Point should have been three

Tigers led for most of the match, and had chances to go on and win it even after their hosts had levelled.

But it wasn’t to be, it ended 1-1, and after 10 games Tigers find themsleves with just six points - the third worst start in the Northern Premier.

Worksop, with a changed side from Saturday, got off to the perfect start.

Two minutes in Jamie Jackson won a free-kick on the left, Mark Hudson curled it in and as Sports keeper Damian Clarke came out, Marc Roberts simply nodded past him for the opener.

Worksop began the game with a 4-3-3 formation, Joe Fox coming into the middle alongside Hudson and Luke Sharry.

Jackson and Nicky Gray flanked Dennis Sherriff up front.

Gray appealed to the referee for a spot-kick on nine minutes as he danced around a defender, but the match official was unimpressed.

Mickleover should have levelled when Tigers skipper James Cotterill slipped and Kieran O’Connell was allowed to run clean through on Jon Worsnop’s goal, but his early strike slid just past the post.

Cotterill received the game’s first booking for a very late lunge on O’Connell, who had turned well to beat the centre-half.

Sports delivered a dangerous ball into the box, got bodies across Worsnop and somehow Marc Strzyzweski failed to trouble the keeper.

Shiels joined his captain in the book on 24 minutes for coming through the back of John Guy - the full-back capping a contentious couple of minutes and incensing the home support.

Mickleover won a free-kick deep in the Worksip half less than two minutes before the interval, and no one picked up O’Connell, the little forward receiving the ball down the left channel but his ball across goal was cleared for a corner.

The visitors very nearly replicated their start with a glorious chance two minutes into the second half.

Jackson set off at pace, got away from his marker and squared a perfect ball for Sherriff, whose shot from inside the six yard box looked destined for the back of the net until Clarke flung out a leg and somehow made the save.

At the other end, Worsnop made a fine stop with his feet, after a sweeping Mickleover move ended in a Karl Ashton shot.

On the hour mark Tigers broke out of defence and Hudson put Jackson in with a deft touch, but he sliced his shot wide.

Jackson turned provider with a lovely sliderule pass to Sheriff and the centre forward powered into the box, but went down hopefully and fruitlessly over the challenge of Clarke.

On 71 minutes it was 1-1. Second half replacement Martin Smythe sent in a lovely cross from the left, Eric Graves stole in behind Chris Wood and turned the ball back across goal for Ashton to tap in.

Before Worksop kicked off they sent Steve Gardner on in place of Sharry who had pulled up two minutes earlier.

A brilliant kick out from Worsnop released Jackson, and after linking with Hudson, he swung in a cross that Sherriff headed straight at Clarke.

It was the striker’s final act as Sam Duncum replaced him for the remaining eight minutes.

Worksop broke out from defence with three minutes to go and Jackson strained to get a cross in from the byline, but Duncum couldn’t turn it in.

The home side had two shouts for a penalty before regulation time ran out, but neither sufficiently impressed the referee.

In frantic scenes Smythe drew a good save from Worsop, and Graves fired the rebound wide.

Tigers did have the ball in the net in the fourth minute of injury time, Hudson challenging Clarke and Gardner nodding home but the Sports keeper was awarded a free-kick.