Mickleover Sports 3
Dinnington Town 2

A NARROW defeat by top-of-the-league Mickleover and a midweek cup win have kept spirits high at Phoenix Park.

Dinnington fought back from 2-0 down at the NCEL Premier League leaders, before Karl Ashton scored Mickleover's winner, denying Town a seventh straight league win.

Manager Steve Toyne was disappointed, saying he could see only one winner after his men had fought back to level the score with half an hour left.

"Ben Rosser went the full length of the field and passed two or three players for our first," said Toyne, speaking to the Guardian while rolling the pitch ahead of his side's clash with Long Eaton tomorrow.

"Then Michael Blythen was sent off for swearing, after the ref missed the ball going off the pitch by three or four feet and ignored his linesman. He was wrong for doing so, but right about the ball being out."

"But we were still the better side, with attack after attack," he added.

"We made it 2-2 and for a time I could only see one winner. But then, unfortunately, we conceded."

"We deserved to get something more out of the game."

SHEFFIELD SENIOR CUP
Dinnington Town 2
Athersley Recreation 0

TOWN were back to winning ways on Tuesday, beating Athersley, who fielded several players with Unibond-level experience in the first round of the Sheffield & Hallamshire Senior Cup.

"They had players who play in higher leagues, for the likes of Ossett Albion," said Toyne.

"We still won 2-0 and could have had more."

"Now we're looking forward to Long Eaton, and hoping to have Ben Rosser and Matt Haigh back."

"There's a question mark about Simon Mirfin, and Johnson is definitely out."

"Things are looking positive and we just want to get another run going now. Another six-in-a-row would be all right."

Dinnington host Long Eaton United at Phoenix Park tomorrow (3pm).