Cup final bound

Glossop North End stormed into their first major final in 11 years on Tuesday night with a 1-0 victory over Mickleover, thanks to a Jacques Etia wonder strike on 65 minutes.   

A third clean sheet in the competition meant the strike was enough to secure victory in front of 345 fans and book the Hillmen’s place in the showpiece event at Derby County’s Pride Park in April. 

The visitors, who play their league football a step higher than Glossop, in the Midlands League, started brightly.   

A deflected shot earned them a corner in the second minute, and defender Daniel Benson powered a free header straight at Joey Oldham, whose handling on the goal line was spot on.   

Warning signs, but Glossop quickly grew into the game, settled on the ball and started to dictate the tempo.   

A corner on 20 minutes was headed goalwards by Jordan Schofield but the Mickleover keeper matched Oldham’s handling to claim cleanly.  

Throughout the first half Glossop put together the better passages of play, a good move down their left saw captain on the night Mooney-Munoz combine with Connor Berry with the forward’s shot going just wide.  

A move down the right saw Igwenwanne, Bowker and Gallagher combine before they worked the ball again to Berry, this time on the right hand edge of the box, his shot again flashing just wide.   

Level at the break and a tight game, but one where Glossop had played the better football and asserted themselves well.   

A tight semi-final with so much on the line, a game where it felt like a mistake or a moment of brilliance would break the deadlock.   

The visitors had the ball in the back of the net on 55 minutes, a run and cut inside by winger Thabang Dube saw the ball turned in at the far post but the offside flag denied them the opening goal.   

Ten minutes later the home side had the lead, and it was a moment of brilliance which provided it. 

Jordan Schofield was allowed to drive forward from the back, over halfway, before playing the ball into the feet of Aeron Bardsley who had sprinted forward in support, with real aggression.   

He slipped the ball Into Jacques Etia, who still had a lot of work to do from the left hand edge of the box.   

As he drove inside the box the crowd noise rose in anticipation, the run of Bardsley was used as a decoy, as he dragged a defender with him.   

Etia squeezed though a gap between two defenders and unleashed a wonderful shot across the keeper and into the net at the clubhouse end. Advantage Glossop.   

Both managers made tactical changes and substitutions, the visitors seeking an equaliser, the Hillmen looking to nullify the threats.   

As the clock reached 90 minutes the referee added four, but ended up playing seven. 

On 90 minutes, a shot from distance by Mickleover went through a group of bodies and could easily have squeezed in for an equaliser, but Oldham reacted well, pushing the ball to safety at full stretch.   

Moments later the ball was down the other end, as a fantastic through ball from Berry found substitute Junior Smith.   

He timed his run well, was through on goal, but the keeper smothered his shot to keep the score at 1-0.   

Back down to the other end of the pitch and as Glossop cleared, Bardsley carried the ball from inside his own half a to the edge of the Mickleover box, showing great energy after a demanding 90 minutes.  His cross was blocked and cleared.   

Straight down the other end and Mickleover’s striker, Manni Norkett, moved to occupy the space Bardsley had vacated, he drilled a shot goalwards but it was blocked by GNE defenders, who combined to put their bodies on the line and clear. 

After 97 minutes the referee blew for full time - joy and relief in equal measures as Glossop celebrated reaching the final, something which seemed a far cry away back in late October.   

This caps off what has been a superb turnaround under manager Lee Wilshaw, who has picked up 33 points from 17 league games, and landed four victories in the Derbyshire Cup, with two coming against higher level opposition.  

The GNE boss will hope to build momentum across the next few weeks, as the club look forward to April’s final with NPL Premier side Ilkeston Town.