Northern Premier League Midland Division Saturday 28 February 2026
Following the previous Saturday’s defensive lapses, the Mikes put in a disciplined, determined display which could, at times, have passed for a re-enactment of the Siege of Stalingrad. Our referee was your scribe’s type of official: he blew for four fouls in the first three minutes, thus helping us to have a football match, rather than a wrestling session. There followed an entertaining first half, followed by a second period of unremitting tension.
As had happened at Basford, the Mikes took an early lead. Ten minutes in, imaginative passing between Jack Burgess and Frankie Ealing saw a centre converted, from ten yards, by Harry Crook. Harry soon nearly doubled his account, after which it was the Racers’ turn to come close to equalising. Unmarked James Harding was denied by Jonno Brown’s right leg, Brown pushing away Cameron Ebbutt’s rebound shot. That it might not be the hosts’ day was indicated seven minutes later. They were awarded a penalty when an Aaron Opoku centre hit Kyle Byrne’s arm: not that our Kyle could do much about it! James Harding took the spot kick…and hit the bottom of the post: lead preserved!
As is usually the case, our opponents were two sizes bigger than the Mikes, the main exception being Lima, who had a beefy ongoing confrontation with the equally mountainous Opoku. “Clash of the Titans” noted your correspondent as, on thirty minutes, a rumbustious encounter ended up with the pair falling in a disorderly heap. Our referee (we presume) deemed that Opoku had been denied a clear scoring chance…and Lima was trudging off the pitch. Youngster Ben Croot now replaced the battered Crook, and Boldmere now had eight to ten men back in their box as Warwick pressed for parity. The visitors regularly had six, even seven, in their back line, as they withstood the homesters’ onslaught. The home support began to show their frustration as we reached half time with their team still a goal down; but could the Mikes hold on to this slim advantage for ninety minutes?
Events took a turn on fifty-three minutes. Kyle Byrne intercepted an intended pass out to the right wing deep in his own half…steamed down the length of the left bye line…advanced into the box…and slid the ball past the exposed Tom Allsopp. A fantastic goal. As the hour approached, Racing reorganised, bringing on three substitutes, including prolific scorer Charlie Hamp. The siege continued, Boldmere’s biggest concern being Brown going down with an injured arm after snatching yet another ball out of the air. So many breaks to treat the injured occurred that ten minutes’ added time followed the ninety – in the seventh of which a reckless, flying two-footer saw James Hancocks be the second man to see red. At ninety minutes, the Mikes made their first defensive mistake; and as the sun set on proceedings, they looked distinctly leggy. Somehow, they kept their opponents from scoring: ultimately, a disciplined rearguard action deserved the points gained. Boldmere, seventeenth in the table, are now one place nearer safety.
Racing Club Warwick: Tom Allsopp; Ryan Moore (Kieron Dawes 58); James Hancocks; Reece Blackmore (Dylan Barkers 58); Kyle Barnett; Jasper Tetlow; Cameron Ebbutt; Jordan Hayward (Ryan Andrews 69); James Harding (Jack Edwards 83); Aaron Opoku; Connor Taylor (Archie Hamp 58).
Boldmere St Michaels: Jonathan Brown; Kye Bilton; Pedro Lima; Daniel O’Callaghan; Aris Christophorou; Kyle Byrne (Jaiy Leydon 80); Jack Burgess; Fraser Doyle; James Tague (Tolani Omotola 86); Harry Crook (Ben Croot 35); Frankie Ealing (Charlie Manners 73). Sub. not used: Ben Lund.