Scarborough Athletic disappoint in Mickleover defeat

On a glorious afternoon, Boro just didn't seem to turn up as an attacking force, giving the thousand or so fans little to cheer.

Boro welcomed Wayne Brooksby back into the midfield for a game that looked set to be a battle from the very beginning.

The powerful and experienced Mickleover side were always going to win their defensive headers and threaten from set-pieces, so it was all down Boro playing their passing game.

After a rough and tumble start to the game, which saw the lively Mickleover strike pairing of Levi Amantoh and Evan Garnett causing problems, Boro finally began to settle on the ball, though they did little to hurt their visitors.

It was Mickleover who had the better chances in the first 45 minutes and Boro would have gone in a goal in arrears had it not been for a superb Tommy Taylor save, the keeper flying through the air to push away a Karel Tvaroh effort.

Much of Boro's better play came through Luke Lofts, and one particular turn and shot had the fans in the Shed holding their collective breath, but the ball fizzed just past the post.

When the second period got underway, Boro looked to be edging closer and closer to making the all-important breakthrough, though the final ball was always lacking.

And just after the hour, Boro's hopes of picking up anything from the game took a huge one-two from the visiting side.

Mickleover had a hefty chunk of luck with their first, as the referee bought a theatrical dive from Jake Scott over Dave Merris' challenge in the box. Amantoh stepped up and converted from the spot.

Then, just a couple of minutes later, Amantoh collected 45 yards from goal, cruised through a number of weak tackles and smashed home off the bar.

Boro looked for a positive reply, changing to three at the back and then throwing on Will Annan for his first appearance in a number of months.

But all they could conjure were deep crosses that keeper Lewis King lapped up and half chances that all came to nothing.

With the Flamingo Land Stadium haemorrhaging fans at an alarming rate, the full-time whistle was blown to a smattering of applause from the joyous away fans.