Richards was doing a good job of breaking up the play from holding midfield and Kane Hempshall was defending well at the back to take the pressure off them and help them grow into the match.

The visitors were building some momentum after the half hour mark and linking up the play well in the final third. A brilliant passing move saw Labeed Abdulrahman play an inviting low ball to Shaun Barber in the box whose effort hit the right-hand post. They had a good fifteen-minute spell in front of goal but couldn’t find the opening goal to take the lead.

Pinxton did well to see out the pressure from Leicester St Andrews and were threatening for the opener in the closing stages of the first half. Ben Jones made a good run down the left-hand side before having an effort well saved by Luke McAdam who pushed it over for a corner.

The hosts were committing players forward and took the lead when Ben Jones was free in the box before producing a quality finish into the top right corner to make it 1-0.

Pinxton managed the rest of the first half well to go into the break with the lead.

Second Half

Pinxton started the second half positively and were on the front foot in search of a second goal. A good ball played across the box found Cameron Brown who scored at the back post to make it 2-0 to the UCL side.

​The visitors responded well to the set back and kept going throughout the second half. Andy Melville cut inside from the right-hand side before having a shot go wide of the far post in the 65th minute.

Leicester St Andrews showed a lot of effort and endeavour yesterday, but it was not quite clicking in the final third against Pinxton.

​The hosts made it 3-0 in the latter stages of the second half thanks to pro-active play in the box. Mark Richards made a clever tactical change with Brad Newby playing up front and Tom Sharpe moving further back. It paid off when Brad Newby got a shot off that hit the post before falling to Connor Mogford who anticipated it well for Pinxton’s third.

Brad Newby was leading the line well up front for the hosts in the closing stages of the second half and had an effort from range hit the cross bar.

The visitors were pushing in the final stages of the second half and were building up some momentum. Substitute Freddie Young had a shot instinctively saved by Will Sherwood who tipped it round the post in the 84th minute.

Leicester St Andrews got a goal back late on when Andy Melville made a good run into the box before producing a quality finish into the top left corner.

The MFL side got another goal back a few minutes later to make it 3-2 deep into stoppage time when Shaun Barber had a deflected shot go into the bottom left corner.

The visitors ultimately ran out of time to get an equaliser, but it was a spirited fightback late on to reduce the deficit.

Full Time

Pinxton played well yesterday and got an encouraging win in the FA Vase against Leicester St Andrews who are challenging for the play offs in MFL Division One. They will be looking forward to the first-round draw tomorrow afternoon. Mark Richards is building a good squad, and they have been competitive in step six so far.

There’s a lot of continuity from their success in the Central Midlands Alliance. The top six players with the most appearances for Pinxton at step seven last season were in the starting line up yesterday.

They will be looking to keep their form going with an away game against Holwell Sports next weekend.   

It was a tough day at the office for Leicester St Andrews, but they showed character to keep going in the second half and had promising spells in front of goal. They looked like a side with quality on the ball to cause problems with Labeed Abdulrahman impressing on the left wing and Shaun Barber getting into some good positions in the box.      

They will be looking to bounce back with home matches against Ingles (League Cup) and Lutterworth Athletic (Division One) over the next week.                 

FT score: Pinxton 3-2 Leicester St Andrews

Man of the match: Ben Jones (Pinxton)

Attendance: 87

Match report written by Rhys Beardmore for the Midland Football League