Tividale 1, Mickleover 3

TIVIDALE'S unbeaten start to life in Division One South of the Northern League ended in disappointing fashion at the hands of Mickleover Sports today.

Andrew Dales hit a well-taken hat-trick with three rare moments of quality in the entire contest.

It took the visitors to The Beeches just two minutes to get in front when Dales took advantage of a poor punch from Tivi keeper Charles Price.

He pounced on the loose ball before lobbing it into the unguarded net from the edge of the box.

Tivi failed to respond and it was Mickleover that enjoyed more possession.

They doubled their lead after 25 minutes when Dales hit a fierce dipping effort over Price from just outside the area.

It took the home side until the 41st minute to create their first real effort as forward Karl Edwards dragged a long range shot wide of the post.

Dales' two moments of quality and the hard-working efforts of Sports' Oshosoke was the only difference as the half drew to a close.

Tividale started brighter in the second half as they looked for a way back into the game.

On 53 minutes, Jazz Luckie beat two men on the corner of the area but then scuffed his rushed effort past the near post.

However, despite a good spell of possession, Tivi failed to create any real openings.

In fact, neither side worked the opposition goalkeeper until Dales completed his hat-trick and put the game beyond Ian Long's men in the 74th minute.

Substitute Walshe collected the ball and fed the Mickleover wideman who made no mistake as he slid the ball post the out-rushing Price.

Tivi did pull one back on the 80th minute mark when substitute Leigh Downing bundled the ball home after good work down the left flank by fellow substitute Nigel Penney.

The assistant referee adjudged the ball had crossed the line despite the defenders' efforts to hack the ball clear.

The goal proved only to be a consolation strike as Tivi's unbeaten start was halted.

How they react to the defeat could well prove crucial. They will now look to bounce straight back when they travel to take on Norton on Tuesday night.

Tividale: Price, Parsons, Foster, Field, Smith (c), Paskin, Botfield(Downing 45), Bellis, Edwards (Penney 45), Taylor-Boyce, Luckie (Ashton 68).

Unused subs: Turner, Huckfield.

Mickleover: Martin, Bryant, Grocott (c), Holmes (Walshe 7), Wiley, Degirolamo, Dales, Lloyd, Ashton (Demidh 72), Oshosoke (Grayson 79), Palmer.

Unused subs: Griffiths, Esposito.